It’s great fun to meet a colleague who just blows you away with her professionalism.
Last week, Kari Klaus, an agent with Zip Realty, called me very apologetically asking to show a listing at 9:30 am to her client. That would have been totally fine except that it was 9:00 am, and the owners are not exactly morning people – I suspected they were still pressing their snooze alarm button!
I called the sellers who pulled themselves and the house together and were slipping out the door as Kari showed up. And then, you know what she did?
She left the sellers a very gracious hand-written note thanking them for letting her show their home so early in the morning and on such short notice.
Nice touch, Kari!
She called me later. It turns out that her buyer loves the place. In addition, there is a funky offer that is going into its second week of tedious negotiations. Her buyer might be St. Anthony answering my prayers for a second offer that isn’t horrible!
My sellers are still talking about the lovely agent, not who got them out of bed on such short notice, but the agent who left such a gracious note for them. So this little touch was not only very polite, it was a smart business move.
So, Kari, you mom obviously raised you right! I really hope we get to work together!
Kari Klaus: You just Earned A “10-Wow” Rating As A Colleague!
75 comments • Patricia Kennedy • February 22 2009 03:57PMComments
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Terrific post Pat !
I LOVE LOVE LOVE it when I get to work with an agent who is professional and 'courteous' and it sounds like Kari was both and then some !
... nice touch with the handwritten note !
Thanks for sharing Pat !
Cheers !
Sheldon
I've always said that if you get a smart experienced agent on the other side, you'll have a very smooth transaction.
Pat - love to hear that. This morning we received a message on voice mail from real estate company that just said "you suck" ??? Excuse me??? I don't even know who they are. It is mind boggling to me that somebody would even do that, to any business. Oh, well moving on... ~Rita
Pat - how great to read such a positive post. Applause Applause to you for giving a shout out to Kari. And of course, Applause Applause to Kari for taking that extra step. Sounds like a Win/Win for everyone.
You know what...that's what I am talking about.... That is someone who operates by putting herself in other peoples shoes....you are a great agent when you can master that.
Pat,
Great example of a true professional. This is the real estate industry that I want to be a part of.
Patricia the difference in working with a true professional is monumental in having the transaction go smoothly. Best of luck with your transaction.
Pat,
Thank you, Thank you!!! It's great to hear these type stories rather than most that are shared.
What a gracious jesture!!! Love it. Kari made us proud!!
Also a good lesson to sellers who think that showings should revolve around their social schedule. Sometimes the one you accomodate or turn down, is the one that might have answered your prayers.
Pat, I love caring people of all types, and you obviously found one with Kari. The nice touch of the note was very thoughtful. Maybe this will be the deal for you two.
Hi Pat... Kari definitely showed the kind of caring professionalism that is so often lacking in many agents lately. We seem to always hear about the disasterous showings and agents who don't seem to understand professionalism and salesmanship... thank you for sharing your story about Kari with us!
Pat, it's the professionals who will survive thrive in this housing market. And, stories like this encourage others to follow suit. Thanks.
The more props we give to the folks who do it right, the more opportunity we have to mold the environment in which we work!
Patricia,
Very nice touch leaving a handwritten note. Very thoughtful. Lesson for me, would now be smarter, and not only thank the agent, but the Seller.
Nice
Patricia, Great way to pay it forward to someone who is obviously very deserving.
Hi Pat,
Wonderful to hear something positive - if more agents were like Kari Klaus our job would be so much easier and our sellers so much happier! - thanks for posting
Patricia - It is refreshing to hear some professional courtesy and it is even better to hear someone recognize someone else ! Very very cool. I kinda hope your other deal blows up and perhaps this deal gets put together... but you never know ! Great story ! ~ Chris Somers
I never thought about leaving a note. That is a neat idea. I wonder how that would go over here
It is so nice of you to brag about her and blog about her!! She sounds great.
Pat: What a nice, well mannered agent. Hard to believe that still make us like that. I run into very few people that I would brag about here on AR.
Pat, What a nice testimonial to Kari, but I think you showed outstanding professionalism too because you could have just blown her off and told her to call with a little more notice, but you did the right thing, called your sellers and let them make the decision.
Pat, Can we get Kari to join Active Rain?
I would love to meet her on line and in person! You are so special to praise in public. Hope Kari sees this.
Today I answered my phone, today is Sunday and the agent on the other end actualy Thanked me for anwering my cell ph. on a Sunday... showing professional curtisy not only helps homes sell it creates a great networking opportunity. Thanks Pat for sharing your great agent story on AR. It made me think twice about the phone call I got today when normaly I wiould have not thought twice about it.
Patricia,
A wonderful post, maybe Kari would like to see your post, so she can know how many are aware of and applaud her professionalism. You are pretty special yourself.
Hi Pat~ You are just as much a professional for recognizing Kari's effort as she was for leaving the note. Cooperation is a benefit to all! I hope everything works out well for your Sellers and for Kari's Buyers...maybe you'll have a chance to work together on this one!
Patricia, that was wonderful to recognize a colleague in our industry. I keep saying that no matter how computer and techie we get, it is the personal human touch that still matters the most!
Great feature! Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice
Regina P. Brown
Hi Pat,
Unfortunately that agent would be in trouble here for writing the note. It would be considered interfering with the listing. A no no. I think it's great that your people could accommodate the showing on such short notice but we find too many agents are calling our office to make appointments for the next half hour. Some sellers are able to scramble and others aren't home so it's not a problem. But in order to be sure of getting a successful appointment it would be prudent for an agent to give some advance notice. I have a hard time thinking that agents are just finding buyers that want to see houses in a half hour or hour's notice. What's even worse is when the agent says it's a showing then shows up alone, saying it was just a preview (inspection). GRRR. I love getting those calls from my sellers who have just rushed to tidy up. Not happy campers, although their house is clean now. Bonus.
So many of our local buyers just show up and want to see houses 'right now'. We are a tourist town and many of our buyers are looking for a second home.
With these buyers, you can't say, I will make some appointments for tomorrow - you show them what is showable.
Kudos to Kari for leaving such a thoughtful note.
Hi Virginia,
Where would those buyers be coming from? Out of state? How are you able to pre-qualify them that fast? My husband and I visited Mesquite after the NAR Conference in Las Vegas in 07. Beautiful golf courses. We went on to St. George to spend the night. What a beautiful area. It was so nice to see trees and grass, and experience peace and quiet after Vegas.
Pat- Isnt it wonderful when you run across such a professional? We are a great business to be in with wonderful people everywhere.
It's so nice and refreshing when you come across an agent who is good agent and a good person! I hope you get to work with her too!
Jenny Kotulak is right on target about the note being considered interference with the listing in more markets than one.
While most of us would think that was a very thoughtful thing to do, other agents would perceive Kari's actions as a way to get the Sellers to remember her name if they should have an interest in looking for another agent.
It was a nice thing to do and Patricia , you are very nice to thank Kari publically. But, with a call at 9 AM and a showing at 9:30 AM, she must have been incredibly organized to be able to handwrite a note to leave behind. :)
Very nice. I'll be rooting for you to get a nice offer and a smooth transaction.
I'm so glad you shared some positive news with us! I applaud her for leaving a note. Yes, as Jenny said, it could be considered "interfering" but I personally don't consider it to be. It would'nt have bothered me at all. As for only having 30 minutes, I tell my sellers to be ready in the drop of a hat. Not ALL buyers do give sufficient notice. Way to go for letting her know how fabulous she was!
Hi Pat!
isn't it amazing what a little humility and expressed appreciation will do! It just reinforces that it is all about the attitude and approach...much can be forgiven with a little graciousness. I will cross my fingers for that next offer!
Loved the this post - not only because it highlighted Kari's dedication to doing what's right but it also highlighted something more sellers should be - and that's willing to do what it takes when a buyer wants to see their home. Yes - we can say that it was short notice or the buyers shouldn't expect someone to be able to leave their home that quickly but when you are truly motivated to sell - you just get out! Thanks again for the post - I think I just got an idea for one of my own!
Smart agent and nice person--now that's a winning combination! Put that one together!
Hi, it's amazing what a little bit of good old fashioned good manners will accomplish. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Hi, it's amazing what a little bit of good old fashioned good manners will accomplish. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Pat - It is always great working with a professional. That was smart and sweet of her to leave a handwritten note, one small act whichleft a big impression on the sellers.
It's wonderful when we run into a courteous agents from taking your shoes off on a wet and snowy day to making sure all the lights are off and the doors are secure. Kari deserves top honors, hope you gals do a deal together! Best to you~
Conratulations on the feature, Pat, and I've got my fingers crossed this agent sells your listing. Who wouldn't want to work with someone who is considerate and thoughtful of their feelings?
Pat - little things done from the heart go a long way! Professional and thoughtfull Kari...it is so nice to hear this story. There is a lot of good people around us ....
With smiles,
Bo
Jenny and Lynda, viewing what Kari did as interference with a listing would be considered a real stretch in these parts. Like my sellers, I am grateful to the agents who show my listings. And when I'm showing, it's often on short notice, and I'd rather have a last minute showing at dawn than no showing at all. This agent has been wonderfully professional and gracious in all of our contacts. And it was not terribly convenient for my clients to have her show their home in the morning on short notice. She is really making it worth their while. And she is doing a great job of representing her own client. I'm not concerned that she is flirting with mine, other than hoping they'll take her guy's offer when it comes in.
Pat, I hope her buyers get the home and you make a new freind. She is a class act!
Hi Patricia; Hope you get that second offer! It's nice to hear good stories about fellow agents as there sure are plenty of bad ones around also.
Patricia,
You have written a warm tribute to a very professional Realtor, Kari Klaus. Kudos to you.
I must say you are a professional, too for contacting your sellers and permitting Kari to view your property so early. You created a win win, I do hope her buyer comes through, sounds like it will be a smooth transaction.
That is really professional. I am not sure if I would do it in such occaisions but I will surely do it like this in similar situations in future.
That is a WOW factor that I'm sure your sellers won't forget and their buyers may just get their offer accepted because of how the seller feels about their agent and less about how the feel about the offer. (Even if it is a better offer)
Patricia: You may find this hard to believe, but I know an agent or two in different parts of the country who would call up that agent and crawl all over her for writing that note. They would accuse her of "tampering" with their listing. That is totally NOT my view... but I thought I would share that there are some agents out there... a few... who might respond that way. Sounds like some pretty insecure agents... doncha think ?
Pat - Invite her to join AR
Go Google her name - This post comes up ahead of all her own results - her page at ZipRealty, her Classmates, LinkedIn and FaceBook pages - all of them come up below this post!
The power of AR's Google Juice is amazing!
thanks for taking the time to post this story - is great to hear there are still some true professonal left in our field
Pat, nice story! What I find interesting is that we find the scenario unusual, when in fact it is an example of someone who has really good manners! As far as interference, I feel that agents who leave their business card at a listing after signing in or instead of signing in is far more suspect, rather than someone who show politeness toward our clients. I have left a small note on the showing sheet saying thank you, next to my name, if warranted. No one ever called me and said I was interferring. And conversley, I have never called an agent out for leaving their business card at my clients home. Not my style. But I have had a few homeowners who weren't happy with the business card tactic, believing that it was an attempt to have them contact that agent. The called me and said it was a tacky attempt to gain their business.
So, I hope you get the offer in from her! And way to go Kari!
Pat,
Isn't it nice to hear about the professionals in our field..great post!! Thanks for sharing!
I meet great professional REALTORS every day and am impressed by the courtesy they have toward others and by the repect they show to the business! Congratulations to Keri and thanks to you!
Good morning, Patricia. It was nice to see your post complimenting Kari. It's so infrequent to see someone take time out of their busy day to give a compliment to someone for a job well done (people usually never give/receive feedback unless it's negative). It's fantastic to see that there are some processional and courteous agents about there.
I just loved reading this post. Its nice to see that other agents go out of their way for each other,and that other agents like yourself appreciate these small gestures.
Patricia: Writing thank-you notes has become almost a thing of the past. Kudos to Kari for writing one. And kudos to you for telling us about it!
In this fast paced technical world we live in isn't is amazing what an old time personal note will do? I'm a big fan of personal notes but I must admit I don't do as many as I should. Let's all get out that pen and paper. We'll differentiate ourselves from the rest of the market.
The best agents to work with are clearly the gracious and professional ones. She showed a caring and thoughtful touch that sent such a great message that she would be wonderful to work with as a selling agent. Great to point out that professionalism is appreciated!
Let's give it up for Kari (room explodes, balloons drift from ceiling, band starts playing For She's A Jolly Good er...Lady) Patricia, thanks for putting the bright light on a caring fellow real estate peddler. You usually only read about mistakes made and economic predictions these days in a critical society.
Good manners and smart agent...What a great touch!!! I never thought about leaving notes. But, then, I've never shown a house that early. If I do, I'll remember to leave a note.
Those kinds of agents make you love this business.
It is the little things that go so far in business and dealing with others!
Pat,
This is an awesome story, and just goes to show you how far a thank you can go. I love working with nice experienced agents.
We bitch when they perform poorly, how nice to see a post on Great performance!
Thats great to hear. A good agent on the other side is always key to a smooth transaction!
Pat,
Nice of you to feature her in your blog. Good work.
That is a great story. Nice for you that your sellers were willing, see you never know that could be the buyer of your home.
What a sweet pea! I wish we had more like that in our neck of the woods! Way to go Kari!
Some people know how to work the business. Wish we had more like her here. And, when you work together, which I know you will, tell her that those of us in the Rain wish her much success!
Oh the joys of a transaction with a professional Realtor that you enjoy working with! It really does have a lot to do with how smoothly the closing goes and the attitudes of all parties involved. Kudos to Kari and to YOU for spotlighting her. It is such examples that lead to more of the same. Like a smile....it is contagious!
Pat - Kari is a true professional. I hope you can strike up a deal with her.
Patricia - She sounds like a great agent... I hope it works out! :)