Is asking an agent to just do the right thing too much anymore?

A Wenatchee realtor friend texted me 2 days ago for a yard guy referral for a new listing he has. I gave him the # of my best yard guy without much thought. He is a friend after all.

The next day he called for that handyman referral I gave him this spring - a frantic call 3 days before closing for w/h straps, CO detectors and some necessary smalls. The realtor had forgotten that he and the cheap-ass seller cheated him out of $80. They paid him for material only, not labor or his 2 trips to the store for change orders.

So let me get this straight. The homeowner (Dave) was ok spending $13,000 to agents to sell his house. For a lousy 80 bucks he and the seller stiffed my handyman. Naturally I didn't give him the number again. I told him in effect, to stick it- friend or no.

What, if instead, he had just paid Ernie out of his own pocket? Can you see how different this post would be? The definition of short-sighted in my book.

I am just a lowly DIY landlord and investor, but I really try to treat people right. Better than right. Keeping rents as low as possible even as costs rise- remember when 'affordable housing' in Wenatchee wasn't an oxymoron? Or I regularly refund more of a deposit than required to maintain a relationship or just because they need it more than I. Many times I have run into previous tenants or sellers and shook hands and caught up with genuine interest.

REALTORS- The time you help a seller by stretching out or waiving some compensation could pay you so much more down the road. By not maximizing every immediate revenue dollar, that person may be a gym class instructor or Costco employee, or home improvement store rep (whose members & customers are mostly homeowners)or youth sports coach or theater person or someone that works at a large co and tells everyone how you helped them when they were down.

Or they might be a landlord with dozens of rentals who attends meetups and rental association eventsw with other landlords with hundreds of units. Get the idea?

Yes, agents. Market, network, sell yourself, get your listings, blah blah. How about trying to help solve the homeowners problem no matter what? Know more ways to skin the cat than is taught in sales class and offer real solutions to sellers.

Learn about lease options, seller financing, wraps and sub2 transactions for instance. You can't list low/no equity or non-bankable houses that need too many repairs anyway. Maybe let me help you help them. Monetize those leads while we do the right thing for someone together.

In this tough, low inventory, frothy-priced Wenatchee market, I'd guess 90% of my purchases come from seeds I planted years ago just helping folks out of a spot. Have a bigger why than another commission or paycheck and be rewarded multiple ways.

Who are some rockstar agents you know?

What about the best loan officer?

Best contractor or handyman?

Best plumber or electrician, yard or HVAC guy?

Best attorney or tax person?

The rockstars are rare. If they put doing the right thing above an immediate payday, give them a shout out!