I try not to discuss my work often. Not that I'll get in trouble with the boss or anything, but b/c this blog is supposed to be a reprieve from my work headaches. However, every so often, I have a day that makes me want to give it all up, head for the Bahamas, and live life as a drunken beach bum. Naked.Today was one of those days. Difficult clients are a major problem, but I also work with a high-energy agent team full of Type-A sales associates who only earn money when deals reach the closing table. For example, the agents could put a sales contract together, work for a month to get all the required inspections, paperwork, title insurance, etc., just to have a buyer walk away at closing and back out of a contract. Who is usually blamed? The agent. Who gets nothing? The agent. Well, and me. Who do they complain to? Me. To make matters worse, often these deals involve more than one of my agents, and the placing of blame and fault for a deal not closing gets passed around like crazy.
Luckily, having worked in this business for 14 1/2 years, I quit counting chickens before they hatch. It makes no difference if I net $1,000 or $10,000 from a deal - I treat them all the same. I can walk into a closing and not honestly give a crap whether or not a buyer or seller decides to back out - and usually when they sense that from me, they straighten up and drop whatever power trip they're on.
What's hard is consoling an agent who just lost thousands of dollars on a deal that didn't close. Working straight commission is difficult, and no matter how long these agents have been in business, they have trouble being calm about these situations. It should be more difficult for me, seeing as I have an office overhead that MUST be met each month - but it's truly harder on them.
Anyone know of a magic pill I can give them when things get rough? I hate to see them get so upset.
9 comments:
"I can walk into a closing and not honestly give a crap whether or not a buyer or seller decides to back out."
Know what that means, Tigger?
You're dangerous.
I don't have a magic pill. I wish I did. However after reading your post today I do have a quote for you.
"If your going to be a drunken beach bum you might as well be naked!"
Your welcome. Feel free to use it at will. =)
I've bought and sold quite an number of properties over the years (plus I have friends who are agents), and it never ceases to amaze me how much crap agents have to take. It's usually the lawyers or the bank that's causing the problem, but the vendors and purchasers always vent on the agent, because the agent is an easier target and just has to smile and take.
No magic pill, sorry. Maybe an ice-cream could work.
Ice cream with chocolate on top, enjoying an indoor waterpark for the weekend ;)
Being naked with you and vicki would work for me, but then I am not in the real estate business. Seriously, I assume it's a trick question, because I suspect there is no magic bullet that can help someone who chose a profession where one can work their ass off, yet risk losing a commission on the whim of the client.
Must be something in the air. I kept wishing I could rewind and start today over.
You already have the answer. You yourself said, "I can walk into a closing and not honestly give a crap whether or not a buyer or seller decides to back out."
If you could teach your agents to adopt this attitude and believe in it, it takes much of the pressure off and positive things DO happen.
Positive self-fulfilling prophecy.
No magic pills ---that would exacerbate the situation.
Your attitude is good for the blood pressure.
I will never be a salesman (although at one time I thought I could)
Vodka. Vodka is always the answer.
Or you could give them all a copy of Deepak Chopra's book about the seven spiritual laws. I actually got quite a bit out of that in spite of my disrespect for most self help type books.
That's a tough business to be in.
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