Me I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch out for, you never can predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid. ~ Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean
Trust takes so many forms.
There is "Big Picture" Trust - the all-important trust:
* Trust in God to guide and protect you. * Trust in your spouse to be loving and faithful. * The trust a child has in their parents. * Trusting your instincts.
Then there is "Semi-Big Picture" Trust - the high consequence trust:
* Trust that a friend will not betray you. * Trust that our government is managing our national affairs well and keeping us safe. * Trust that your accountant, financial planner, employees, elected officials, or neighbor won't steal from you. * Trust that a teacher or a coach won't harm your child. * Trust that your kids will make it safely to school today.
Then there is "Daily Life" Trust - the low probability or low consequence trust:
* Trust that a bridge won't fall down when you drive across it. * Trust that the mail will show up. * Trust that your kids did their homework and studied for their test. * Trust that your new computer won't break within a month. * Trust that your mechanic fixed the problem with your car.
Every aspect of life involves a level of trust. You can't live without trust. You can try, but you won't live a full and happy life.
Once we get into combat, the only people you can trust is yourself and the fella next to you. ~Bill Guarnere, Band of Brothers
A person who trusts no one can't be trusted. ~Jerome Blattner
In real estate, you need a bounty of trust. * Trust that the business will come if you are doing the right things now. * Trust that buyers and sellers are sincere in their desire to move. * Trust that the other agent, mortgage loan officer, home inspector, title clerk, and appraiser are all doing their jobs (and doing them well). * Trust that no one is behaving in an unethical manner.
The trust a client has in YOU is the most important trust of all:
> to act honestly, professionally and in their best interest
> to advise them well
> negotiate skillfully on their behalf
> be clever and resourceful at resolving problems
> to have a reliable network of people and systems in place to make a real estate transaction as seamless as possible
> to NOT do something incredibly stupid
Although we use contracts to clearly specify the legal obligations of all parties involved, our real estate team does operate on a high level of trust.
We have surrounded ourselves by people we consider the "best in the business" to help us with any situation that could arise (people we trust). We don't normally lock clients into their listing or buyer agency contracts (a client can "fire" us at any time if they choose). We will show a property to a prospective buyer without having a pre-approval in place. We hone our skills as real estate agents everyday.
We trust our clients and we want our clients to trust us.
Have we occasionally wasted time (and gas) on a buyer who ended up not buying or worse eventually bought a home with another agent? Yes.
Have we encountered agents who we hope to never have another deal with? Absolutely.
Have we had times where we felt taken advantage of by a seller who wanted our expertise on pricing and preparing the home for sale but had no intentions of listing with us? Unfortunately yes.
Have we ever been really burned by this business? Thankfully no.
In answer to the question, must we trust others? Yes, we must. We take precautions, but we couldn't operate effectively without trust.
Our distrust is very expensive. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
~Lisa
This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here.
Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.
Must We Trust Others? - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.
The Scott Loper Team
Scott Loper - Associate Broker
Lisa Loper - Sales Associate
RE/MAX Realty Group
439 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438
Ph: 215-256-1200 x-213
