What a Pleasure

Sometimes you just have to tip your hat. It seems so rare these days, especially in New York, where terse tolerance of the competition is the most we expect in this market. With the State Association (NYSAR) in town this week, 4 kids just getting back into the school routine, and my admin out all last week, I haven’t been the best P and Q guy around. So when it occurred to me on my drive home at a tad before 9pm last night that I hadn’t set up a showing requested by a client for 3pm this afternoon, I sheepishly called the listing agent to see if I could set the appointment. 

I got her voicemail, and left a message requesting the showing, that I was sorry for the late hour, and that I’d call her office first thing in the morning if need be. I expected that the best I’d do is not hear from her until after I called her office. It was late, and she really didn’t have to do anything. I should have called earlier. 

At 8:30am this morning, Liz called me back and told me she’d be delighted to confirm the appointment, and that she could log in the showing right now, or I could wait until 9am to call her office and log it. WOW, I told her, what a pleasure to deal with someone so on the ball! 

I have a house to sell! she answered, and then proceeded to give me lockbox instructions and logged me in. I was also informed of a strong price change. No drama, no asking me why such short notice, just advocacy and focus on the matter at hand. 

Now it’s your job to sell it, she said, and I laughed. True. The ball was in my court, because, whether I was on top of things or not, a professional was listing the house my clients wanted to see. Moments later, the confirmation email arrived in my inbox. 

I have to admit that, if the show were on the other foot, I would have asked the agent to call our showing service and log in the showing. Moreover, this was far from a million dollar property, yet it was clearly getting white glove treatment from the broker. How few agents understand this- the best thing you can do for your client is dispassionately get people in their door and save the nitpicking about notice, you coulda, you shoulda, for the gym. 

So hats off to Liz Pereira of Houlihan Lawrence, for being a professional, a colleague, and a good advocate for her clients. You might think it peculiar to give props to the competition, but that is not how I see it. We should focus on the good, no matter where it is, because it is good for the clients. That is who we work for.