What It Means to Stand in the Fire for Your Client

Helping a first-time investor navigate a complicated Brooklyn purchase without letting the complications become hers.

One of the best parts of this business is when a past client sends someone your way.

Especially when you weren't entirely sure they would.

This experience came to me as a referral from a past client. That meant a lot because our own transaction had been a long and sometimes tumultuous one. There had been a complicated tenant situation, a lot of back-and-forth with the bank, and even a few moments where things with the other agent involved got a little heated.

So when that client referred me to someone they had a professional relationship with, I was genuinely excited, and probably a little relieved, too.

The person they referred was embarking on her first purchase with her cousin. They weren't just looking for a house. They were looking to start building something.

A clear plan from the beginning

She was calm, collected and clear about what she wanted.

The goal was to find a multifamily property where she could occupy one unit and rent out the others. The property could be a two-family, three-family, or something else that made sense within the budget. We were focused primarily on Central and Eastern Brooklyn, Bed-Stuy, East New York and the surrounding neighborhoods.

That clarity made the search fun.

We drove around. We looked at a lot of properties, probably somewhere around seven to ten. We put in an offer on one that was extremely competitive and didn't come particularly close.

But that was part of the process.

You learn what the market is doing. You learn what your buyer responds to. You learn what doesn't work.

Eventually, we found "the one"!

It had a lot of what we were looking for.

The house was a two-family. The basement was usable. There was a nice backyard patio. The previous owner had already done some renovations, so the property had good floors, newer appliances and a number of improvements already in place.

And there was something else I saw: potential.

At the time, I was also paying closer attention to changes around accessory dwelling units and the possibilities that could exist with legalizing basement space. For my client, that created an interesting value-add possibility.

She could live in the property, rent out the other units and potentially improve the property over time.

That was the investment strategy.

Now we just had to get there.

Then things got complicated

There was another buyer in the mix.

Or, at least, that's what we were being told.

The negotiation period became increasingly challenging. Communication was inconsistent, and there was a lot of pressure to move quickly.

At one point, the focus seemed to become less about making sure my client understood what she was buying and more about whether she would sign immediately.

That wasn't going to happen.

We had an inspection to digest. We had questions to answer. We needed to understand the condition of the property and make sure my client was making a decision with her eyes open.

My job wasn't to rush her through that process because someone else was supposedly ready to sign.

My job was to make sure she had the information she needed to make a sound decision.

And sometimes, that means saying no.

There were moments when the conversations with the other side became tense. I've been in enough transactions to know that these things happen.

But here's something I've come to appreciate about representing clients:

They shouldn't have to feel all of the fire.

Not because you hide important information from them. Quite the opposite.

My client needed to know what was happening, what her options were and what the risks were. But she didn't need to carry every bit of the friction that was happening between the agents.

I'll take the fire.

I'll ask the uncomfortable questions. I'll push back when I think we're being pushed too hard. I'll slow things down when slowing things down is necessary.

And then I'll come back to my client and say: Here's where we are. Here's what we know. Here's what we need to decide.

That's the experience I'm trying to create.

Buying the property was only the beginning

We got the house.

And then the real work started.

The inspection uncovered some things that needed attention, including lead pipes. There was also a roof that needed to be addressed, some windows to replace, and various improvements to the basement and utilities.

My client used a construction loan to help fund some of the work, which brought another set of moving pieces into the transaction and renovation process.

I wasn't the person managing the construction, that was her contractor and the professionals involved with the loan, but I got to see the process unfold and help connect the dots where I could.

And we assembled a good team.

Her contractor has been doing great work. The house has been coming together quickly. We had an attorney I work with regularly, a lender who understood the financing, and a client who was engaged and willing to work through the process.

There were things to figure out.

There always are.

But we figured them out.

The point isn't that everything was easy

It wasn't.

There were moments during the negotiation when I was thinking, O...M...G!!!

There were moments when I was frustrated.

There were moments when it would have been easier to just say, Fine, let's sign.

But that's not representation.

Representation isn't making every transaction perfectly smooth.

It's knowing when to move, knowing when to slow down, knowing what questions need to be asked and making sure your client understands enough to make a good decision.

And then, when something gets complicated, you stay in it.

You communicate.

You keep people informed.

You find the next step.

That's what happened with this deal.
Now, she's all set. We're closed. She has property and tenants.

Recently, I spoke with my client. She's still working on the house, still making improvements, still building toward the thing she set out to do in the first place.

She's happy.

And that's the part that matters.

She didn't just buy a property.

She took her first step into owning and operating real estate as an investment.

For me, that's one of the most rewarding parts of this business.

Not just helping someone get to the closing table, but helping them get to the other side of a complicated process with a little more knowledge, a little more confidence and a property they can actually build something with.

And if I can absorb some of the fire along the way?

I'm cool with that.