breaking promises

Laryngitis for a Sacramento Realtor Puts Mr. Natomas Seller in Perspective

laryngitis

While a Sacramento Realtor recovers from laryngitis, her cellphone is forwarded to a team member.

Coming down with laryngitis for this Sacramento Realtor makes it extremely difficult to call a seller in Natomas to get permission to retrieve my lockboxes on a pending sale that is not mine. I installed two lockboxes on this home, but that was before the seller broke his promise to hire me. Because of my laryngitis, I cannot say thank you, Mr. Natomas Seller, for begging me to accommodate you on my afternoon off to help with your trashed house in Natomas. Thank you for dragging me there. Thank you for listening to all of the wonderful ideas I gave you, not only how to fix up your home but how to file a claim for reimbursement.

Thank you for implementing every last detail and then taking the less confrontational way out at the last minute by emailing to say you changed your mind. That you decided to run after a less experienced agent who quoted you 1% less in commission. Because that $3,150 goes a long way toward your retirement. Or betting at a Reno crap table. Or for new Texas-sized tires on that F150 pickup. Or buying a hooker in Las Vegas. That 1% fee stood between the agent you deserved and the agent you got, which could be the agent you deserved, now that I stop to ponder.

That $3,150 you felt was so all-fired important that you overlooked the fact your cheaper agent listed the home for $10,000 less than I suggested. My idea was to list it $10,000 higher. That price most likely would have risen further during negotiations, and even if the home did not appraise, my strategy induces buyers to pony up. That $3,150 you “saved” resulted in being on the market under 24 hours and grabbing a fast offer, effectively cutting out the opportunity for multiple offers, which tend to result in higher offers. But having that 1% in your pocket is important, I understand. It’s your integrity or money. That $3,150 wins. I get it.

Thank you for installing the hardwood floors in the color choice I recommended. It looks beautiful. You can’t even tell the previous occupants had deposited bodily fluids all over the carpeting and walls. I hope for your sake there aren’t huge losses for you when the buyer either forces you to do repairs or to fork over more money as a credit after the home inspection. How much will you lose overall? It doesn’t matter, because you have that $3,150, right? You did not want to hire an agent with 40 years of experience. That’s OK. It’s your prerogative.

No, instead of calling you, Mr. Natomas seller, I struggled yesterday to answer my phone when it rang. It was a tenant, hoping a Sacramento Realtor would help her to find a rental. I explained, in little bits and pieces of high squeaks / grunts that I could not talk; I have laryngitis, on top of which agents do not help tenants find rentals in Sacramento. I apologized. Sacramento is still a small town. I said I was sorry that she could not hear me very well because my throat was incredibly sore. I could not talk. Words are painful for me.

Instead, the tenant caller pressed on, asked if I could give her recommendations . . .

She reminded me of you, Mr. Natomas Seller.

And now that I have my lockboxes, there is no longer a reason for us to talk, even if I could; it doesn’t matter. Laryngitis clears up in a week or so. Exploitation in a person’s nature is much a more difficult deficiency to cure.

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