My worst customer, Part 1
No names will be mentioned!!
1.5 years in Real Estate, and I get my first referral - the referral company gets 35%, but I’m glad to pay it for the biz.
Air Force guy, moving to town. Took him and his wife around, and they found a new home to build. Next day, we write an offer. House is just past framing, and I take the buyers to the carpet place, tile, cabinets, paint lighting and appliances. All in one afternoon. Closing in 2 months.
Buyer leaves town, and I call on them about once a week. I leave messages mostly, about how their home is coming, what’s been installed, etc.
Now, to give them updates, I’m walking in their home as it’s being built. About once a week. This is really before digital photos, or email. Cell phones were “Bricks”, and I used pay phones a lot. The sellers agent keeps telling me she’s not worked with another agent who comes onsite so often. I must be young and stupid I guess, but I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do.
Walk thru’s, scheduling, contract amendments. They are out of town. I think they came here twice during construction to inspect. I’ve done it all for them.
Closing day - they need to close on Saturday, can’t be here during the week. I get a closer (and the builder too) to close Saturday morning. Buyer shows up, and we sit in closing for 3 hours. Buyer is doing an 85-15 loan (2 loans, one for 85%, and one for 15%) - and like an engineer, reads every word of every document in each loan.
I can handle all this, and I’m not critisizing the reading (tho by the second loan, you would think some of the docs would be the same?) - BUT, after closing, I thank them, and hope they are pleased. Wife looks at me and says I did a bad job, after all, I missed that the wrong vinyl was laid in the bathroom. She won’t reccomend me to anyone.
Geez. I spent hours here, and I would think the floor company would be the ones to blame for the flooring mix up. Wish I could remember their floor choice. I was destroyed. I thought (and had been told) that I was working way too hard for this client.
I got paid, one of my first “Big” closing checks. Sometimes tho, I’d rather have gratitude….