One Unspoken Rule when Representing Clients

Tonight, as I was winding down for the night, my husband came in and told me he had recorded a show for me to watch. Seeing as I am a real estate agent who specializes in luxury homes, he thought I might get a kick out of the show “Million Dollar Listing”. If you haven’t seen the show, don’t waste your time. Set in California, these agents in no way represent the rest of us. I am actually pretty embarrassed for them (at least the two 20 somethings on the show) because they just look ridiculous.

To sum up last nights episode, one of the agents traveled over to his clients home to discuss two offers they had received. Problem is, he walks into his clients home in his gym clothes. Here is a seller, with a home listed around $8 Million, and in walks his listing agent in gym clothes and sweaty armpits.

The seller, obviously offended, blatantly asks the kid if he is going to a costume party. The agent just laughs it off and says “no”. The seller then asks why he is dressed this way. Sadly the young agent starts in with a story of how he had no electricity to shower or shave so he just threw on some gym clothes. The seller, now getting angry, just stops talking and refuses to tell the agent about the offers he received. He even goes as far to tell his listing agent that he will not let him represent his interests when they go to buy a home.

My response: Hey idiot, put on your work clothes! It’s not rocket science here, it’s called being a professional.

What really got me mad was that the agent defended himself and said “It isn’t like I am going on a listing appointment”. He actually could not believe his client was upset with him for his dress.

My response: You ARE an idiot. It doesn’t matter what you are doing with a client, you ALWAYS look professional.

See the unspoken rule in any industry, whether it be real estate or a corporate job, you always dress professionally…NO MATTER WHAT. It doesn’t matter that your electricity went out. Either get your act together, or reschedule the appointment. You definitely don’t walk into a meeting with a client in shorts and a sweaty tee shirt. If that agent was representing my luxury home, I would have fired him on the spot.

So what would you have done if you had been in the seller’s shoes?

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