Why Should Anyone Trust Me?

In real estate, as in any pursuit, trust and integrity are essential. They go hand in hand. I once had a colleague in an adjoining cubicle whose phone conversations fascinated me. I began a betting pool with myself as to whether I would ever hear him say something sincere. He was just starting out then, but now I often hear him mentioned as an example of an utterly untrustworthy person. His word means nothing and he cannot be left alone with anything valuable or given any responsibility for others which he won’t turn to his own profit. He's a big success. But very little repeat business.

Still, as the great Franklin Roosevelt remarked, “If you treat people right they will treat you right ... ninety percent of the time." And treating people right means treating them in a way that leads to trust. In real estate – especially in my market north and west of Boston – very large sums of money are involved. No doubt there are opportunities to profit unethically or illegally, but it gets more subtle than that. If I represent buyers, do I talk them into spending more than they can afford or more than the property they’re buying is worth? When the competition for a property gets hot and heavy, I’ll give the buyers my best judgement (pretty good, frankly) of what the fair market value of the property is and what it’s likely to be worth in a year. We can talk about how to add value to the property once they own it. Then, frankly, it’s up to them. I can’t refuse to let them buy it, and once they've decided to buy, I'll do my utmost (which, frankly, is pretty good) but I won’t lie to them about the property. I find that when my buyers make the decision to offer, and how much to offer, they trust what I tell them. That takes a track record with the client to get to that point of trust. That’s work. But it’s necessary work – both for me and the client.

Marketing a property for the sellers is a harder nut, to be honest. The sellers need to trust me enough to accept my marketing plan, a key part of which is price. That moment comes pretty early in the game, so the question is how to build trust quickly. All I can say about that is to quote Janis Joplin: “Never compromise yourself it is all you got." 

From the first moment of the first encounter, I have to be absolutely straight with them. Otherwise, nothing will work. I just have to hope that sellers will see it. But being trustworthy doesn’t come automatically. Trust, as the Buddha said, is the greatest of qualities. So it’s worth cultivating. 

Here’s how you become trustworthy: Never lie. Never betray a trust. Keep your word. And when you find yourself in a disagreement, don’t get abusive.

Then you will be trustworthy, and others will know they can trust you.