My husband is a fisherman. I am a gardener. I also sell real estate. It occurred to me that there are a lot of similarities between real estate, and my gardening and his fishing. From the real estate agents side it is a lot like fishing. My husband spends a lot of his time casting the line out and reeling in; most times without a fish, only to cast out again and reel in. Occasionally he starts to reel in and gets a nibble. Sometimes he actually thinks he has a fish. The fish plays with him awhile, then breaks loose and is gone. My husband does enjoy the challenge of fishing. He will have fun when he gets enough nibbles. But he gets excited when he catches a fish! He only gets to eat the fish, if he catches it.

In real estate I spend a lot of time looking for clients. I do floor duty, I run ads, I have signs, I ask for referrals. This is all like casting out the line. I do get nibbles. The people who stop by the office and ask questions, the people who call on the ad or the sign. A strong nibble is a referral. I enjoy helping the client. But I get excited when I find someone who is serious about buying or selling -- and who is not working with another agent. Occasionally someone has an agent, but does not tell me, so I spend my time helping, only to have the client buy though another agent. Like fishing, I only get to eat (get paid), after I close the transaction.

From the buyers or sellers side of the transaction, I see the similarities with gardening. If the buyer or seller were a plant, that plant would want care. It would want proper soil, water, and light. It would want a gardener who knows what the weeds look like, so the weeds get pulled without damaging the plant. It would want the gardener to be aware of potential diseases and bugs, so it could be protected from harm. It would not want to be ignored. If the gardener were inexperienced, it would want that gardener to have another gardener to go to for help with questions. If the garden is large with lots of plants, it would want that gardener to have help, so that every plant would get some attention.

In real estate, the client, whether buyer or seller, wants an experienced agent, who knows the potential pitfalls of the transaction and can help to avoid the problems in advance. The client wants an agent who has enough time for them. If the agent has a large client base, then the client wants that agent to have the proper help to keep up with everythng. If the agent is new to the business, then the client wants that agent to have another agent to turn to for assistance with questions.

So how does the fisherman(real estate agent) find a good fish to catch, and how does the plant(buyer or seller) find a good garden to be in with a caring, informed gardener? By asking for the referral. The real estate agent wants referrals from their clients. The referral will be the more serious buyer or seller. Less time can be spent with the nibblers.

The buyer or seller finds the real estate agent by the same method. Ask people who have just been through a real estate transaction who they used as an agent and if they were happy with that agent. If there isn't anyone who has brought or sold recently, then go to a real estate office and interview one or more agents. Be honest in what your needs are, ask direct questions, ask to have the name and number of past clients. A good agent will have a long list. A new agent will have a good support person behind them. A very busy agent will have one or more assistancts. Don't be afraid to walk away. You have the right to the very best agent you can find. You do not have to work with the first agent you talk to as long as you have not signed anything. However, once you decide on an agent, you should remain loyal to that agent through closing.

Buying or selling a home is usually the biggest financial investment you have. You deserve the best. Keep in mind that most real estate agents have a mortgage to pay also and only have income after a transaction closes. With honest dialogue everyone's needs can be met.