Objectivity
Let's be honest, when it comes to buying or selling a home, people can be emotional, even irrational. Some brokers will pander to this. So try to find a broker that will inject some objectivity into the process.
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Phone rings Saturday morning:
Caller: Mr. Moore, it’s Jim Smith, from the closing yesterday.Me: Oh? Yes Mr. Smith, I’m sorry we did not get to meet.Mr. Smith: Yes, well, my wife was pretty upset, and she could just not face you or your clients. So the attorney put us in a separate room.Me: Yes, so she said.Mr. Smith: Look, my wife is still pretty broken up about the whole thing…and I was wondering…er, I think it might help…if you could talk to her?Me: Hmm, er, well, sure…put her on.Mrs. Smith: [Sniffle] Mr. Moore, I really just want to tell you…well, I really just want you to understand…just how badly I feel you treated us.Me: Well, if it is about the price….Mrs. Smith: No, it’s not about the price! Well yes, it is a bit about the price; it was lower than I was expecting.Me: Hmm….but…Mrs. Smith: But you know, our broker said we should probably take it. You know, she’s a neighbor, well was a neighbor, and we’ve been friends since Jim and I moved to the neighborhood. I trust her so much. Thank God she was there for us. And besides, we’d already bought another home and we needed this one sold.Me: Yes, your broker did saying something about a horse farm before we made our offer.Mrs. Smith: That’s right, out in Lee County. But as I was saying, I just feel that you treated us very badly.Me: Well again, if it is about the price….Mrs. Smith: No, I mean yes, I mean, it’s not just the price. What really tore my heart out was your criticism of our home. You know, we were there for twenty years…raised our two kids there…and I just cannot believe the things you said…and how you acted.Me: You mean with the repairs…?Mrs. Smith: Well, there you go again with repairs…I can tell you, our home is in perfect shape.Me: Well we did send you a copy of our home inspection….Mrs. Smith: Oh that, well I couldn’t be bothered with that. Besides I know more about that house than any inspector will ever know.Me: But Mrs. Smith, the crawl space was so wet, the structure was covered in mold….Mrs. Smith: That just cannot be true…I would have known.Me: Well there are photos….Mrs. Smith: Well never-mind that. I really just want you to know that I feel your behavior, well the way you treated us was just…just very…well, awful.Me: Mrs. Smith I am sorry you feel that way…You do understand that I worked for the buyers, right?Mrs. Smith: What difference does that make?Me: Look, I think what you need to do is separate your sentimental feelings for your home from the business of selling your house. I am sure your broker told you that, or something to that effect?Mrs. Smith: No of course not. She is my friend, she would never say something so cold.
Yes, this was an actual phone call. I hesitate to include this story because it seems so unbelievable. I don’t really care if you hire a neighbor or a friend or a family member. But as we have discussed, find someone honest and competent. And as we see here, find someone objective. For your own good.
Now I am not saying that brokers should be insensitive to clients’ feelings. Of course we should be sensitive. And this is an issue for some clients more than others. But clients hire us as advisors and consultants. Part of our job is to help clients make the best business decisions possible.
Brokers, do your job. Competence and integrity require objectivity.