Every agent says real estate is a relationship business.
Most mean they’re friendly. That isn’t what it means.
The call I almost didn’t take
In January of 2014, I was doing floor time at my brokerage. Things were slow when a call came in from a renter.
I don’t usually work with tenants. But things were quiet, so I took the call.
They found a place quickly. That could have been the end of it.
I stayed in touch instead.
Over the years, that one relationship led to several transactions, including referrals from family members and friends I had never met. None of it was planned.
What happened in between
The business didn’t come from the rental. It came from everything after.
The check-ins. Remembering what was going on in their lives. Being easy to reach when someone they cared about needed help.
Nothing in those years looked like business. No transaction, no commission. Just staying a person they were glad to hear from.
Why agents miss it
When a deal closes, most agents treat the relationship as finished. The client goes into a database and gets a monthly email.
A database isn’t a relationship. It can’t tell you who is thinking about downsizing, or who has a family member looking for a place.
Only paying attention can.
You can’t pick the winners
I couldn’t have predicted that a renter I almost passed on would become one of the most valuable relationships in my business.
So I don’t try to. I treat everyone as if they might matter, because I’ve been wrong about who will.
An agent who keeps in touch when there’s nothing to gain is more likely to care about your situation when it matters.
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