A Dose of Real Estate Wisdom From Jerry Maguire- And No, I'm Not Kidding

OK so being your Realtor may not be quite as dramatic as Jerry’s experience in this classic scene from Jerry Maguire, but the man is making a very good point. As your Realtor, I have a fiduciary duty of the utmost responsibility to help you achieve your set-forth goals- much like a sports agent does for an athlete- I look out for your wallet.

What I cannot do though is read your mind.

What ever life-changing events may be influencing your current situation are not entirely my business. However, to a certain extent knowing WHY you are doing what you are doing helps me uphold my fiduciary duty to you so you make the best decision possible for your given situation. Here is an example: You hire me to sell your home. When I ask you the reason you could say any number of things- I want to change school districts, I want to be closer to work or family, I want a bigger or smaller house. None of these scenarios imply a sense of urgency. Therefore I suggest a price based on those goals. The problem arises though if the reason you told me you are selling is not the REAL reason. The real reason for hiring me is that you can’t afford the house anymore. The bank is going to default on you any day now if you don’t get it sold QUICK. This changes the pricing and marketing strategy considerably.

There is now a sense of urgency that we need to accommodate for. My advice to you in the second scenario, had I been aware of it, may be different than in the first- and keeping me out of the loop may result in you not achieving your goals. If I am not aware of the REAL situation, I cannot help you to my fullest ability.

This is a very rudimentary example, of course, but life changing events such as financial hardship, divorce, marriage, having children, etc. are all influencing factors when it comes to buying and selling real estate. The more you tell your agent, the better we can help you.

I know why buyers and sellers withhold information- and I can’t say I blame them. Sometimes it is to save face, and sometimes it is because they are private and do not want others to know their business. This is where it becomes vital to hire a Realtor that you are comfortable with and that you are confident has the experience and know-how to help you navigate whatever your situation may be. Trust me when I tell you if you are working with someone who has been in the business a while we have heard it all. There isn’t much you can say to surprise me anymore. I have held clients hands, hugged, wiped away tears and calmed fears more times than I can count- and I don’t intend on stopping any time soon.

So, in the words of Jerry Maguire, “help me help you”- or maybe I should say “LET me help you”.