Don't Drink and......Sign a Contract & Should I Work With Strangers?

Went out to lunch with a gal-pal today. As always talked about the market. What's coming down my pipeline, an agent newsletter that we both received in our mailboxes.

It brought up a reminder that I shared with her about a couple of listing appointments I went on a few years ago.

One was from door-knocking my neighborhood. You'd think your own neighbor would be okay, right? Well, I told my husband at the time exactly where I was going and what time to knock down the door if I didn't return.

Another was a seller that years ago I had represented the buyer for his prior home. He told me he felt I did a better job for my client than his agent did for him so he had kept my contact info. Again, informed my husband where I'd be as I didn't personally know this gentleman, nor had he been referred by a past client, friend, family member.

I don't generally work with strangers. I receive about 95% of my business from past clients, returning clients, referrals from those clients, friends, past associates. People that I know.

These two were basically strangers. Don't worry, I'll wrap back around to the newsletter comment in the first paragraph.

Both times there was no one in the home but the man. Both times I arranged a day time appointment. Both times I was offered a drink. Not iced tea or soda. An alcoholic drink. Needless to say I declined.

As I discussed marketing the prospective sellers' home I watched as both drank not one, not two, but more than 3 of their tasty beverages.

Watching them get a bit sloshed, a couple of things came to mind. Would I want to work with this person? Was he of sound mind, ever, if I needed a contract signed? Was the listing worth the risk?

Both of them I declined to continue the appointment. Could I have gotten their listing? Most likely. Did I want their listing? Every agent does. Was I willing to risk my licensing if they happened to sign something while intoxicated? Nope, not me. I excused myself gracefully from both and never looked back.

Until today. Until I received a newer agent's promotional newsletter in the mail. A lovely lady that is doing a great business......with quite a few strangers.

Maybe I should consider working with strangers. Well, most of the ones that are referred to me start as strangers. But, should I work with a complete stranger that all I know about him or her is where they live and the value of their home?

Likely I could do more sales, make more money if I was willing to work with complete strangers. But, it's just not about that. My personal safety is too precious. My own life is worth more than a possible commission.

Wrapping around to the subject line, and the newsletter sentence. Nope, I won't work with you if I can't trust that you can't sign a contract sober. And, nope, I value my safety too much to work with a complete stranger.

I have worked with a few, but there were stipulations that I set, that were followed by the client. Those have turned out to be great friends! Some, they were just awful!

Just a reminder to all agents out there, particularly women, it's not all about the commission check. If you're sued due to an intoxicated seller signing, or you're harmed by a stranger, it's going to cost you well more than the commission earned.