Just
a few of the things they do.
By Jim McGehee
Well, maybe you could do
their job. But it won't be just any day of the week And
if you intend to be successful at it (which means
satisfying a bunch of clients, mortgage lenders,
appraisers and countless other associates), it will
probably be EVERY DAY of the week as well as most nights,
weekends, holidays, anniversaries, special occasions,
sick days, snow days and unpaid vacation days.
Understood, there are real
estate agents, and then there are good real estate
agents. Just like doctors, lawyers and Indian chief. This
article is about the good ones. The ones who go to work
before, during and after the times mentioned above.
To serve their clients and
stay competitive in their profession, today's real estate
agents are expected, assumed, requested, required and/or
demanded to perform, be knowledgeable of or have access
to the following information: brokerage service, tax rate
adviser, appraiser, mortgage lender, financial planner,
legal expert, credit counselor city planner (fortune
teller), building inspector, chauffeur, shuttle service,
travel agent tour guide, delivery boy, order taker,
public relations expert, therapist, marriage counselor,
family doctor, nurse, baby sitter, advertising executive,
general contractor, construction estimator and
superintendent, and expert, multitalented subcontractor
(not excluding locksmith yard man, maintenance man,
garbage man, plumber, electrician, decoder scientist for
alarm systems and programmable thermostats). They're
often perceived as the bad guy when interest rates go up,
the bad guy when your house doesn't sell by 10 am. the
next day, the bad guy when you're discouraged about
looking at properties that are $50,000 over your budget.
It's helpful if their
talents include being a diplomat, a negotiator, a referee
(similar to those used in Roller Derby and Monday night
wrestling) and, in general, a walking bureau of
information for everything about anything-including whose
check is good and whose wife or husband isn't.
They must know about
schools; churches; governments, public utilities; crime
rates; world affairs; this week's jail terms for this
weeks Environmental Protection Agency violations; future
developments that no one has even dreamed up yet;
transportation; shopping; day care; soccer, T-ball; how
many termites takes to eat a house; every homeowners'
association formed since 12 B.C. and what kind of fences
they don't allow; should you water and fertilize the
Bermuda grass before, during or after mowing, the best
place in town to buy pizza; if you can buy beer on
Sundays; and at least two dozen other skills and talents
that I don't have room left to mention.
So be nice to your
broker/agent. Next time you start thinking, They have it
so easy, go spend a day with them. You'll soon realize
that, like most of us, they work hard for their money,
and your satisfaction really is important to them.
Jim McGehee is a former homebuilder, a licensed general
contractor and president of HomeScan Inspection Services
Inc. in Collierville, Tenn. "Realtors News ®"
Week of November 7, 1994.
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