A Home Inspector’s Perspective
Benjamin Hammond
CEO, Magnolia Property Consultants
I am very thankful for the realtors that have been instrumental in helping Magnolia perform nearly 300 home inspections this year. With over 1,000 realtors in our network we have experienced first-hand the wide range of styles of service that contribute to their success as realtors. Though every realtor is different, I have noticed that there are 2 character traits common among Nashville’s most effective realtors and want to share them with you.
1. Be Yourself
Above all, the most important character trait among successful realtors is the ability to be genuine. The most effective realtors have a desire to serve their client’s best interests and that desire comes from a genuine place. When you genuinely care about your clients, that message is broadcast in the details of everything your clients see you do. That consistent message establishes a foundation of trust and streamlines all communications.
Less successful realtors (operating from an ego, fear-based ethos) have a tendency to want to control the process and inevitably establish a distrustful atmosphere. Every new piece of information or decision to be made is pulled into a gray area with that realtor’s opinion trumping the realty of the facts or the insight from an industry professional. The temptation to cloud truths in a home inspection is very high when a predetermined outcome, closing a deal, is the main priority. Magnolia typically only performs an inspection for this type of realtor one time – our level of transparency and professional ethos to confront issues head-on makes ego-driven realtors extremely uncomfortable.
The reason I believe that being genuine is so important is that it takes all the stress out of being a professional; it allows room for error, allows us all to be human, and pushes the acceptance of any truth to the forefront. I can tell you first-hand that the purchasing process, including a home inspection, is much less stressful for the client when they are working in this type of environment. It is easier for us to work in this environment because it keeps conversations factual and solution-oriented. Ultimately home-buyers need clearly communicated facts with theunderstandable solutions to make the most informed decision possible.
2. Proactive Work Ethic
The second most important character trait of an effective realtor is the willingness to work hard for your client. Hard work not only includes due diligence and a professional work ethic, but a proactive mental attitude. The most effective realtors care about their client’s best interests, insure that they receive the most thorough home inspection with the best customer service, then are proactive about the solving the issues highlighted in a home inspection report. The best realtors want to know as much as possible about the home, as soon as possible, then address those issues as quickly as possible with as much momentum as possible. It is possible and it will exceed your client’s expectations every time!
A Winning Partnership
At Magnolia, we believe we partner so well with successful realtors in Nashville because of our ability to help create that solution-oriented momentum, beginning with the home-buyer. Utilizing our construction background we quickly help clients eliminate unproductive expectations of corrections to be made by the Seller, discerning a standard defect from a non-standard defect, and provide a more prescriptive solution for the repair, sometimes telling a story of how we have corrected a similar issue in the past. Recommendations are included in our reports that help insure the best long-term performance of a repair. Magnolia also provides a list of trade contractors on the last page of the report.
If you aim to maximize these two character traits, genuineness and a proactive work ethic, in this coming new year I guarantee that your clients will receive a much higher-level of service only resulting in more referrals and more closings! It is possible to become one of the most successful realtors in Nashville by keeping it simple and being yourself. All the best in the new year to come!
If you have any comments or would like to be interviewed for a Realtor Spotlight please email: office@trustmagnolia.com
Benjamin Hammond has been in the construction industry for over 20 years and has personally completed over 3,000 home inspections in Nashville & Middle Tennessee.
His team at Magnolia Home Inspections, is a trusted local resource providing consulting services for new construction builders, remodel contractors and property managers today as well as residential home buyers.