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Realtors regard referrals highly

Joan Harned

Dear Joan,

I would like to write to you with a good problem. I would like to know what I can do to thank our outstanding Realtor who not only helped us sell our house, but also helped us find another home and amazingly, made the timing work out so that we did not need to move twice. It took a lot of work on her part and she did it all cheerfully and with a good sense of humor, even when things got kind of sticky. I still can’t believe it went so well. She not only got top dollar for our old home, but she was able to help us negotiate a great deal on our new one. I know it is traditional that she give us a closing gift, but I feel like I should give her a gift as well. What would you suggest?

Dear Amazed,



I am so delighted to hear your story. It is not that it is so unusual, but the fact that you recognized how much work, effort and knowledge it took to make everything work like clockwork. I think many buyers and sellers believe that we Realtors are simply lucky and make a lot of money by being in the right place at the right time. Actually, it takes constant continuing education, reading and classes and daily work to know the current market as well as practiced skills to negotiate through the mine fields of clients’ egos, needs, desires and fears. These skills are needed to negotiate the listing price, the eventual accepted sales price, the inspection objections, the mortgage loan requirements, appraisal issues, extensions, amendments and much more.

Now, to answer your question about what to get your Realtor; keep doing what you are doing. Tell your neighbors, friends and anyone you run into about your great experience and your great Realtor. There is nothing any of us Realtors want more than to get referrals from clients whom we know and like. Chances are, the referrals you will send will also be people your agent will get to know and like, too.

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There is a book called “Endless Referrals” by Bob Burg that explains that almost every person knows 250 people by their first name. So, if you would spread the praise you are giving your agent to the 250 people you know, and if each one of them would tell the 250 people they know, then you would have added more than 60,000 people to their fan club. There is nothing more important to a Realtor than endless referrals. Keep spreading the word and help build your skilled Realtor’s continued success. You are instinctively doing the right thing.

Joan Harned is an owner and broker for Keller Williams Mountain Properties and heads up Team Black Bear, her own real estate team. Harned has been selling real estate in Eagle County for 27 years, is a past chairman of the Vail Board of Realtors, past Realtor of the Year, past director on the Great Outdoors Colorado Board and a member of the Luxury and Land Institutes. Contact Harned with your real estate questions at Joan@TeamBlackBear.com, 970-337-7777 and http://www.SkiAndTeeHomes.com.


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