I remember once showing a property to a couple.  Youngish couple, no kids, yet.  I actually think it was one of the first homes I showed in my career.

I met them at my office, we talked, got to know one another, and we generated a list of homes to view that afternoon.

We then got in my car and drove to the first house.

It was a split in a small neighborhood.  The home wasn't particularly notable, as I remember.  Most of the neighborhood consisted of like and kind splits and ranches all built around the late 60's and 70's.

I parked in the driveway, got out and went to the front door. The couple, let's call them Bob and Jen, followed.  I opened the door, stepped in and said:

"Oh wow.  Take a look at this, you guys are gonna' have your hands full with this outdated hole--it needs way too much work for you" and further, "Man!  Wait 'till you check this carpet out!  God!  That'll have to come out right away", not done yet, "Oh, you're gonna' hate this kitchen!  Looks like they didn't do anything with it, I mean they've stil got the avocado appliances!  Gross!..."

I turned around and noticed they weren't behind me.  "Bob? Jen?"  I walked back to the top of the stairs.

There, at the entryway, Bob and Jen were quietly conversing.  Their low, barely audible voices got my fur up.

"Hey guys, what's up?  What are you doing down there?  Come on in!"  And to remind them "You can talk openly to me, remember?  I'm your BUYER AGENT..."

Turns out, as Jen told me "We love this carpet.  It's exactly what we had in our first apartment." And "We just bought one of those retro avocado colored refrigerators after we saw that fun house makeover show!" and still more pain "we LOVE this house".

I learned a lesson.  From then on, through my long real estate career, I learned not to talk too much--especially when it comes to my opinion.  Everyone wants to give their opinions, right?  I mean opinions are like noses. Everyone's got one and they all smell!  And often times salespeople go on and on and on, partly out of the fear of the quiet, partly out of the need to be heard.

I learned that it's not important what I liked in a home.  I already had one.  It's what my clients needs and desires were and how I was able to best match a home to their requirements  that was ultimately the litmus test for success.

And, I learned that I couldn't sell someone a home.  The right home will talk to the client.  And it may be completely different than what they said they wanted originally, that's O.K.  Because buying a home is a process, and through the process, people should be allowed to change their minds.

For further information about me and my real estate career, feel free to preview my web sites, or check my profiles on FaceBook, and MySpace, or just Google me, Fulton Gaylord.

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Fulton W. Gaylord--Assoc Broker, SRES, ABR, e-Pro
Authorized HUD Representative, Certified REO Specialist
Keller Williams Realty
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville  VA  22901
434-220-2228
Fulton@kw.com