HOW DO I KEEP MY GOOD REPUTATION?
Immediately the client entered the property, he started dancing.
It was an inspection of a gorgeous detached house for sale in Victoria Garden City.
The client showed so much excitement over the house that I thought that I had concluded a deal. He remarked that he never knew that a Nigerian could build such a lovely house. He told me to remove my banner from the property immediately as he would pay it within the week.
He was happy. I was happier. It was going to be one of my major sales. The seller was paying my fee. The seller said he would pay too after my full disclosure to him.
When he finished inspecting, he started dancing round the house. I too started dancing following him anywhere he danced to. The security man was just watching us with amusement on his face. Two adults dancing round a house in a hot afternoon. He was dancing for finally seeing a house he loves. I was dancing because of my expected handsome fee. After the inspection, the client took me for lunch.
‘’Write me a letter of offer and include the title document. Once my lawyer finishes the legal search, we shall close the deal before the week runs out” he enthused. I did as requested. I even briefed the vendor fully. He was very happy. That made three happy persons.
After that day, the client never picked my calls again. In fact, he blocked my line. The vendor in anger withdrew the instruction.
‘’Obande, remove your banner from the property immediately. You told me that you have gotten a buyer, one month after that I have not seen your brake light” he thundered.
I can empathize with his frustration. In Real Estate, unserious clients can tarnish one’s image easily.
How do I keep my good reputation, when I have to constantly deal with fake people? “I used to believe that the type of vehicle a person drives does not matter, until something happened to me a few weeks ago.”
Where he discusses his experiences driving around upscale Lagos neighbourhoods in a rickety vehicle and his humorous run-in with some overeager policemen, perceptive policemen and the good, bad and ugly of the city’s roads.
What is not yours is not yours:
“My brothers and sisters. You need to cry unto god to give you your own child or children. Some of you are deceiving yourselves by telling people that your brother or sister’s child living with you is your biological child…what is not yours, is not yours!”
In which the travails, disappointments and frustrations of property realtors are discussed using the columnist’s usual humorous style. It draws attention to the caprices and whims of Nigerian landlords and advises on how to deal with this issue.
If you enjoyed this story, you might want to check out others by Obande Agbese
Time wasters and fruitless hard works:
“I should have known. He speaks refined English but eats like a hungry man. It was only the first day that he came with an expensive vehicle and a driver, after that, we used my car for all the ‘runs’”
Is the story of impostors, pretenders and unserious clients in which Mr Obande examines the shenanigans that certain scammers and clients get up to, in order to boost their public image.