October Presidents Corner

There is a moment in every real estate transaction when the papers are signed, the keys change hands, and everyone breathes a little easier. We call it closing.

But for a great REALTOR®, closing shouldn't be the end of the relationship.

I often tell agents, “Chase the relationship, not just the transaction.” I believe that simple philosophy can change not only the way we conduct our business, but the kind of career we ultimately build.

Real estate is rarely just about real estate. A first home, a growing family, a relocation, an investment, downsizing after decades in the same house, or selling a property after the loss of a loved one. We are often invited into people's lives during some of their most significant moments.

That's a privilege, and it comes with responsibility.

Our job is certainly to help our clients successfully navigate the transaction in front of them. But if our focus ends with the commission check, we've missed an opportunity to provide something much more valuable: a relationship built on trust.

Being a lifelong real estate advisor means being the person a client feels comfortable calling two years later when they need a reliable contractor. It's answering a question about property values when there isn't a listing appointment attached. It's helping someone think through whether an improvement makes financial sense before they spend the money. Sometimes it's simply saying, “I'm not the expert on that, but I know someone who is.”

Those conversations may never result in a commission, and that's okay.

When we chase relationships, something interesting happens. Business has a way of following.

The first time buyer eventually needs a larger home. The family home eventually becomes too much house. Children grow up and need REALTORS® of their own. Friends, coworkers, and neighbors ask for recommendations. When we have served people well and remained part of their lives, we don't have to reintroduce ourselves when those moments arrive.

Technology will continue to change our profession, and consumers will have more information at their fingertips than ever before. But information and advice are not the same thing. An algorithm can provide an estimate. A website can provide data. Neither can replace a trusted professional who understands the market, knows the community, and cares about the person on the other side of the transaction.

Perhaps that's how we should measure longevity in this business. Not simply by how many transactions we close this year, but by how many people would still call us five, ten, or twenty years from now.

Transactions come and go.

Relationships build careers. Chase those.