Buy a house from Al and he’ll paint it for you! Al Block, a REALTOR® for over 30 years in the greater Detroit area, sold the wrong house but committed to making it right. Luckily, he did – by painting an ugly room and communicating with his clients in a way that was honest and reassuring. Listen in to find out why accountability is so important and how Al’s community involvement really saved the game.
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Time Stamped Show Notes:
- 00:35 – Introducing Al, a REALTOR® for over 30 years
- 01:00 - He’s an associate broker in the greater Detroit area and president of the Greater Metropolitan Association of Realtors
- 01:37 – He’s co-owner of ReMaxx First
- 02:20 – He made it in real estate at 19-years-old because he had some inheritance money and stuck with it; it was tough but he learned discipline and humility
- 05:20 – Al’s CSIRE story
- 06:00 – He was sponsoring and playing in a softball league; the comradery was extremely valuable
- 07:10 – A man on another team asked Al for help to buy a house; they saw a home a little outside his price range and they couldn’t pull it off
- 07:58 – Later, the listing’s price got reduced; Al called him to let him know and they drew up an offer
- 08:13 – They faxed the paperwork and the seller accepted the offer; everyone was happy
- 08:37 – He waited for them at the house and quickly realized that he had sold them the wrong house; they were standing in front of another one
- 09:20 – The house looked the same in the picture and was in the same neighborhood; he asked them to come over to the house he was at
- 09:48 – The house had more brick, needed painting, and didn’t have new appliances; they actually liked it better than the other one but it needed some work
- 10:35 – He offered to paint a room that was an ugly purple
- 11:10 – Rumors started to spread in the soccer league that if you bought a house from Al, he’d paint it for you
- 11:30 – He has sold so many homes through the softball league since then
- 15:00 – Lessons from the story
- 15:30 – Respect people’s budget and work with people
- 16:00 – Be accountable for your mistakes and build long-term relationships
- 16:45 – People need to know your story and know you’re ethical, hardworking, and trustworthy
- 18:00 – Stay visible and engaged in your community; lead with heart, mind, and community
- 19:30 – How to contact Al: By phone at 1-800-SOLD-678, his website, or by email
3 Key Points
- Take accountability for your mistakes.
- Communicate and commit to making things right.
- Lead with heart, mind, and community.
Credits