Category: Real Estate

Most have heard the phrase, “the customer is always right”. Perhaps in 1909 when Harry Selfridge coined it he knew it was good marketing based on a fib. He made it his staff’s mantra, and it worked. His success at Selfridges shows he knew a thing or two about keeping customers loyal to his brand.

Fast forward a hundred plus years and the phrase is still tossed out again and again, but do people believe it? I don’t. The customer is not always right, but they sure as heck don’t want to be told they are wrong. How can a client be told they aren’t right, and change their mindset without being insulted?

If a client is talking about something and I know it isn’t correct, I let them finish. The last thing they need is for me to interrupt by saying, “No, that is wrong”, or “That isn’t going to happen”, or worse yet, “That’s crazy”! (trust me, I’ve wanted to say that a time or two).

Remember everyone wants to be heard, and by listening I am keeping the flow of communication open and positive. When they are done speaking I express that what they said is interesting, or something I hadn’t thought of in that way. I take that few seconds so they feel validated and not ignored, then I say, “How about this”? I can start explaining the ins and outs and get us on the same page.

Listening to the client is vital to getting the job done right. Learning their wants, needs, and managing expectations is part of every deal. Plus, in listening to them I have learned a lot of things, and being able to see a situation from their viewpoint has taught me many things.

So, the customer isn’t always right, but they aren’t always wrong. It is a give and take relationship that will benefit all parties if we just communicate effectively, be respectful to each other’s ideas, and know there is more than one way to solve a problem.

It seems fitting to end this week, that included the Marine Corps birthday and Veteran’s Day, with my latest certification. Here is the press release!

Hickory, NC November 13th, 2020 – Lora Rousseau with Weichert, REALTORS – Team Metro has been awarded the nationally recognized Military Relocation Professional Certification. The National Association of REALTORS® awards the MRP certification to REALTORS® who help military personnel, veterans and their families find housing that lets them make the best use of their benefits and serves the unique needs of military life.

When military staff and their families relocate, the services of a real estate professional who understands their needs and timetables can make the transfer easier, faster, and less stressful. REALTORS® who earn this certification know to work with active duty military buyers and sellers, as well as veterans.

The certification provides NAR’s members with resources to accommodate current and former military service members at any stage of their military career, and is an approved elective for NAR’s Accredited Buyer’s Representative designation. To earn the MRP certification, REALTORS® must be in good standing with NAR; complete the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification course, and complete two webinars.

I never like sounding like a negative Nellie, BUT, (that word says here it comes) wow last week was a pickle.

I didn’t expect it to go quite like it did, but I never plan for days to be filled with one situation after another. I was strategizing movements, moving from this to that, thinking ahead of what had to be done to avoid a block, countless moves, and staying focused. I could be a chess champion, not like a grandmaster and OK perhaps not even chess, but for sure a checker champ of my block. I did hours upon hours of repetitive paperwork, had to reschedule most all of my appointments, spent time tracking things down through endless channels of remote workers, juggled to get everyone on the same page, tried to keep everyone (including myself) upbeat, and finally reached the point of success!

OK, so perhaps I’m not so negative, just tired.

So, what happened? Let me tell you!

My client, a wonderful young successful woman, was to close on her new family home in North Carolina on Thursday morning. We had worked hard to get things done with the attorney, the lender, utility companies, the seller and their agent. Then, as if the universe saw her reaching the finish line, it threw her into a tailspin. On Wednesday morning she let me know her husband left, he walked out on her and the children. Her voice didn’t tremble, her words were few, she didn’t even sigh. She simply said she wanted to go ahead and close on the house and what did we need to do to make this happen.

I gave a short laundry list of things to do just to start, and promised to keep her updated as we moved along. Then I jumped in feet first and started working on making her dream a reality. I spent the entirety of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday making phone calls and writing dozens of emails. We terminated the original deal, and I worked with the lawyers, the listing agent, her, the insurance company, and anyone else who happened to venture into my office. Then created an entire new deal for everyone to sign, bringing others up to speed, and getting signatures from far reaching places. Toss in Tropical Storm Zeta, on Thursday, and the loss of electricity and the internet.

Through all the things that happened during those three days that kept telling us to give up, we didn’t! Then on Friday, a great moment happened, I knew it had all come together. However, nothing will ever compare to when she was handed the key to her new home, and her heartfelt “thank you”, meant everything to me. I can’t imagine what she is feeling inside, overwhelmed I’m sure, but her face didn’t show it one time. I let her know once again I am here if she needs anything, and she said, “I’m OK.”

Now it is Sunday and the storm is long gone, and the sun is high in the Carolina blue sky. She and her children are spending the day unpacking. They are in their new home and figuring out what life in Hickory will hold for them through all these changes.

I’m happy to say that what was a pickle of a week, ended with me being grateful to everyone who stepped up to help get things back on track so she got closed. This pickle is one less thing she has on her plate.