Chosing Clients

I am currently working on one sale and discerning whether or not to take Dawn and Landon's listing. The one I am working on is strange, but fun. There are no guarantees and nothing has moved in a direction I expected. However, the people are great. That makes a difference.

My other current clients, Dawn and Landon, aren't that great to work with. They are frustrated. They had tenants scoot out in the middle of the night and are left, 3000 miles from their home, with costly issues. They are scared. They are uncertain. And mostly they are extremely unpleasant. 

It is reasonable to be distrusting, especially given their poor decisions in the past have gotten them to where they are now. It is not reasonable to have your only credible (I am not "credible") sources be the Internet and reality television shows. Raw data doesn't count--especially when it comes from any source I give Dawn. I don't even mind being countered at every turn, as much as I mind the nasty vitriol that comes with her disagreeing with my position.

Jane was with me last week when I had Dawn on speaker phone. Jane's eyebrows shot up at the way this woman acted. Agree with me. Don't agree with me. I don't care. But hell! Don't be a certifiable snot about it! 

Originally, when we first talked last summer, Dawn said, "I have to tell you, the last few experiences I have had with a realtor have been horrible." At that point, the little voice in my head said, "run." I haven't run (yet) because this client has ties to my extended family members. Dawn will be punitive if I fire her. It will get political within my family. I am aware. Nobody will agree with me (after all, I am just being pissy and I NEVER have a legitimate complaint because it is my family.).  

Part of me would like to keep this client because if I could get her under control, it would be a nice chunk of change to end off the year. However, I question whether I can really keep an uber-snide seller with interpersonal relationship gaps "under control." How much is my dignity worth? 

Last week I texted Dawn and asked for her address. What I didn't tell her was the reason I wanted her address is that if I choose to fire her, I am going to take my vendor box off her house and mail back her keys. I will make a decision soon as to what I want to do.