Fulfilling our clients wants and needs is what makes owning Smart Growth Realty so special to be a part of. We profile every client before we ever go show any properties. You see most real estate agents are so excited with working with a prospect they really don't take the time to listen to what they are really looking for in a home. In some cases what the client wants is not always what they purchase.
Take this perfect example:
I got a phone call from Mr. Diaz on one of my listings in Coral Gables. I let him know that my wife Giselle was doing an open and to go by. Giselle and Mr. Diaz clicked right away and a week later we had him as a client. In the coming months we previewed several properties and made some offers on REO's that never materialized. One day on a business trip to Colombia, I sent Mr. Diaz an email with a property that came on the market I thought he would like. Location and size was perfect , but not the price and style.
Our client had always wanted a 1920's Old Spanish gables home. I love the Old Spanish, however it if has not been totally remodeled to new building code it could be a money pit for the new owner. As time passed we saw other styles like mediterrenean and contemporary. When he arrived from Colombia we set up a meeting with a wonderful Kerdyk realtor named Rachelle Kaplan. We met at this lovely home steps away from the University of Miami off San Amaro. I introduced Rachelle to Mr. Diaz and we proceeded to look over the home.
The homes was custom built in the late 60's with an incredible open floor plan. Very unique for the time. Terrazzo floors in the living room and open family room that overlooks the pool. We also had the pleasure speaking with the original owner who built the house. In a market where Short Sales and Foreclosures still dominate the market,it was nice actually being involved in a NON Third Party Transaction. To make the story short,both buyer and seller were very happy and closed within 36 days.
Guacamole Anyone ?
The key in my opinion to being a successful broker or real estate agent is two things :
1. Put AWAY your EGO.
2. LISTEN and LISTEN !
Believe it or not the second one is sometimes the hardest to master. Pay attention to your clients conversations and take little bits and pieces and store them in the back of your head for future use. As an active member of the USGBC South Florida Chapter and Co- Chair on LEED for homes our company wants to make an impact on our environment,planet and homeowners lives.
During a simple conversation during the inspection of the home, I heard my client mentioned about the avocado tree lost in the storms. The bulb went on ! We had just received and avocado tree from Adopt A Tree at JC Bermudez park in Doral several weeks before. Giselle mentioned to me what a great idea to Reuse and donate the avocado tree to our clients as part of our company's green initiative program. We are happy to say both owner and tree are getting along very well.
Note: A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.
