If there was one topic that should be required learning for Realtors but is not widely taught, it would be client management. No, this is not another episode on how to keep track of your database. This episode talks about all the ways we should be setting the tone of a real estate transaction for our clients. If you want more boundaries for your business, then you must start with client management. Come hear strategies for making the real estate process less time consuming, stressful and emotional for you and your buyers and sellers. Proper client management will not only make you and your clients happy, but will make you the agent other agents want to work with again!

The following is a rough transcript provided by Otter.ai.

0:00
Oh God,

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I don’t feel ready. Okay.

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I am ready. I’m good. Okay, good. I prepared so quickly. Hi, y’all.

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Welcome to hustle humbly. It’s Alyssa and Katie. And we are to top producing realtors in the Baton Rouge market.

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We work for two different companies where we should be competitors. But we have chosen community over competition. The goal of our podcast is to encourage you to find your own way in business. So stop comparing yourself and start embracing your strengths. All right, tell him what episode it is

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24 Is that right?

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That’s right, Episode 24. Hi, and welcome to episode 24.

0:38
Client Management.

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If there was one class that I could force every realtor to take as a requirement of their license, it would probably be client management,

0:53
I can’t believe it took us this long to get to. Now we have touched on some of these topics, but to dedicate a whole episode to client management? Well,

1:02
I think that the most important part of depth, dedicating a whole episode to it is people don’t even think about that term. Right? They don’t even they’re not even in the mindset of like, what does that even mean? I bet some people think that we’re going to start talking about actual technology and databases and things that are managing your

1:22
I don’t think we’re actually talking about any of that. Nope.

1:25
Not at all, because client management is more about managing people.

1:29
Correct. And it’s funny, because, you know, I’m a big advocate of saying, I’m not self employed, right? Yes. I love client employed. Yeah, without my clients. I’m not employed, correct. However, you’re still the boss. Yeah. As the realtor, you’re the professional. Yes, you have to manage everything. Yep, you have to have an I think the biggest part of client management is confidence. Oh, 100%. If you’re not confident, you are not going to be able to take the bull by the horns and lead the show

2:00
deliver those difficult messages. Yeah, you’ve got to be you got to be in charge. You are managing people, people, you’re managing people.

2:07
And I think like the new people, yes, it’s really hard. This part is really hard, because you want to guide but you are so scared to lose them.

2:17
And I think you’re scared to give bad advice. Or, or maybe you don’t feel like you said you’re not confident in what you know yet.

2:24
And the delivery is just as important as what you’re saying. Yep. So if you are not speaking with confidence, you’re already behind. You’re way behind.

2:33
No one’s gonna listen and take your word for anything when it seems like you’re not sure. I’m not really sure. Right? Yeah. So before we get deeper into client management, as soon as we hit stop record on, on professionalism, last week, I was like, oh, man, the one thing that we didn’t talk about when we were discussing realtor, I mean, your respect for your peers, professionalism, and your professionalism, we’re just going to quickly get back to it. friends out there who are not doing real estate as their full time gig yet need to be mindful that it is a true profession, it is a real job. And it should be given the same sort of respect as what you are calling a real

3:21
job. And you need to have respect for the realtors that are doing it full time, right. So when you get off work at five is not the time to start blowing up their phone, right? It’s not their fault that you work another job and can’t handle your real estate business until the evening. That doesn’t mean we’re supposed to drop all of our family stuff to just attend to you doing this like night hustle thing, right? So

3:43
just be mindful, I don’t want to kind of harp on it a long time. It just think it’s especially when it comes to scheduling and expecting responses. Remember that the other half of that transaction likely is a full time realtor who needs you to get them items during the course of a business day and is not going to respond to you at 11pm at night when you have time for it. So just whatever it takes to figure out those systems for you. Maybe you’re more of an emailer. And that’s how you got to make it work. Be respectful of the other agents time. Love it. Okay, moving on to client management. Okay. Okay. So I think that this starts with you’re setting expectations and rules for your clients.

4:24
The biggest thing is that once you’ve lost control, you can’t really get it back. Yes, you so it has to be you have to be the authoritative figure from the beginning. Yes, the first time you meet a seller for that listing appointment. It needs to be polished, it needs to be professional. Yes, it needs to have everything that you want them to know. And then they’re just like they know what to expect by the end of that.

4:49
Yes, give them even in my buyer folder. I have a list that steps to making a home purchase. Yes, your buyers can go online and find how to make a home purchase in a million different ways. I have them lined out in the way that I go through a transaction me, Katie, in Louisiana, there’s not going to be the same for you, Susie, in New York City, like, obviously, there are things that are different about the way transactions are done. But make sure your clients are aware of how you are going to get them through the transaction and what the steps are. And it will also eliminate a lot of communication on you repeating yourself, or them being confused or not understanding how things work it just like what you said in the last episode and professionalism. Giving them some explanation of how feedback on a listing works is going to make it easier for you and for them. And you’re managing their expectations. Yeah. So I think that’s important.

5:45
And also just sticking to what you do and doing it the same way every single time. Yeah, if you don’t show houses to buyers that aren’t pre approved, that’s ever, ever, like you are committed to saying before we go run around town and open all these doors. This is step one is the budget meeting. Yeah, you have to get pre approved.

6:04
I think that’s good and stand firm. Don’t let them treat you like your kids. Do you? They get in. I saw this meme that killed me this week. It was your kid ask a question. Mom says no kid responds with. I don’t feel like you’re fully committed to that. I’m going to ask you 867 more times. Finally, yeah, stay committed to your system. Make sure that your clients don’t push you around, and that you are like really sticking with it? Well, the

6:32
moment you’ve lost control, and they’re running the show. I mean, you just can’t get it back. You can’t get it. They’ve lost respect for you. Now they know that you don’t know what you’re doing. Yes. Or you appear not to know what you’re doing.

6:44
I’m a big fan of the books baby wise, when my kids were babies years ago, I did that you read baby ones, baby wise is great. It was so and then I read potty wise. Oh, I

6:54
didn’t do that. Okay, well, I

6:55
think it might be so ridiculous. But I think it might be in that one where they the big thing that they cover over and over again is begin as you mean to go begin as you mean to go. So if this is how it’s going to be start off that way, if you’re not going to have clients texting you at 8pm. At night, don’t ever respond at 8pm. At night, you have to be the one that setting those standards. So you manage your clients expectations, they won’t get upset if you don’t catch that 8pm text if you’ve never caught the APM text, right? It’s you begin as you mean to go. And it’s

7:28
not that you didn’t catch it. It’s just that everybody has to have their boundaries and downtime. And it’s during our boundaries and downtime, that we’re resting, rejuvenating so that when we respond via email at 8am Yeah, we’re ready, exactly ready to work to

7:43
be prepared to answer the questions and solve the problems, y’all you have so many problems to solve in a transaction. Yeah, or in a search. I think that also, you know, talking about a search brings up when your clients tell you what their needs are. And you know why they’re moving. And you set up their search, and they say, I can’t have a house less than 2500 square feet, you need to be mindful and aware that maybe the perfect house for them is 2420 square feet. Right? Right. Like you cannot just let them tell you, these are the deal breakers, maybe they are maybe they aren’t listening beyond what they’re saying and manage their expectations. Well, maybe you say that you have to have a 2500 square foot house and be in this location, but your budget isn’t gonna allow that for him. So we’re gonna have to make these decisions up front. Like we can’t keep trying to look at houses that are out of your price range. That is a big one. So big. Please, please remind your clients in the beginning of the search, it does nobody any service if they are approved for 400,000. And they keep wanting to view online and in person homes that are 450. And you know, without a shadow of a doubt that they cannot buy a house for 450. Don’t schedule that appointment. No, don’t let them even look online, I’ve had to correct quite a few clients and say, Listen, if you keep looking outside of your price range, you’re never going to be happy with what you can afford. Right? And I can’t fix that. So you’ve got to set that expectation.

9:16
And on that searches topic. I have actually gotten three new clients, buyer clients that we’re working with another realtor who contacted me and said, We had a realtor we have ended the relationship. We’re not happy. My first question what went wrong? Tell me and three times the answer was they set us up on this search that sent us about 25 houses every single day. Wow. And the the realtors aren’t even filtering, filtering and Okay, y’all, this is our job. Our only job is to work with buyers and to work with sellers. If you don’t have time to help it. You’re in the wrong profession. So it takes me about 30 minutes to set up a buyer search. Yep, I set up the search. I see if it’s eliminating if any of their criteria is eliminating things that I think would be good options. Okay, so if they tell me square footage, I might plus or minus 150. Bigger or smaller? Yeah, if a fireplace is non negotiable, I might set up two searches, one that’s fireplaces only. And one that’s none. I do the same thing, just because I just want to see and make sure so if something comes up, because sometimes if you’re in a market like us right now, there’s not as much yeah to choose from. So when inventory is low, you have so many deal breaker and if they haven’t heard from you in a week, right? So sometimes I like to send them something and say, Hey, I know this doesn’t have a fireplace, but I just wanted you to know that I am still keeping an eye out for you. Yes, but in some situations, especially if this is a buyer that’s like, actively needs to buy a house. Yeah, I get it sent to me first, okay, I like it. And then I look at it. And if it’s wrong, I might forward it to them and say, Hey, I saw this one just came on the market. I know it doesn’t work, but I’m keeping an eye out. Or I send it to them and say, Hey, this one looks like it meets all your criteria. But they are frustrated with these automated searches that are not specific enough. The other reason it takes me 30 minutes to set up the search is because I will eliminate subdivisions like yes, if I know this subdivision only has one car carport, then you gotta we just eliminated or whatever the case may be, yes. But my search is very thorough, right? Because I don’t want it to just be junk. Like if I get an alert. First of all, I don’t want 20 emails a day, or whatever. But I just think it’s important that we help them filter. So they’re excited when they get an email from us about a new house. Like it’s an

11:53
actual potential. Yeah, at work. I agree with all of this. And I also feel bad and apologizing when there is something in their search that I cannot set it for. So when they will, right I want an office I need I don’t want it to have flooded. I don’t want to pay for flood insurance, I have to just tell them on the front end. I have set your search. You know, I cannot filter out for this thing. So please just contact me back and say look, 123 main street looks like a good one. Did it flood? Does it require flood insurance? I’m happy to check it for you. I cannot filter it out. I am sorry. Like I’m apologetic on their front and like I know you might

12:32
deploy it is that you’re communicating? Yeah. So they’re not like why is this realtor sending me all these flooded house? Alana? Yeah, I told you no.

12:39
Yeah. Well, I can’t I can’t select out for communication is always going to make this process easier. And if your clients know that that’s why they’re getting or if they say I need a big lot. I cannot Yeah, filter listings for lot size. If by acres I can thankfully. Yeah. Out of that. Yeah. You know what agents do lazy agents and I’m talking to y’all lazy as they put in one acre, because they don’t want to do the math and figure out the actual acreage.

13:09
Fraud. I agree. Because Because everybody wants an acre.

13:12
Thank you. I have plenty. I have a client right now who wants an acre and I’ve had to explain this to them in great length. If you get a house that clearly looks like it’s a one. Oh, neighborhood lot in your search. I am sorry. It is because the other realtor has made a mistake. Yeah. And please, y’all Stop making me apologize for your bad behavior. Get it? Right, it goes right in hand with what we were talking about in professionalism.

13:34
So I have clients a lot of times that will send me like 15 addresses. Okay, first of all, if I have a client that starts texting me addresses, right, first of all, my nightmare. Second of all, I’m gonna forget you like come back to AOL this too. So I respond to their text message and say, Hey, anytime you see a house, please email me the address. So when I get back to my computer, I can research it and I can make notes and they go oh, okay. Perfect. Thank you. Great. So I have all of their links in one email. I highlight green, orange or red. Oh my word you are so y’all she is so thorough. This is my eat but if it’s an email, I can do this in five minutes. Okay, let’s hear it. And I make notes next to each one and I’ll say this one’s green highlighted green. This one looks great. It didn’t flood it’s not in a flood zone. It’s in the subdivision. You said it’s only been on the market three days. Yeah. Next one. Okay, this one did not flood but it isn’t a flood zone. You know, you mentioned to me that that was questionable. So I have this one in orange. Right. The next one flooded and in a flood zone. And you said that that was important. So right, it’s red. We’re not like it makes me sad when I hear realtors say things like I showed 20 houses. Why that’s your fault. That’s no client management not help or guide them because you know what? They didn’t want to do that either. Well, but they didn’t have a realtor take charge and say let me explain to you why This is not going to work. And this gets easier. As you show them how I

15:04
agree. I was going to say the same thing. After probably the first two sets of showings, I will have seen them see enough houses to know what they really want, and what they say they want. And I can at that point, start adding listings myself that they did not request to see. Yes. So I will say, Hey, guys, we’re gonna go out, they requested to see two, we’re gonna see the two you wanted. But I also added one nearby that I think you need to see, I have many times sold someone that house that they did not choose, but that I said they needed to see, right? Because if you’re paying attention to your clients, they will eventually give you all of the details of what they really need. And they might be confused by ugly photography. They might be confused by Oh, well, I said I had to have a fireplace and I can’t, you know, live without it. Well, let’s let’s really, I took clients one specific set to a house that had ugly paint. It was horrible, that all of the trim work was painted in French Country Blue, red or green. What in every room and it was a nicer neighborhood. It was a great house. And the value for the property was amazing. Because nobody wanted to tackle that ugly budget house. Yeah. Well, I’m like, Hey, we’re seeing one around the corner. We’re gonna go look at this ugly painting house because you’re a young, you know, capable couple, you can paint a house. Sure. And we got in there. And they love the floors. And they love the floor plan. And they love the lot. And guess what? bought that house. That’s amazing. Yeah. So just be mindful. That’s,

16:38
I have a couple right now that I’ve been showing. And I’ve been having to do a lot of filtering, like they send me stuff. And I’m like, Hey, I saw that. Also, I just wanted to let you know, I didn’t send it to you. Because the last three houses that we saw, you said that, you know, if you had to do countertops and appliances, it was a deal breaker, and that would be the end this would be that. And then she goes you’re right. I didn’t even look at it that closely. Right? I don’t know always how to look for things that we look for. Yes. And they don’t like these people are from Seidel. So they have to drive in. It’s a production the the houses, and if I can save them a trip, because I know Yep. If it’s, or sometimes I can go do a walk through and just do like a quick video or something. But they want your guidance. They don’t want you to just be like, yes, it’s it’s just Yes, you know,

17:29
so, okay, how do you manage because this really is gonna play into couples where each one is really looking for something different.

17:37
I keep all communication on one, either email group, okay, or group text. Everyone’s hearing the same thing. We are all hearing the same thing. Yes. Because never ever do I want it to seem like I’m catering to the wife. Yep. More than the husband or vice versa. Yeah. And it lets me refer back, right. So I’ll say, you know, hey, Susie, Bobby said this was a deal breaker. So unless Bobby’s open to right, you know, negotiating that. I don’t know if I gotta sell. I gotta sell both of you that I got to sell. And Bobby Yeah, not just you.

18:14
Right. Unless you want to tell me something. Right?

18:16
We got to both be happy. So it’s just I always use their own words as ammunition. Yeah. Like you said this. That’s why I did not see this house. Right. So tell me if I’m missing something. You

18:30
said you had to be on the bus route for school? Yeah, this is not on the bus route for school. Right? Like, why are we moving?

18:38
And it makes them it lets them know you’re listening. Yes. And it just makes them kind of stay grounded. Because once you once you can’t really find what you’re looking for. You can go down the rabbit hole. Oh, my God, and you just want to start looking at everything. And then every ever like any of it as an you cannot. You have to rein them keep them grounded. You are the foundation of this transaction. You’re the boss. Yeah, you have to keep them grounded and less frustrated. You have to also be encouraging. Hey, guys, new stuff comes on the market every single day. Yeah. Let’s just keep watching and waiting. You know,

19:13
yeah, it’s not a hurry. You’re not in a hurry. If you’re not in a hurry. Don’t be in a hurry. Right. Okay, I want to talk about negotiations and being the filter for your clients. Buying a home, we all know is a very emotional process. Yes, you are there, in part to filter out the other side of the transaction and not make it emotional more than it needs to be. So for instance, if you are in the middle of a negotiation, and you hear information that the seller is telling, you know their agent and their agent is telling you and you’re representing the buyer that is maybe rude or not necessary. You don’t have to pass that along. No. You can be the filter that makes the process more Lesson. And it needs to be because when emotions get out of control, then it’s hard to get through the negotiation through the inspection through the appraisal problem to the closing table. Nobody wants to shake anybody’s hand at closing. And we’re all mad, and it’s been miserable. And I’ve been yelled at and you want you know what, you didn’t have to tell them that the seller said that they’re ridiculous.

20:21
I struggled with this when I was new. Yeah, like I just didn’t know better. But then I had enough bad outcomes where I was like, why am I even like sharing this? Because if the seller is saying, like, you know, I’m only paying your closing costs with a full price offer whatever it like, just make your offer and see what we can do. Yep. But they you’re right, the moment that they start, because people get very fixated on the other side. Oh, yeah, well, well, they paid less for this house two years ago, and they’re not, who cares, good for them, right? This is what the market value is Now, it doesn’t matter and really trying to get them to focus on the here and then now and the property right, and what their goal is, what is your goal, you want to buy this house, then I can get you there. But we don’t need to worry about one side being the winner. It does not matter how much money the seller is making or not making on this house. Right? When they bought it what they paid, you know, keep them focused on what’s important. Yeah,

21:19
it’s very difficult with an if you’re an emotional person, you’re gonna have to struggle a little bit and figure out how to temper yourself down or take a moment and and you know, if the other agent yelled at you, or the seller said something that you don’t agree with, or it’s made you angry, or sad, or whatever, you’ve got to get through your emotions before you go speak to your client, right? You cannot, you can’t carry that over to them. Do not pick up the phone when you are when I’m angry and puffy. I mean, and look, there are some cases where I can’t figure out the way to explain it to my client without saying, Listen, you know, the agent and or seller is being unreasonable. I am sorry, I’ve done everything I know to do. I mean, like, sometimes I have to, but I’m not trying to go at them and be like, this agent is crazy. Never. They don’t know what they’re doing, you know, there’s just no need. And that’s why the public gets that bad perception of Realtors anyway, you guys just let it go. Be the bigger person figure it out. And also, there are parts of negotiations that you can handle without your clients ever needing to be bothered for sure. So inspections are a great example of it. I have this on my list too. Okay, good. I’ll do my little part and you can say what you want. Okay. Okay, for instance, I am representing the seller, the seller says, Here’s I say, Here’s the list of repairs, they want the sellers like, Oh, this is a lot. I am almost always recommending and allowance. Yes. Because take note friends, the seller is never going to do the repairs the way your buyer wants them done. And then you get to the day over Before closing, you’re at a walkthrough, it’s a disaster with the repairs, you know, there’s trouble. It’s just a way to avoid all that,

22:59
again, a buyer and out to a guy can just say I’m not satisfied with how this repair was done. I want out when they could do that. And they have

23:06
all the leverage and the seller stuff. So look allowances, where it’s at. If you say okay, so the seller, so I’ll be like, Look, you don’t want to deal with this. You’re trying to pack up and move. You know, I don’t really want the buyer to be unhappy with the way you do repairs anyway. Let’s offer an allowance seller says okay, I’d be willing to do I mean like $1,000. But I’ve already given closing costs, and I don’t know, but I would do 1000 I’m like okay, well hang tight. Let me see. I go to the buyer’s agent and I say, hey, seller can’t handle repairs. They’re packing. They’re moving. I’d prefer to be in allowance anyway. I’m sure you feel the same. What about $500? Will you ask the buyer? Yes. Comes back. 500 is good. Here I am call the seller. I’m the hero Hi, Mr. Seller guilty. They’ll do 500 Instead of now being annoyed by the whole thing. They’re like why? That’s great. Great job. Right. I don’t have to tell them that the agent cursed at me. No, they don’t

23:59
know. They’re just appreciative. They said thank you. Thanks, perfect. Happy This is an over promise. I mean, under promise over deliver situation. And that’s always important. Always good. What do you think about repairs, so I just did this this week. So I put it in my notes. But this is more for when you have the buyer. A lot of agents first of all, don’t attend their home inspections. I don’t know what blows my mind. Or if you’re on a team and you’re like, Well, I’m just the showing agent and then Agent X, Y comes over, I can insist with them for the home inspection. Like these people have been looking for the house that they want. They’re excited, they’re happy. Someone is about to come tell them every single thing that is wrong with the biggest investment that you’re ever going to make and it’s going to be scared are going to be terrifying and you know who they want. They’re the person that helped them find this house, right? Like a person that reminds them like, Hey, I know that these things seem scary. But think about that other house we saw it would be way worse. I still think this is a good deal. We can negotiate our way through what it’s all about relationship build. Yep. And so if you are with your client, you spend so much time house hunting with them. Yeah, you spend time with them at the home inspection. Yeah. Also on that note, like, say the home inspection starts at 12. Yep, I tell my clients, you should come around one. Yes, there is no need for all of us to be sitting in this house for an hour twiddling our thumbs, and I tell them, client management, we are not allowed to follow the home inspector around Yes, I also tell them, you are welcome to be there the whole time, or you can come an hour later. And then at the end of the inspection, he will walk with us and show us everything. But I tell them listen, this is the last time that we come to the house before the final walkthrough. Right. If you want to show your mom, your friend, your aunt, your boss, yeah, they are welcome to come to the house while we have it for three hours during the home inspection to measure for blinds or

25:53
refrigerator or have a cow or

25:56
whatever. Anything that you need from this property. Yes, this is your time? Yes. Especially if it’s occupied. Yes, the sellers are going to start moving after that you can be breaking into their life over and over again. But I’m not going to be that agent that goes back to the house seven times because you want to show this friend or that friend or I need this or that. Right? You need to be thinking about all these things and planning ahead. And you remind them of that. Yeah, I like that. So I really utilize the inspection time to I catch up on my emails, they get to measure and be at the house and show their friends and just soak it all in right. Now. When we get the report. I tell them when we get the report, I am going to type up a draft repair request, oh, what this isn’t you don’t get to pick. I am the professional Oh my God, I am going to go through the report. And I highlight in yellow. And then I type it on the form one. And I email it to my clients and I say wow, hey, I went through the inspection report. And these are the things that are customary to ask for. Okay, let me know if I have your permission. This is very interesting. I had to I started doing that this year. And it has been amazing.

27:09
I love that you amaze hold them you manage them. Yeah. Do you use any wording or say something that you feel like is going to better protect you for like liability purposes?

27:21
What do you mean? Well, I

27:22
mean, like you said, here are the five things that are customary to be repaired. And if this is good, say I have your permission and I’ll sin you don’t want to give them carte blanche where they can say Well, I I need to look at the

27:33
well that’s me saying this is it you decide no I’m not saying say you can add stuff. I say look it over and let me know what you think. Okay, it’s giving them permission to say like it what about this? What about that? Mm hmm. Um, so it’s not saying like, like, hey, hey, here it is sign here. Like this and I call it a draft. Okay, like like I say I have drafted that’s genius. repair request based off of what’s normal. Yeah. Customary. Oh, I like that. I always word it to be like licensed electrician licensed Yes, plumber whatever. Okay, um, so Oh, ever since I started doing but you have to act quickly. Right? Because like you get their inspection report you pull your emails cleared out and that becomes the next item on your to do list got to do it. You do it quickly before they start, like nitpicking it freaking out and sending it to everybody and wondering and asking because what happens is if you’re not the one giving them advice, they’re gonna ask them they ask someone else. They call their dad they call their contractor who makes it sound like the house is falling again. Which part if you’re not the one giving them advice? They start calling everybody else for advice. Exactly. None of those people are real estate professional. That’s

28:44
the same thing on the house search. Oh my god. Yeah, that’s the same thing on an appraisal problem. That’s the same thing on any issue, or any question about any listing and any buyer y’all if you don’t give them the advice, they’re gonna go find it somewhere

28:58
and they want it quickly. They want to know what to do they’re freaking out right now. They’re

29:03
freaking out. Okay, I

29:04
love that and I have never this year I started doing this and I did it for every buyer in 2019. And I don’t think I think maybe one time I had someone say Hey, can we also add this one thing most of it but it was never okay a lot. So all of this like see attached to Dindo with a list of 27 Dad. I haven’t had to do that all year. Yeah, but when you tell them look it over let me know what you think. Yeah, it just opened the door. It just opens the door for like manic good news. This

29:36
is a new best practice for me. It’s a you’re gonna love it.

29:39
I’m good. I’m just telling you. It makes the inspection process I

29:42
cannot even go much easier. It’s G completely genius. So much so Emily Lee genius. Okay, I also wanted to mention when you’re negotiating repairs and or whatever, please just keep in mind that you can treat a negotiation in the beginning or repairs or whenever as adversarial and As a winner and a loser, or you can treat it as a cooperative event, yeah, you can decide that we’re trying to all get to the same goal, because we are we all need to get figured out these repairs. We all want to sell this house, like we’re all trying to get the same place where nobody’s getting paid what

30:16
you want to buy agents want to get paid. Like it’s all gonna have it all

30:19
got to happen. But that’s all in your mindset. I mean, totally. In your mindset, you got to stop fighting everyone. Okay, do you want to hear probably my most glorious story of client management already, okay. Many years ago, I had clients who I had sold them a house, their family grew that it was the house is too small, they were ready to move up. So I’m selling, you know, listing their house, we’re going to find another house, we find the house Finally, with the five bedrooms that can accommodate their large family, and they love the house, we’re ready to make an offer. Well, the seller wasn’t real keen on negotiation, like just didn’t want to give an inch the House have been on the market a while it was just ridiculous, in my opinion that the seller didn’t want to negotiate. But it was what it was, like they just wouldn’t negotiate.

31:08
Well, the seller owned a

31:13
retail facility that sold rugs, okay, like nice high end rugs and whatnot. So there was rugs all over the house. But specifically, there was a runner rug that went up the stairs, and they were wooden stairs, and the rug was like stapled in, like all the way up the stairs. And after we finally get through this difficult negotiation, which wasn’t one, we basically just had to give them what they wanted. It’s time for the inspection. And the buyers like can can they please take that rug off so that we can see, you know, what condition the stairs are in, we’re not planning to keep the rug, we really want to be able to see the stairs. And, you know, the seller was like, No, I don’t want to take this rug off, blah, blah, blah, like back and forth. And then finally I was like I, I said something about it to the agent. And he said, Okay, well, I don’t know if he’ll do it. And I’m like, Look, the guy has said before that he wanted to keep the rug at closing. So how about this will let you keep the rug, but I want you to take it off before the inspection because that will make my people happy. Him keeping the rug will make him happy. And then everybody gets what they want. But nobody needs to know that because had I told my clients what was going on, that he was going to keep the rug and resell it, they would have been mad. But they wanted the

32:32
rug off because they don’t want to feel like someone else was winning over them.

32:36
So guess who did not tell them about this whole operation? I just said, Hey, guess what? Got the rug off for you? Yep, you do not need to know that he’s going to resell it because you weren’t going to sell it right? You were going to just throw it out. It doesn’t matter. It didn’t matter to them. And the other agent on the other side of the transaction said there was more to it. I mean, it’s been a long time. But he basically said, Thank you so much for your professionalism and handling this and helping to defuse the situation because it had gotten kind of, you know, troublesome and heated. He’s like, I’m so happy that I’m working with you. You know, blah, blah, blah, wow, buyer got what they wanted. The seller got what he wanted. Everybody was happy, amazing. But it could have gone the exact opposite way. Speaking of things that like stay in go, yes. I feel like a lot of listing agents are not communicating well, with electronic signature. Now we’re not sitting down with our client base, things are slipping through the cracks. Does the refrigerator stay? Do

33:29
the blind staff sellers don’t always know what’s customary? Yes, this is our everyday job. We know we forget sometimes that they don’t know. So in my move out template for my sellers, I have a move out checklist and it says reminder, these are the things that are required to stay Yes. And per the purchase agreement you signed. Do you also agreed that the refrigerator stays Yes, you can take your washer and dryer refrigerator stays. But I have been having a lot of issues with that this year, really. And I think it’s just that the sellers don’t know you’re having issues as the listing agent. So as a buyer’s agent, we do the final walkthrough and drapes are missing and everything the things that like wine coolers have become an issue are they built in? Are they not? But it’s like, we really need to be educating our sellers. Like if those are grandma’s drapes and you want them you should probably take them down before we even start showing. Oh, agree.

34:26
I’ve had a seller say I really need to keep this bathroom mirror and I’m like friend, you need to take that down before I get anybody in this house and put up a cheap one. Here. It’s fine. Just get them here and there. It’s not going to change the sale because guess what? You’re not leaving it either way, right? It just really goes back to everything that we’re talking about in my soapbox series, professionalism, and client management. If you guys don’t have systems in place on how to communicate this information to your buyers and sellers in the beginning, you’re making it harder for everyone in the industry. I mean You’re having struggles, not because of anything you’re doing wrong? No. I mean, and then how do you micromanage that? You can’t ask the other side, the listing agent, Hey, were you sure to tell the seller that the drapes all have to stay? And then I get purchase agreements where the buyer’s agent has written in all the things that are already in there. Yeah. And I crack up, but I’m like, I’m sure they’ve been burned. Sure. They, they had to regenerate this here, right? So and part of me is like, still, I’m not sure that the sellers reading all those lines, because they got it in an E sign. They heard the numbers, they tuned out to the rest, they signed it, and then all of a sudden, it’s walked through and the drapes are gone. Yeah. I don’t know. Like, it’s up to all of us to be more professional and to give those messages I know, and to manage our clients. And I think

35:45
a lot of it comes to education. Yep. I know a lot of mistakes that new agents make is that if the amount like people think MLS trumps the purchase agreement, and that’s not the case, if MLS says refrigerator stays, but you don’t write it in the purchase agreement and get it guess what, you’re probably going to be buying a refrigerator MLS is not a contract. A few years ago, I had the listing and a new agent had the buyer, okay, we put in the MLS description, refrigerator, washer and dryer may stay okay. They were very old. Right? So I was kind of like, I don’t even know if somebody’s going to want these things, right. Well, here comes a purchase agreement. And in what stays is blank. Okay. So I told myself, I said, I sent them the move out checklist. And they’re like, hey, so we have to remove the refrigerator, washer dryer. And I said, we do because these buyers don’t want it right. And they might be aggravated, I’ve had that happen. They show up at the final walkthrough, and they’re like, now we have to move these. We don’t want the refrigerator. I was like, we kind of knew that because they’re old, so they don’t want yours. So they tried to sell them couldn’t even sell them for 50 bucks. So they just put them at the road shot. Put them at the road. The buyer’s agent did not do a final walkthrough. What didn’t do one. So this is so bad. I know it’s all bad. It’s so bad. Let’s not be this agent. Okay. We go to the closing table. Everybody’s so happy signs. I get a call an hour after closing. Alyssa, the refrigerator, washer and dryer are not at the house. I’m like, I know the trash picked them up a week ago. And she’s like you said it stayed. I said, I’m sorry. Your purchase agreement that you wrote did not ask for them. So I told my sellers to get them out. Yeah. And they couldn’t even sell it. She had to buy them a refrigerator, washer and dryer. And so you know, she made like negative money because it wasn’t a big house. Right? Hmm. So it’s like, people just they’re not they’re moving too quickly. They’re not thinking, you know,

37:50
here’s the problem with real estate and likely a lot of different entrepreneurial endeavors. You don’t know what you don’t know. Yeah. So like you don’t know, all the mistakes that someone else’s already made and figured out. And but but the key is you can learn them without doing it the wrong way.

38:06
Well, I’m constantly updating my templates. Yeah, because it’s so I brought up the wine cooler example. I had a seller of mine take the wine cooler. It was in a hole. But they were like, well, it was a wedding gift to us. Is it built in? Is it not? Nobody

38:24
really? Yeah, it was the what was the result? I

38:29
had to buy a wine cooler. Luckily, they aren’t that expensive, but this was like several years ago. But whenever something happens that’s in the gray area on your radar. I find what template that needs to go on. And I add it to that template and just make sure that hey, that’s and it’s funny because I feel like every year gets easier and easier because I’m being proactive. Yeah. And addressing more than friends. So I’m getting less frantic phone call read like everybody under less surprises because I’m like covering every balance. Well, yeah, benefit even if I hear a story and it’s not something that happened to me.

39:08
I’m like, added in,

39:09
I added it. I’m like I never thought about that, like sneakers are becoming an issue. But

39:14
oh, like the TV mount. That’s so stupid. I still don’t understand why. Because you can’t take it down without having to repair the wall. I know. And I think if you take it down and repair the wall, it just go right but I guess that’s the deal like and so as things change literally that the the actual components of a home change, you have to there’s some alarm systems that go parts of them go and so if you don’t tell people then they expect it to all stay.

39:43
I think so many agents are so focused on the numbers and getting as many contracts as they can, that they’re just doing really sloppy work and communication is key and making it a smooth transaction.

39:56
Well, that’s the thing. If you communicate and if If you have a smooth transaction, you’re not going to be fighting so hard for your next lead. We’ve talked about this before you’re gonna get repeat referral, you will not get everything from a poorly done job,

40:10
right? You’re just not it will get easier every single year. Yes,

40:14
I agree completely. The other thing I have one mine is giving the general public knowledge as part of client management. Yeah, give just like all of the templates that you have just like, you know, setting rules, just put it out there in the world, what is actually going on and how the process actually happens. I mean, the general public does if you think you don’t know what you don’t know, they really don’t know what they don’t know. Right? I mean, like, they just need help. They don’t understand the process. They don’t do it every day. You’ve got to manage that.

40:47
That’s like when people are like the market is great. Everything’s on fire. But then the seller calls you in their neighborhood is struggle isn’t mine. Yeah. So confusing. Because the market is it locational the

41:00
market isn’t the market for everyone like yeah, come on. So crazy. Do you have any other notes on this one? I want to say something while you’re looking. Okay. It has been brought to our attention that some people don’t know the difference between you and I. Oh, yeah.

41:16
I’m Haley. Hey, guys, it’s Alisa

41:18
and one of our recent guests made a genius recommendation that we refer to each

41:24
other by name more often. Well, yes, Katie. That’s an excellent idea. But Alyssa, that feels very weird and uncomfortable to me. Haiti. It

41:31
does feel uncomfortable, strange, so weak. You’re just gonna have to live with the fact that you may not know which one is which. Yeah, I just think that’s hilarious. I understand. And we’re starting maybe

41:42
in our intro, we can be like, Hey, guys, it’s Alisa. And Katie. Yes. Like that? Because I think one of us says both names.

41:49
Yeah. Okay. Well, we’re up for suggestions. But we’re not sure we can refer to each other as Hi, Alyssa. How are you today? I guess we could Yeah,

41:59
sometimes. Maybe we need to sneak that in. I

42:01
know. It’s fine.

42:02
Okay. At the end of the day, it’s really about like, what are you doing? Yes, you’re the boss. Yes. You have to be guiding every single step of the way. Yes. Do they know they need to call for utilities? Do they know they need to keep the utilities on? Do they know what to do when they move out? Do they know where the title goes? Yeah, the more they so instead of spending? Okay, one time I had an agent from a company that I will not name. Okay, that said, I can’t believe you attend your own home inspections. Do you know how much like marketing you could be doing with all your free time, you could be like making phone calls. And I just got so annoyed. And I said, Listen to me. I go with them to get pre approved if they’re not pre approved. I go with them. And I show them every house that we see. I am there for the three hour home inspection. We have a phone call about the repair request. I am there to talk to them about the appraisal, the utility, I’m there every step of the way, by the end of this transaction. They know me so well. Yeah, they will never forget my name. Right. And they are going to send me referrals. Yes. So it’s like people want to cut Realtors want to cut out the people? Yeah, to have more time. I can’t be efficient. And it is a people business. And if you’re cutting out the people, you’re cutting out your business. I couldn’t agree with you more. And I just got so riled up. I

43:21
mean, like, it’s so annoying. So I understand this process, the transaction manager, the agent does the showings the agent gets the contract and then the agent is a I would curse it. The agent is a friggin ghost gone gone. Cannot find them anymore. They’re long gone. Their clients are on their own dealing with a I’m sure suite secretary or some transaction coordinator. That means well, but that has no relationship with them. None. I mean, I don’t even know how they get through inspections like that.

43:52
I have no idea. I don’t get it. But okay. This year, I had a buyer’s agent, I had the listing both times send me a cancellation. Mm hmm. And I called and said, I did not see this coming. Right. I have an idea. Why don’t you tell your buyer to just ask right for what they want, or they want at least give me an opportunity. Yeah, to see if we can make it work. And one of them was like, Oh, I’m just so over this person. They’re not listening to me. And I said, Listen to me. You go back to your buyer. Yeah. And say, what would it take? Okay, no lie. This house was like 140,000 It was not a big house. Okay. They came back they wanted an $8,000 price reduction. Okay. They wanted a brand new water heater. Okay, came out to be $1,000. They wanted like five electrical repairs that came out to $250. It was a lot Okay, especially in this price range. Yeah, I went to my seller. I said, Hey, I just want to let you know, they sent me a cancellation that we’re not going to sign yet. I encourage them to just ask. Yeah, I said if we agree to everything that They asked for Yeah, they are required to move forward they have to buy or if we change one thing, right, they can back out. I just wanted you to have the choice my sellers had done. He did it.

45:11
And guess what? They had to buy the house? Yes. Saying guess what else that agent who was annoyed with them didn’t have to show them any more houses. It’s so outlandish. Can’t

45:23
believe that they didn’t even try, but I had to send me cancellations. And I saved both of them good for you. I even like on one. The other one. It was like a lender thing. I called the lender and was like, tell me what’s going on? What do I need to do? I called the buyer’s agent. I said, Hey, I spoke to the lender. Yeah, they said that he was worried about this, but we can fix this. They said, Can you call my buyer? Are you for real? They frickin gave me their buyers phone number. And I communicated with the buyer for the rest of the transaction. And he was the nicest guy. They were acting like he’s impossible. He’s difficult. But that’s a mindset problem. All the agents aside, agree. Yeah, they were too emotionally involved. They were pissy they were just like, oh, and it’s like you have to be though you’re the one in control, right? You’re the calmness and

46:15
don’t make the client, the public and the other agent feel like you’re annoyed that you have to do your job, right. You chose this career, go do something else. If you don’t want to do it, right. Don’t do it at all. Be the boss be the boss. I’m done. manage those clients. Yeah. Okay, so I have a toast. Yay. Today, we’re gonna toast someone in my office. Yeah. Because I think that she and I have had the most talks about client management of anything we’ve ever talked about. She inspired you a lot. She inspired me a lot and to put a lot of systems into place and standards of practice and email templates. I mean, we worked on most of ours together. And hey, y’all do that. That’s a good idea. Yeah. And she understands what it means to manage clients not let them manage you not let the transaction run all over. You not let the other agent like get out of hate, like just manage manage expectations manage the process. So today, we are going to toast to summer Rathmann. Yay, summer summer. Did a transaction with her a few and everything you say is true. True. I mean, like you know when you’re working with a professional agent, you do she is a pro yo. She’s got to figure it out. Yeah, so cheers to summer. And y’all please manage your clients manager. Be the boss do your job. Speak with confidence. Yes.

47:33
Oh, nice. Bye bye. Thank you so much for tuning in to the hustle humbly podcast. Let us know who we should toast to for the next episode.

47:43
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at hustle humbly podcast. If you have an episode topic or question please email us at hustle humbly podcast@gmail.com

47:52
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review. See you next week. Bye.

48:00
This is the goodbye