Lessons Learned in Real Estate

My first year as a licensed real estate agent was
full of unexpected adventures: a homeless person
living in a vacant half-million dollar home; a house
with 30+ small dogs running free and barking;
a house with pink walls and leopard print carpet;
the list goes on. A few of the quirkier episodes
are outlined below, along with lessons learned.
Not of all these are mine; some are reprinted by
permission of other agents I have known. :)

Clients rely on agents for knowledge of neighborhoods,
mastery of sales statistics, negotiation prowess, good
help and great service, and general safety in both
contracts and environments. It's important for us
to be all things to all people, or at least that's what
the brand-new agent wants to be. Often the real
estate agent is so worried about having the right
answer at the right time, that they forget about
parking on a hill and setting the parking brake.
Lesson number 1: Clients don't want to walk home.

Sometimes we forget about the mailbox/trashcan/
recycle bin/landscaping, and back our cars right over it.
Lesson number 2: Clients like good drivers.

Once in a while, when walking property lines, an
occasional creek must be hopped over. Make sure
that your shoes are tied on tightly otherwise you
may lose one (or both) in the stream, and have to
continue walking through a thicket of briers with
one shoe on, and one shoe missing.
Lesson number 3: Clients don't want to see ugly
feet or toes while shopping for land or property.

If an agent has back-to-back appointments with
several clients, it's important to check appearance
between meetings, and not show up with spinach
between teeth, or sticks in their hair (after walking
through a forest of brambles with only one shoe),
or clumps of pet hair clinging to wool slacks.
Lesson number 4: Clients appreciate cleanliness.

Some agents are so overworked that they forget
to reset alarm clocks with the Day Light Savings
Time adjustment... and will leave a client stranded
for an extra hour.
Lesson number 5: Clients like punctuality.

Neighborhood specific agents will occasionally
be car-free, and will neglect to tell clients that
they need to bring their own bicycle/vespa to
ride to view the homes for sale.
Lesson number 6: Clients need advance warning
if they will not be riding/driving in a car.

Eating while showing property can be tricky.
It's ok if you bring snacks for the clients on long
road-trip days, but make sure the clients aren't
allergic to the food provided. If you want to be a
really awesome agent, and anticipate every need,
carry an epi-pen with you at all times.
Lesson number 7: Clients prefer to focus on real
estate, not have side-trips to the Emergency Room.

When showing investment-grade properties, the
prepared agent will bring a flashlight. Cell phone
screens are not bright enough to light up an
entire basement, and therefore the homeless
person sleeping in the roll of abandoned carpet may
come as a surprise to you when stepping on the roll.
Lesson number 8: Clients love flashlights, compasses,
maps, tax records, and safety. Lots of safety.

If the client is short on time (a weekend buyer due to
a relocation, for example), preview all the homes
before taking them out to see what's for sale.
Lesson number 9: Pictures can be deceiving, and
clients only want to see what they expect to see.

Potential: all homes have potential. The basic
equation is: Potential = time+money+more money.
Lesson number 10: Clients love a good bargain, so
have a handyman on speed dial for estimates!