The Right Choice

I ran into Senora the other day while showing homes to the Snake-renters. Senora and I are friends, I introduced her to my former broker, El Jefe. They hit it off. Senora went to work for El Jefe and they have been BFFs ever since.

Senora was holding a rental open--a concept I enlisted while I worked for El Jefe. When we got there, I would guess, conservatively, there were about 40 folks were milling around, looking at the place and she was fielding questions, so she didn't have time for me. The home was about $200 under market and would probably have 25 applications on it by the end of the weekend. She was working the open house by herself, fishing for buyers. After all, not everyone was going to rent this one home. It is a great strategy, actually, if everyone is upfront to begin with. Hopefully Senora was transparent.

Senora looked beat. I was sad to see she was by herself. She wasn't having people sign in, so she wasn't keeping track. When I asked how she was doing, she said she is busy. It was on the tip of my tongue, but fortunately my filter was working so I didn't ask if she was making any money. I think I may know the answer anyway.

El Jefe is many things. But the top of the list is dysfunctional. He leaves a wake of unnecessary drama behind him, whether he intends to or not. It isn't that he is unkind or unscrupulous. Not at all. Even though he is a natural in sales, he is also a hot mess most of the time. He also collects those who are of value and throws away those who aren't. I watched agents go in and out of his business, knowing they deserved better (Jane). Senora is happy with this arrangement with El Jefe and the more power to her! I know she is learning so much that she can use to run a brokerage or if and when he opens a second office. But I have seen her sales numbers too. She isn't making money.

By the way, my client probably wouldn't have gotten the house anyway (she didn't want it). Not because El Jefe wouldn't have liked my folks, but because he would then have to pay an outside commission. El Jefe is also an opportunist. Why pay an outside commission when there are 24 other applicants to choose from?

I have spoken to El Jefe about once or twice a month since I left. It is nice to have a casual relationship that doesn't involve me sitting in his dark office waiting for the phone to ring as a condition to employment. Nothing he has said to me in the past six months makes me want to go back. Seeing how burned out Senora looked, clarified what I pretty much figured out: I made the right choice.