Three years ago, I was presented with a situation by one of the agents that works for me. She told me that an employee of her insurance agent mentioned to her that he was having trouble making his mortgage payments. In an effort to help, she offered her services. They set up a time to meet at his house.
The home reeked of smoke, there were dishes piled in the sink, and a film of grease on the stove, counter and wall in the kitchen. We sat on the couch across from the couple. He looked exhausted and she looked anxious. They proceeded to tell us about their financial woes and how they were several payments behind on their mortgage payments and in foreclosure. She continued with the story and began to cry. They wanted to sell their home and move closer to their eldest son and his family.
I understood their predicament. Ten years earlier, I went through the same experience, during the recession. Empathy was the bridge to connect us to them. I contacted the bank, explained the situation, showed the asset manager a listing contract, and laid out our marketing plan. The asset manager agreed to freeze the foreclosure proceedings and allow us time to find a buyer for the house.
The house needed cleaning and repairs and the couple had no money to contribute. After prayer and contemplation, I arranged to personally finance the work that needed to be completed. The house sold, and the couple moved near their eldest son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.
Some real estate agents would not have taken on this listing. Some agents might have taken the listing, put a sign in the lawn, and hoped for the best. This couple was fortunate though. With us, they were connected with a team that possessed the empathy to comfort them, the competence to get the job done, and the faith to go out on a financial limb to help them. It really does matter who you hire.