Much like Paula, I tend to run myself into the ground running a business and trying to please everybody. As a result, I lose sleep, work 75 hours a week (minimum), and my family and health suffers. I realized I either need to clone myself, or reduce my work load in order to have a more balanced life and enjoy time with my family. I have clients that I love, and a couple of clients that make my stomach hurt when I talk to them. You ever have one of those? After a very stressful transaction with a seller where I was ultimately required to go to federal bankruptcy court in order to get her to comply with a contract and vacate her house, I decided there are some commissions that cost more than the pay check I receive. Personal satisfaction needs to be factored into the equation and I am eliminating any uncooperative clients that I have on the books.
Since I made that decision, I have refused to take a listing and terminated a listing with a seller who falls somewhere between motivated and desperate. This particular seller has refused to adjust his price to meet the current market, refused to show the home on 3 occasions in the past month, and has taken in 14 cats and a vicious rottweiller since I first listed his property. These are the actions of a man that continually tells me he HAS to sell him home in a neighborhood where 30% of the houses are for sale and his is now the highest priced. After being disrespectful to me during our last conversation, I sent him a Termination of Listing and removed his home from all internet and print marketing. I know sellers faced with possibly losing their homes look for someone to blame, and I have excused poor behavior in the past knowing the stress they are under. NOT ANY MORE.