In my experience, I have dealt with listing agents who did a super job of representing their sellers without taking an adversarial position with the party on the other side of the transaction. However, as with anything, there are those who do make adversarialism a part of their business practice. Some call it “posturing,” others might call it “positioning.” Either way, this approach to business infuses negativity into the transaction and it adds a dimension of distrust, which slows the process down or kills it and becomes a draining experience for all involved. If you have ever read the book The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey, then you can understand the point I am making.

There should be a meeting of the minds. A seller wants to sell, a buyer wants to buy, and in the case where there is financing, a lender wants to lend. Sometimes, negotiations break down when the representatives for each of these parties cannot work together in order to identify and resolve the core issues that prevent the transaction from moving forward, or perhaps a representative is just “following orders” and does not consider ways to keep a transaction moving forward in a way that does not cause adversarialism to enter into the transaction. It is possible to accomplish this while keeping their parties’ interests protected.  In this new age of real estate, mutual trust, respect, and transparency rule the day.

Hard ball tactics are a thing of the past, and to excel in these changing times, buyers and sellers would do well to find their own representatives that understand how to approach negotiations in an honorable way for the best win/win outcome. Otherwise, no one wins and everyone loses…time, money, energy. The way to accomplish this is to consider applying the 13 Behaviors of a High Trust Leader (Covey 2006):

1. Straight Talk

“Be honest. Tell the truth. Let people know where you stand. Use simple language. Call things what they are. Demonstrate integrity. Don’t manipulate people nor distort facts. Don’t spin the truth. Don’t leave false impressions.”

2. Demonstrate Respect

“Genuinely care for others. Show you care. Respect the dignity of every person and every role. Treat everyone with respect, especially those who can’t do anything for you. Show kindness in the little things. Don’t fake caring. Don’t attempt to be ‘efficient’ with people.”

3. Create Transparency

“Tell the truth in a way people can verify. Get real and genuine. Be open and authentic. Err on the side of disclosure. Operate on the premise of, “What you see is what you get.” Don’t have hidden agendas. Don’t hide information.”

4. Right Wrongs

“Make things right when you’re wrong. Apologize quickly. Make restitution where possible. Practice “service recoveries.” Demonstrate personal humility. Don’t cover things up. Don’t let personal pride get in the way of doing the right thing.”

5. Show Loyalty

“Give credit to others. Speak about people as if they were present. Represent others who aren’t there to speak for themselves. Don’t badmouth others behind their backs. Don’t disclose others’ private information.”

6. Get Results

“Establish a track record of results. Get the right things done. Make things happen. Accomplish what you’re hired to do. Be on time and within budget. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver. Don’t make excuses for not delivering.”

7. Get Better

“Continuously improve. Increase your capabilities. Be a constant learner. Develop feedback systems—both formal and informal. Act upon the feedback you receive. Thank people for feedback. Don’t consider yourself above feedback. Don’t assume your knowledge and skills will be sufficient for tomorrow’s challenges.”

8. Confront Reality

“Take issues head on, even the ‘undiscussables.’ Address the tough stuff directly. Acknowledge the unsaid. Lead out courageously in conversation. Remove the ‘sword from their hands.’ Don’t skirt the real issues. Don’t bury your head in the sand.”

9. Discuss Expectations

“Disclose and reveal expectations. Discuss them. Validate them. Renegotiate them if needed and possible. Don’t violate expectations. Don’t assume that expectations are clear or shared.”

10. Practice Accountability

“Hold yourself accountable. Hold others accountable. Take responsibility for results. Be clear on how you’ll communicate how you’re doing—and how others are doing. Don’t avoid or shirk responsibility. Don’t blame others or point fingers when things go wrong.”

11. Listen First

“Listen before you speak. Understand. Diagnose. Listen with your ears…and your eyes and heart. Find out what the most important behaviors are to the people you’re working with. Don’t assume you know what matters most to others. Don’t presume you have all the answers—or all the questions.”

12. Keep Commitments

“Say what you’re going to do. Then do what you say you’re going to do. Make commitments carefully and keep them at all costs. Make keeping commitments the symbol of your honor. Don’t break confidences. Don’t attempt to ‘PR’ your way out of a commitment you’ve broken.”

13. Extend Trust (smart trust)

“Demonstrate a propensity to trust. Extend trust abundantly to those who have earned your trust. Extend trust conditionally to those who are earning your trust. Learn how to appropriately extend trust to others based on the situation, risk, and character/competence of the people involved. But have a propensity to trust. Don’t withhold trust because there is risk involved.”

I have come to recognize the 13 Behaviors as a benchmark of character and competence that equates to a high degree of trustworthiness in all areas of life–business or personal. These 13 Behaviors can be used to measure any situation to clearly see where shortfalls are occurring not only with others, but also within ourselves, and when we take the necessary steps to change and make it better–great things happen.

For the past six months, I have been reading a lot about the importance of trust and the profound affect it has on daily life—personally and professionally.

In one article  featured on StephenCovey.com, it explains how low trust “has a huge tax associated with it.” Some of the main compelling points in the article include that trust is very important in business, and that one cannot conduct business effectively without mutual trust. In fact, the article asserts that trust is vital:

“There are just so many elements to the simplest transaction that require trust. But we are like fish that discover water last and are sometimes unaware of those implicit elements. Trust is the lifeblood of all relationships, of all transactions, and is so foundational and fundamental to everything in life.” (stephencovey.com)

I discovered that I prefer working in an environment where there is genuine trust, mutual respect, and a collaborative team spirit. This also extends to personal life and relationships. With this kind of synergy, people can build meaningful connections and bring the experience of life to a completely new level. Without it, distrust, adversarial interactions, and the speed of accomplishing goals dramatically decreases to the detriment of all involved.

For real estate buyers, working within a culture of high trust can make the difference between working with what Robert Hahn of Inman News calls a “House Hawker,” or a “Trusted Advisor.” It means the difference between working with a human door opener and a dedicated real estate advocate.

Real estate buyers working with a highly trustworthy agent will benefit greatly from the resulting synergy that develops through dynamic collaboration. Good things can happen faster. When combined with a highly trustworthy mortgage broker, the result is a profoundly effective team and support system for real estate buyers. Such teams can make excellent progress and realize outstanding results over and above what buyers could achieve on their own or in an environment where everyone is in it for himself or herself.

It takes high trust, active listening, mutual respect and understanding, as well as open communication and being receptive to new ideas to realize unparallel results. This is the vision I have for my life personally and in business. I aspire to bringing out the best in others and in every situation. It means being accountable, responsible, caring, while adding value to the lives of others. It also means focusing on relationship building and mutually beneficial partnerships based in the spirit of good character, hard work, and goodwill.

With awareness comes the truth, and with the truth, the right thing to do becomes clear. Trust in ANY relationship whether client, referral partner, friend, or family member, is essential to the health and happiness of the human experience. Therefore, I am committed to building trust with all the relationships in my life. I will not settle for anything less, and I wish the same for you.

Here are some resources and articles on trust and trust building:

What is trust?  ( from changingminds.com)

 The Speed of Trust: The one thing that changes everything  (Stephen M.R. Covey)

More resources, perspectives, books, and articles about Trust 

Trust Agents  by Chris Brogan (Thanks George !)

It’s hard to believe that only a few days ago, I was on a Royal Carribean cruise to Cozumel for NAEBA’ s 15th Annual Conference. It was such a thrill to meet other real estate professionals that are passionate about providing representation to real estate buyers without conflicts of interest. I am looking forward to next year’s conference in Tuscon, AZ!

I was asked to write about my experiences of going through the Green Broker Certification course. I have to say that it was an enlightning and educational experience:

10 Things I learned in Green Broker School – by Suzette West for the Daily Journal of Commerce

As I have been studying the Green Broker Certification course, I have been learning about some great innovative strategies for the development of high performance commercial buildings (sustainable or “green” buildings). One of my favorite strategies is the Green Roof, which brings a lot of benefits to buildings including onsite stormwater management, in which green roofs capture rainwater to control storm water run-off. It also adds a natural ambiance to an otherwise stark roof setting. Green roofs can become ideal places for social gathering and common areas.

More about green roofs!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7xlnidoPOo

Economic Crash of 2009: According to one Economist it will be Greater than Great Depression

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTIW9mOKU4s

What happens when something unexpected occurs after the due diligence period ends, for example, when a tenant decides to move out shortly before closing and they sublet their unit to someone else, or worse, someone who ends up being a bad tenant without advising or obtaining permission from the former manager and/or the seller?

The Eviction Process: Going Through the Motions

Once closing has occurred, a new owner will have no other choice but to comply with local landlord-tenant laws when dealing with unauthorized occupants. Under the law, even unauthorized occupants have certain rights, especially if the former property owner or manager accepted even a partial payment from them. It can create an implied tenancy. In any case, unless you are dealing with blatant tresspassing, the law prescribes a certain sequence of events that must take place in order to avoid violating the law.