One thing that has become evident to me in my role of a real estate agent over the past five years with so many of my clients is that I am not just handling paperwork and negotiations. I’m part therapist, part friend, part negotiator, part paperwork handler, and part creative idea generator.
In some cases I have spent more time listening to my clients vent or talk about their day and what goes on at work or about family members involved in the transaction than the actual paperwork took time to be completed. I can be asked questions as varied as what color tile to put in a bathroom, what kind of countertop should be installed, who the heck does this other agent think they are, how much should we escalate over the sales price, and “should I even consider putting in another offer? I feel so defeated.”
I have had clients refer to me as their “brother” or “cousin” and I have gotten to know my clients’ parents, siblings, best friends, and other assorted family and friends who are going to chime in with their opinion on the situation. Today I helped a client navigate the moving truck parking permit process in the District of Columbia, which involved multiple phone calls, missed connections, meeting at the police station to print them out and many texts and messages.
