The Client Who Taught Me What Trust Really Looks Like
Most of my best clients are referrals. The trust is already baked in. Someone they know trusts me, so they do too.
But this client? She found me online. No referral, no warm intro. Just read my bio and decided to reach out.
We got along great, toured properties, and she found one she loved. However, after going into contract, a significant issue surfaced, something the listing agents had been aware of and never disclosed.
My client, who had been calm and composed throughout, was now understandably panicked. I felt it too. It was a substantial amount of money and a big unknown.
I got on the phone with everyone, the listing agents, attorneys, the client, and came up with a plan. I had done some research and said, “If we can spend five hours in the apartment and test it over time, we should be able to confirm that the issue is truly resolved.”
Now, five hours of access in NYC? That’s unheard of. The listing agents pushed back. Even our attorney said, “That’s a bit much.”
And honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d go along with it if I were in her shoes. Once someone lies to you in a deal like this, moving forward can feel impossible.
But she said, “If we can do that, and it works, I’ll move forward.”
She didn’t trust the listing agents. But over the course of the deal, she decided to trust me. I trusted her, too. That’s what made it work.
We did the visit. We decided the issue was fixed. She bought the home.
Since then, we’ve worked on four more deals together, and she’s sent me five referrals.
Trust isn’t always instant. Sometimes it’s built quietly, in the middle of a mess, one decision at a time.
