GETTING YOUR OFFICE INTERIOR RIGHT

from Diwali Edition 2022

TOXIC POSITIVITY

My Best Friend, My Therapist, My REALTOR!

THE UNSUNG RELATIONSHIP…

To the World, a real estate deal is just a business transaction like any other. Period. Yet as a real estate agent myself, I can verify that my relationships with clients can get rather intimate. Even intense.

It makes total sense when you think about it, given the gravity of such an expensive, life-altering purchase as a house, the situation can get emotional fast, blurring the lines between professional and personal far more than might unfold when you splurge on, say, a latest iPhone.

The home buying process is also complicated, so depending on whatever real estate curve balls come hurtling your way, your real estate agent will likely become your shoulder to cry on, shrink, perhaps even your 24/7 emergency line when you discover an email at 2 a.m. that your mortgage approval fell through. In fact, a new survey from RE/MAX finds that a “majority of home buyers and sellers say they value and confide in their agents more than they do a therapist, and even feel they know them better than their own neighbors.” Trust me, It’s true!

YOUR AGENT OR YOUR THERAPIST?

Real estate interactions demand financial transparency. As such, real estate agents are privy, by profession, to the dark corners of your past that few get the privilege to see—including every number and nuance in your bank accounts, dings on your credit score, skeletons in your marital closet, and so much more, not to mention your individual tastes and personalities. What sets a good agent apart from a great one is their empathic ability, and while I’m not ashamed to admit that my intuitive connection with my clients helps me guide them to the closing table, it can be deeply challenging.

For example, especially when I’m representing a first-time home buyer, in the time between submitting an offer and waiting to hear whether it’s accepted, I am often as nervous as my buyer. Given that my buyers are on

the brink of a long-awaited dream and spending the most money they likely ever will spend on one thing, that’s an intense mountain of emotions. It sets the stage for a milestone moment. And the same is true for the seller, in different ways. Here, there might be financial stakes that can make or break their life trajectory. Furthermore, they likely have strong feelings about a home they’ve lived in for years.

The selling relationship also places a huge weight on an agent’s shoulders. As we see in the current market, owners expect their properties to move quickly, but the pricing and marketing must be on point. It takes a lot to place their trust in an individual to sell their beloved home, and sellers don’t hesitate to let me know that “It’s on Me!”

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, A ROLLER COASTER RIDE-

Here’s where things get sticky: There is no such thing as a simple real estate transaction, especially today. You can lose your Eighth bidding war. Problems can crop up with your home’s title. Your mortgage broker might ghost you. The home inspection might find “a portal to another dimension” in the basement etc. Such issues can lead to agents and their clients having lengthy and urgent midnight phone calls. Sometimes tears are involved.

Then there are the especially needy clients. Some people require more hand holding than others, and I am always there for it. But I will never forget an older couple who insisted on dominating my time, multiple times a day, at all hours. The husband and wife didn’t seem to communicate very often, so I was fetching calls from both asking the same questions and frankly, just wanting to chat. I went above and beyond to deliver the redcarpet service I am known for, but when a deal breaker emerged with a house, they were in contract to buy, they walked away from the situation without so much as a goodbye. And after a week of trying to get a hold of them, I got a text saying they bought something close to their daughter’s house on the Island. Not going to lie, it hurt my feelings and yes, we have them as well.

With another recent transaction, I was lucky that the clients were referred to me by one of my friends. It was wonderful getting to know them, and we got to the right place at the right time. I found them a great deal on their dream home, which is rare these days. We arrived at the final walkthrough, I had a nice housewarming gift basket for them; they had their furniture scheduled to tow the next morning, only to discover that there was a leak under the bathtub in one of the upstairs washrooms, causing a drip through the ceiling. The only reason we detected that was due to the inspection we conducted three days prior, where the inspection agent must have tested the water pressure in the bathtub, which further seeped through a faulty seal and caused a leak. To say we were mutually devastated would be an understatement. After the seller repaired the damage and underlying issue, and much drama and tension, we finally got to the closing table.

On this note & with all due respect, I would like to deliver the following announcement on behalf of all the fellow agents in this trade: While an above-and-beyond agent will always make time for you, please consider that they are real people, with real lives of their own and multiple obligations. What they are not? Your personal punching bags or psychiatrists. Boundaries, people!.

Then again, there are the positive & happy stories as well. I have been blessed with many treasured, long-lasting friendships with some wonderful clients over the years. Besides the pleasure of each other’s company, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship when you can be on speed dial to give recommendations and guidance to your buyers/sellers/ buddies long after the closing date has passed, and your new “friend clients” are more than happy to not only refer you to their nearest and dearest, but also to keep you in mind for future transactions.

When I finally get to the closing day, it gives me nothing but pleasure to congratulate a new buyer or seller on a successful transaction. As agents, we’re here to guide you through some very stressful and vulnerable moments, crushing disappointments, and hopefully, one of the happiest days of your life.

By Sukh Sandhar Sandhar Real Estate. www. soldbysandhar. com