Title: Playing Nice with Others in the Sandbox Presenter: Louise McLean Louise McLean directly addresses camera: Have you ever had to work with an impatient agent who was confrontational and difficult? How about a difficult buyer or seller? I have, and I’ve learned a thing or two about collaborating with other sales associates as well as negotiating with buyers and sellers. I’m Louise McLean, a Realtor with RE/MAX Solutions in Merritt Island. Let’s take five minutes to talk about tactics you can use when working with a difficult sales associate, buyers or sellers. It wasn't until my fifth year in real estate that I learned a valuable lesson. I was working with a difficult agent. I went to my broker asking for advice. You know what he said? He looked at me and asked, “Who is it that kills a deal?” and then he walked away and told me to think about it. Of course, the answer isn’t the buyer or seller; it’s the agents who represent them who kill deals. That’s when I learned a lesson that I needed to be neutral. The transaction wasn’t about me; it was about the buyer and the seller. And, guess what? You don’t own the buyer or seller. You communicate with them; you convey information to them so that they can make the decisions. So, I focused on communication. You have to take your emotions out of the sale. You’re simply the person in the middle of the transaction who is there to convey and negotiate what is best for the buyer and seller. It’s an emotional decision for both parties. So, you must stay calm and help them make sound decisions. You can’t control the other agent, but you can control your reaction to him or her. Many of us depend on non-verbal communication and jump to conclusions about the other sales associate. Again, it’s about the buyer and seller. When working with the other agent, pick up the phone rather than text or email. Too much information gets misconstrued via text or email. You can’t “hear” the other person’s intentions via text or email. Be clear in your communication. Then, recap the conversation via email so that it’s documented and details the message you delivered. Years ago, I had a seller who only wanted to text message. The seller texted me an answer to term of the deal and said, “Sure.” I called the buyer’s agent and told him we had a deal. I wrote it up and sent it to the seller, who said that he was being sarcastic with his answer. He wasn’t agreeing to the term after all. I would have known that if we spoke to each other on the phone. Being successful in real estate is all about building relationships, and you can’t do that without understanding what motivates the other person. Ask a lot of questions and then stop and listen to the answer. Be honest and earn the respect of the buyer, seller or other agent. Also, be open minded. Maybe your way isn’t the best way. Sometimes you have to adjust your communication style to the personalities and the situation. Be humble. Just because something worked for you in the past doesn’t mean it will in the future. Be open to looking at all angles of the situation. We are in a highly ego-based business. Some people think they know more than others. Don’t be one of those people. Be the Realtor® who gets the job done professionally and in the best interest of the buyer and seller.