Is George Washington Selling Your House?

It is funny how every once in a while spending a lazy evening in front of the television actually pays of with some good advice. After spending Independence Day devouring shrimp and chicken sausage kabobs, last night became a great night to relax.To top it all off, the History Channel was showing its great series The Revolution which highlighted the great leadership of the gentleman farmer, general, and president George Washington.

A comment about Washington brought me back to a discussion I’d had with a potential buyer last week:

“There are so many real estate agents out there, how do I know a good one?”

How does real estate tie with the father of our country? Well, that will be the goal of this post as we look at what made Washington great and how those qualities transfer to a strong real estate agent.

What made Washington great? A lot of things, but to point out a few:

• Experience
• Leadership
• Knowledge
• Humble
• Resiliency
• Excellent Negotiator
• Answered the Call

A great agent will have many of the same qualities, and while that may not make her the next “father of our nation” it could make the difference between you having a smooth and successful real estate transaction or becoming a statistic.

• Experience – Remember this goes well beyond “how long have you been in the business” to the number of deals. According to a study of the Top 100 real estate firms by REALTOR Magazine, the average agent at a top 100 firm will do just over 8 transactions a year. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have a “newer” agent averaging 12 transactions than a seasoned-vet averaging three.
• Leadership – I was talking to an agent one afternoon during an open house. He had the softest handshake I’ve ever experienced and was mumbling to his client. I don’t know much about his knowledge as a Realtor, but my perception wasn’t that he was a great leader. Do you want an agent that will lead you through the battles of the real estate field? Or the one that will sit back and wait for the challenges to arise?
• Knowledge – I’d hope that this goes beyond saying, but it doesn’t. How much knowledge does your agent have not only in real estate but also in your market?
• Humble – One of Washington’s greatest assets was his ability to listen to others and realize when they had better ideas than his own. The British Evacuation of Boston is a great example of this, where Washington listened to his advisors and succeeded. Your agent needs to have that same desire to get the deal done – not caring who get the credit – just making sure that you are best represented in this transaction.
• Resiliency – “No.” I’m sure it is the most common response to a question ever and if your real estate agent is going to take “no” for an answer, then you are receiving a disservice. Objections are part of the job; it is how the agent responds and addresses these objections that make great agents great.
• Excellent Negotiator – when General Charles Lee attempted to over-throw Washington as the commander of the Continental Congress militia, Washington didn’t throw a fit. Rather he quietly acknowledged his knowledge of the plan, which



• Answered the Call – Washington attempted to go home to Mt. Vernon on several occasions, but he knew that this young country needed him. Your agent should be busy, but not “too busy” that they can never take or return your call. Remember you have employed them to either find or sell your next home. And your agent needs to treat this as their job.

The statistics say that 80 percent of the public will choose the first perceived competent agent they come across for their transaction.

It isn’t very likely that you’ll find an agent that matches up to the greatness of President Washington, but by finding one that embodies his spirit and work ethic, you can expect a smooth transaction in buying or selling your home.

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