Not long ago, The Haber Team was assigned a unique property. It wasn't just that the space was distinctive; it was illustrative of the varied (and often unpredictable) qualities sellers are looking for in a broker.
Two very interesting things happened when I went to go meet the owners. They had met two brokers before me (and by the way, I love being the last broker... Especially because the sellers are pretty well-schooled in the market and have a good sense of price, as well as who they want to represent their home).
The husband was set on Broker Number Two -- until he met me. One of my tests was to go upstairs and stand up in the loft part of the apartment. They didn't want to choose a broker who couldn't stand in the loft space because they felt that looked awkward when showing the apartment. Being 5 feet 4 inches, this was a no-brainier for me as the ceiling height is 6 feet. I was the perfect height to properly showcase the space. Being small has its advantages!
More importantly though, the sellers liked our strategy as well as my expertise on handling objections -- and the fact that I seemed so calm. I go out of my way to be a concierge-like broker, and one of my hallmarks is doing whatever it takes to help my clients feel at ease. Helping clients feel at ease encompasses everything from lending them my chauffeur and offering restaurant recommendations, to establishing a warm easy rapport from the get-go.
They called me to meet the rest of the team which we did the next day and they signed on the spot. We actually had an amazing rapport with both sellers. We were all on exactly the same page. Working with these sellers has been a lot of fun. And, interestingly, this property was two firsts for me: Not only have I never had someone call by finding us on Street Easy -- I've never had one of the determining factors of deal being how tall -- or this case, how short! -- I was.
I love anecdotes like this because they truly illustrate how many quirky, unexpected variables there are in sellers' criteria for choosing a broker. I've been in the business for nearly 30 years and I'm still surprised by the diverse and always-unpredictable criteria that sellers have. The reasons why sellers have chosen the Haber Team have varied widely: often, it's because I've sold in the building before, or because a business associate referred us, or we said something that resonates with them, that other brokers didn't say. Sometimes it's something totally arbitrary (like my height!). But generally, it's a mix of all of the above, and at the end of the day it all comes down to chemistry.
I'd love to hear your personal experiences choosing a broker -- what is the number one trait you look for? Have you ever chosen a broker based on something arbitrary (like a physical characteristic)? Leave it in the comments and let's discuss!
Follow Toni Haber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@tonihaber
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