About a month ago, a client of mine from another state asked me to help find them an agent. Actually, what they asked is if I was able to sell their home in another state. And even if I did a crash course real estate program there, paid all of the money to their local department and managed to get a brokerage up and running by the time they put their home on the market, I still would be their worst choice. I know nothing about the area they live.
Anyway, I went to my usual places to find a reasonable agent for them--my real estate Facebook groups. And believe it or not, there is not a lot of demand for agents in Nowheresville. I got one response--it was from Mrs. Hufflepuff who just put down "Alex Miller" as a completely unhelpful reply. Now if she had given a phone number, brokerage or e-mail address for Ms. Miller (or Mr. Miller), it might have been a different story and I wouldn't have any more to write.
Still agentless, I turned to the Web. After going through the Internet and reading gobs of client reviews, I was back where I started. The lovely reviews were the same kinds of compliments my clients say to me--or would say to me if I bothered with a Web presence. Any bad review I blamed on a bad client. The super-raving ones I attributed to the agent's mother. I also looked at those folks who have the same types of designations I have. Honestly, it was just a bunch of names and none screamed, "I will take great care of your clients!" But then again, I personally know folks with these same professional designations who have not sold more than four homes in their entire career. So, that was a bust too.
Finally, I called the branch manager of what seemed to be the biggest mortgage company in town. After talking to him for a few, I explained what I was after: a go-getter who didn't have a big ego and wasn't allergic to the truth or work. The Branch Manager gave me a few names. I called them all. One person didn't bother to answer her phone, but texted me back immediately with, "Who's this?"
In the end, the agent I went with met my criteria. As a bonus, he grew up in Phoenix, not far from where I grew up. We waxed nostalgically for a bit over how much the city has changed. We talked about what we did in our professional lives prior to real estate. And the best part of all this, my clients liked him!
I would like to tell you the story ends there with a super-happy ending. But nope. The saga continues and it is even happier than before. This same agent called me last Friday. He has a client for me! His client is coming in town this next weekend and we are going house hunting.
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