Who stole what?

They STOLE my buyer!

Agents mutter that to one another all the time, day in, day out.  Once in awhile it's true.  I would know.  

At my former office we had two desks in the front lobby.  One for the office admin, another for the duty agent.  On one particular day I was up front talking to the admin about something (can't remember what) when a woman walked in.  She asked for an agent who had just left for an out of town appointment. Specifically asked for the man by name.  The duty agent stepped up and said 'Can I help you'?  I pay pretty close attention to how my cohorts conduct themselves, today was no exception. I watched to see how she would handle this.  She heard as I did when the woman asked for the other agent.  The walk-in repeated 'I was looking for Mr. So and So but he is not here'.  

Now, protocol would be to say something like - can I get your name and number and have him call you?  Or, would you like me to see if I can reach him?  Was he expecting you? (obviously not)...something along those lines.   

Looks sweet doesn't she? 

Nothing like that was said - she looked at me, smirked, and said - 'Come to my office, maybe I can help.'   I was appalled, partly because Ms. So and So felt I would approve!  No, it wasn't my customer, but it COULD have been. One day it would be.  All it would take would be for me to get a call about a property, an email,  a delicate relationship begun.  Said contact swings by to meet me without an appointment and as sometimes happens I could be out WORKING somewhere.  Greedy cow agent 'steals my customer'.   You can't expect John Q. Public to police REALTOR behavior. Generally they assume we are all doing the 'right' thing. Some know better and will throw the other agent under the bus as soon as they see you! "Guess what Mr. or Ms. So and So said when I asked for you'! (gotta love loyalty)  Those precious little pot stirrers, always love to hear about the confrontation later lol. 

PRECIOUS 'STOLEN' BUYER

As you would expect, one day an opportunity presented itself for me to 'return the favor'. She had already set protocol, hadn't she?  A call came in and I heard Ms. So and So on the phone with a 'cold call'.  She informed the caller that a particular home was sold but she had a lovely mobile home listed!  I heard her say the young mans name (HARK!  a friend of my sons since grade school).  She asked him some qualifying questions.  I could tell she didn't like the answers because she gave him the number for ERA Mortgage and turned him loose.  

I snuck outside with my cell and called my son.  Told him to call his friend immediately and tell him if he were thinking to buy a house to call me, at the very least do NOT call a 1-800 number for mortgage assistance.  

PRECIOUS STOLEN BUYER called me.  Full of apologies for not calling me first-just wanted to know the price of a house he was driving by.  He was 21 years old, didn't think he could buy, but he was LOOKING!  Classic.  

A local lender that I trusted met with PRECIOUS STOLEN BUYER and qualified him as a first time home buyer.  Too young to have messed up his credit!  Down payment assistance.  A flipped REALTOR listing.   We cake-walked that PRECIOUS STOLEN BUYER right into a 3BR, stick built home with hardwood floors in a decent school district.  

So there you have it.  I am as corruptible as the next guy.  And with a SMIRK on my face.