Earlier this week, I called a For Sale by Owner to show their home to a buyer I am working with. We just put their home under contract and need to find that next move up home for their family. They are nice people, and while I do not work with buyers as often as I once did, I was jazzed to help them.
The FSBO agreed to the showing and prior to the appointment one of my clients shared that she walked through the house earlier that week after I made them hip to it. No worries there, as we were going to look together with everyone.
However, when the owner saw her, he pulled the plug on working with me involved. He felt they were “his” buyers and that I wasn’t entitled to a commission since “he” walked one of them through once already. I told the guy we could work things out to everyone’s satisfaction and that we should walk through- you never squander a possible sale in this market. He remained difficult.
And then, my clients did something that made my jaw drop. They told the guy that if he wasn’t willing to do business with their agent, they wouldn’t be doing business. And they turned around, and walked out.
Now, even I know that it isn’t about my fee; it is about getting a home for your family. And I encouraged them to pacify the guy and check the place out, but they said “no.” I was amazed.
Any agent that has been thrown under the bus by a buyer client over a FSBO or an unscrupulous agent who manipulated them into working with them directly knows what I mean here: these people are honorable.
I am humbled. I hope the degree of results I get for them is half as high as their integrity.