We are very thankful for the realtors that have been instrumental in helping Magnolia Home Inspections accomplish our goals of 2019. Without great partnerships in the industry we could not accomplish our primary aim of “Preparing Home Owners for Home Ownership.” With over 1,000 realtors in our network we have first-hand experience in the wide range of styles of service that contribute to a realtor’s success. Every realtor has a different personality but I have noticed that there are 3 character traits common among Nashville’s most effective realtors and want to share them with you.
- Principles Come First
The most effective realtors behave in a black and white manner when it comes to professional ethics. These realtors exude confidence and a level of professional peace that causes everyone involved in the real estate transaction to be their best and helps homebuyers trust the process. I believe this confidence and peace comes from the knowledge that they will not waver on acting in the right manner when potential conflict creeps up.
Magnolia aligns extremely well with realtors who place principles first because we share the same attitude of transparency. One of the primary aims in a walk-through with a home buyer at the end of an inspection is to identify fears of home ownership (roof leaks, water drainage, potential for mold, repair maintenance,..) and bring those into the light before moving on in the process. What better time to discuss these fears than in the company of trusted professionals who can share experience, knowledge and their network for addressing the issue head on!
- Genuine Heart for Service
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 the long-term best interests of your clients, that message is broadcast every time you touch the process of closing that transaction for your clients. All communications are streamlined because your clients don’t need to know why…. The little picture “why’s” don’t get asked because the big picture “why” has already been answered and continues to be answered by your genuine heart.
Not only does being genuine help your clients, it helps you! It takes all the stress out of being a professional!! Being genuine allows room for error and allows us all to be human. A great example of this is from one of our favorite realtors who was recently threatened with suit by a client who wanted to back out of a contract for another listing after the repair addendum had already been accepted by the Seller! As our realtor advocate was explaining how she responded to her client I could see her go into a tunnel-vision mode, focusing on her client’s contract obligations but also very specifically on her role as a service provider. Her genuine heart for service drowned out her client’s obstinance and eliminated any opportunity for a wedge of conflict to be driven in between that relationship. Magnolia returned shortly after for the re-inspection, the clients having abandoned their feelings of missing out on a better opportunity only to trust the process while being surrounded by trusted professionals who made it clear they were all in their corner, regardless of showing a very ugly side of themselves.
- Proactive Work Ethic
The third essential character trait of an effective realtor is the willingness to work hard for your clients. Hard work not only includes due diligence and a professional work ethic, but a proactive mental attitude. From our perspective the most successful realtors care about their client’s best interests, ensure that they receive the best customer service during a home inspection, and are then proactive about solving significant issues highlighted in the 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. This is possible and it will blow your clients away every time!
One of the core values as a Magnolia home inspector is to expect this type of realtor to be working for our clients and to do our absolute best to keep up with their momentum!!! I can tell you first-hand that this can be difficult. The amount of focus required to perform a thorough inspection, catching as many hidden issues that could possibly exist on a home is mentally and physically taxing, but to then change gears from a critical, technical mindset to a more social, customer service-oriented attitude requires a large tank of emotional energy. We absolutely love working with proactive realtors because it reminds us of our ultimate goal of protecting clients when they are vulnerable and they help us transition into a solution-oriented mindset to not only separate the common from uncommon issues but to provide our clients with a valid path for protecting their long-term wellbeing.
At the end of every report I provide a list of vetted contractors that I have a long-term relationship with, having employed the majority of them as subcontractors when I was a residential contractor. Please helps us build that list with trade contractors that you have great experience with!
How do I Up my Game?
Do you find yourself struggling with any of these 3 character traits? We are all human and go through cycles of excelling or struggling at times in individual aspects of life. For tips on how to re-center on values that you believe in and create the best momentum for a long-term successful career in real estate please read our blog The Best 30 Minutes of my Career!
If you have any comments or would like to be interviewed for a Realtor Spotlight please email: office@trustmagnolia.com
