[These were notes I wrote before speaking to a gathering of  REALTORS® at our local REALTORS® board.]

            As REALTORS® we almost naturally think in terms of the “3 C’s”, contracts, closings and commissions. There is nothing wrong with that since these three things are important to our livelihood.

            Let us consider some of the factors involved in the lives of our clients, however. What events lead people to sell their home, move and change their lives in a small or large way from that day forward? It is not always just a simple trading up to bigger and better things. Sometimes one of the “3 D’s” comes into their life.

            So, what are the “3 D’s”? Divorce, disease and death. Yes, think about it. Selling a family home is not always a happy time. Sometimes it is the very lowest time in a person’s life. Whether going through a divorce, facing a serious disease or the death of a beloved family member, often it is necessary to sell the family home for rather serious, emotional and financial reasons.

            We can better serve our clients if we understand and focus on their needs rather than our own. Our fiduciary duties and the REALTOR® Code Of Ethics should inspire us to this end. These are human beings we deal with each and every day. They may be hurting deeply. We can be a wonderful friend to a person facing these sorts of situations or we can come across as selfish, greedy charlatans. It is all in how tuned in we are to their needs rather than our own.

            We all know that even under the best of circumstances, selling and moving can be physically and emotionally draining. Add one of the “3 D’s” to the mix and the person is really in need of help. We can help take a huge load off this person’s shoulders. We can make a positive, lasting impression in this person’s life. Let us do what we are trained and experienced to do. Let us wade through the paperwork, handle the marketing, make the tough negotiations in their favor, and all the other things we typically do but let us do all this with sympathy and compassion for what they are going through.

            Let us venture out there into our community today and be a friend and a hero to someone and never, ever forget the “3 D’s”.