Communication

I sat at my open house yesterday deep in misery, I admit. I had several deals pending in different stages of flux, which I suppose is a kind word, and the past week to remember while I waited for resolution. There must have been at least 10 people - agents, buyers, owners - who needed to call me in response to my messages.

A few did, but the majority didn't. And that is what drove me....drove me.....well... nuts.

Two people called me several times and I told them how much I appreciated their communication. It makes my job so much more pleasant. We can commiserate or bat ideas around or simply talk. But without a phone call the imagination takes over. Imaginations, I've found, generally tend to dwell on the negative if not downright disastrous. Look at the past week we've had economically!

Eventually the calls started rolling in, and frankly all the news was good. I was able to say that progress was being made - if only that the players were at least talking now. Throughout the rest of the afternoon the words got better and better. Hallelujah!

It still doesn't take away those few solitary hours that could have been used (mentally) more productively. I used to have a pact with Alex. We'd set a time to talk, or when he lived with me, to come home or call me. We called it "panic time." It was an absolute. If 5:00 was the panic time, then by golly I would hear from him at least by 4:59 because a minute later I would assume the worst. But up until 5:00 I wouldn't worry (or at least not as much). It was a matter of trust that we didn't abbrogate. It made it much easier to live with him - and I'm sure he would say the same about living with me!

When I have a deal that requires communication from a third party, I usually tell my clients when they will hear from me. "I will call you by noon tomorrow," I promise, "even if I haven't heard anything at least you will hear from me." This saves everyone from wondering if they missed a call or didn't get voicemail. It's a great system.

I think the best compliment I've ever gotten was from a client/friend - "Meg always calls you back!" Now I have to live up to that - I just wish everyone else did, too!