Let me tell you a story.
Subject: a home for sale
People involved: seller Tizio, buyer Caio, property agent 1 (A1) and property agent 2 (A2).
A1 and A2 work for different agencies.
The story:
Tizio decides to sell his home and asks A1 to handle the sale.
A few weeks later, A2 asks A1 to show the home to Caio, who is looking for that type of property in that area.
The agents arrange a viewing. Caio and his wife decide to make an offer, which A1 presents to Tizio. The seller accepts.
Is that the end?
It is where the important part begins.
There are two questions to ask:
1How much extra did this collaboration cost Tizio and Caio?
Answer: zero euros
2Did A1 and A2 achieve their goals?
Answer: yes. By collaborating, A1 fulfilled the seller’s instructions and A2 found a suitable home for the buyer.
The lesson:
Tizio is pleased with A1’s work and will recommend him. To serve his client, A1 collaborated with A2 and accepted that he would not receive both sides’ fees.
Caio found a home for his family and will recommend A2, who looked beyond his own listings.
Both agents are pleased and are already discussing another collaboration.
Please note:
Tizio pays A1’s fee.
Caio pays A2’s fee.
Everyone is satisfied, but there is a wider point.
This could be a real story. It offers a lesson both for agents promising to sell a client’s home and for owners choosing who will represent them.
I do not claim to have all the answers, but I would suggest this:
When you decide to sell, do not make your only question: “What is your fee?”
Also ask: “Will you collaborate to sell my home, or will you focus only on the fees you might earn?”
The author’s view is that owners should look beyond discounts and consider whether the adviser protects the quality of the work and the client’s interests.
