My business partner, Joni Kimmel, and I have been working as a real estate team (Kimmel & Young) for 12+ years. If we aren’t sitting side by side in our office, or driving together to and from appointments, we are texting or talking multiple times a day…almost every day of the week. Having someone to problem solve with and pass the baton to is the reason I have been able to do my job, while maintaining some semblance of sanity, for over 17 years.
Contrary to popular opinion (thanks HGTV), real estate is not easy money. The stakes are high, emotionally and financially. Even under the best of circumstances, nice people sometimes turn into werewolves. The worst is when the crazed, irrational individual you are trying to talk off the ledge is the realtor on the other end of the transaction.
It was late spring and Joni and I were in the midst of a particularly nasty negotiation. A week away from closing on our seller’s home, the transaction was suddenly in a death spiral. Our clients were fabulous, but thanks to another agent, who seemed to take particular pleasure in creating needless drama, the deal was on life support.
Joni and I were doing our best to keep the ball in the air. Meanwhile, I had planned, months prior, to go on a camping trip with my son’s 5th grade class. My constant dialogue with my partner about how to get everyone accross the finish line, was cut short when I discovered that the campground I was staying at had no cell service. Shifting gears, I focused on pitching tents, bike rides, beach walks and smores for 48 hours. As soon as I was headed home, and had at least two bars on my phone, I called Joni for an update.
Joni started the conversation with “You will NOT believe what happened”, and proceeded to give me an in depth account of the latest twists and turns. She shared her opinion of how she thought we should proceed. Then she asked, “What do you think?”. After several sleepless nights of listening to the mosquitoes in my tent, I had a detailed mind map of the intracacies of the transaction and I had a plan.
Then the call dropped.
I called Joni right back and laid out the profile of every individual involved in the transaction. I gave a detailed analysis of what I thought everyone’s hopes and fears were. I proposed contacting a local, well respected , real estate attorney who could explain to the other agent the risky position they were placing their buyers in. My rant must have lasted for at least 8 minutes. Then I asked “Joni, what do you think?”
An elderly man’s voice answered “Well…that sounds like a frustrating situation. You must sell real estate”.
VERY LONG PAUSE
Mortified, I started laughing and sputtered “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! How embarrassing. Why didn’t you tell me I had the wrong number? Why did you let me talk for so long?!.” His response – “Honey, I couldn’t get a word in edge wise”.
I should probably tell Joni that she doesn’t need to worry about me choosing another business partner in this lifetime. Our particular brand of crazy works too well together.