Nice Guys
In other words, you’ve got to be nice to the other guy. The fact that the quality of agents varies like the difference between dinner at McDonald’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House is no secret. We swim in an ocean of personalities, characters, attitudes and abilities. There’s the sharks, minnows, Catostomidae, lemmings – oh, wait. Those aren’t fish – Dorys, barracudas, stingrays.
Team Player
Figuring out which team you’re on is just like kick ball. Even though you hate sharks, you have to learn to play nicely by chomping off a piece of fin once in a while. They like it. That’s how they show their love. With a Dory, you have to coax and cajole her into cooperating; be sweet and nice and then hang up the phone and bang your head on the wall. Lemmings just want to please; they’ll do anything as long as you don’t yell at them. Stingrays seem harmless enough until they shoot a barb in your back.
No matter the classification you’ve got to be able to swim in that school. It’s pure cooperation. You can whine all you want about being the agent who has to do everything, but if you want the transaction to close, you’ll have to eat crow – oh, wait. That’s not a fish either. – put your head down and getter done.
Multiple Offers = Multi-Personalities
Sometimes you have to channel Linda Blair to close the transaction. Multiple personalities should be a prerequisite to getting your license.
The Lemming, The Stingray & The Shark
The other day seven offers come in. Different agent = different personality, ability, quality and conversation. Roger is a respectful, professional who enjoys a civilized, intelligent conversation. Tony is definitely a Dory – need I explain? Laura a lemming. Micheal, no doubt about it, a shark. Oh, you want to use ABC Title? That can be changed. Oh, you want a CAR contract? That can be changed. You’re going to counter all of the offers? Why not just pick the best – mine.
So I’ve pushed the seller all they can tolerate. They just wanted to take one. Asking price? Great, we’ll take it. We’re ratified with Laura the lemming. Voice mail the next day: Now that we’re ratified, I’m just going to send over an addendum for the seller to pay the pest. STINGRAY. Me? Shark: What, do you have a screw loose? We’re done negotiating. Remember six other offers? Linda Blair tells the office, She’s rude. Does she talk to everyone that way? In this game if I’m not the captain my client will get hit by the ball. Next time I might be the minnow.
Matthew Rathbun
April 12, 2008 at 3:59 pm
You’re just too cool. I especially like the allegory of the stingray. So… can I use this post for a upcoming sermon, I am putting together? This unfortunately works on so many more levels than real estate. My difficulty is that I tend to assume everyone is a stingray until proven otherwise, only to find out that they are a Dory. The few times that I’ve started off treating them like a Dory, they’ve stingrayed me in the back!
ines
April 12, 2008 at 7:06 pm
and you forget learning the whale language – and even when they swallow you hole, you will know how to come out a winner……you totally cracked me up with this one – one of my favorite posts of yours!
Vicki Moore
April 12, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Matthew – Absolutely. Use it as you wish. I’m honored. People are strange folk.
Ines – I’m thrilled if I can make you laugh. I love it. It makes my day. 🙂
Trinette Sigona
April 16, 2008 at 2:09 pm
So what am I if I’m between the sting ray and the shark? hehe!