Make Sure You're in Your Lane
Stay in your lane.
I noticed a post today in a large Facebook real estate group with a picture of a Federal Pacific electrical box and questioning why despite the remodel of the home did the seller not update the panel.
I get it. Federal Pacific panels do not have the best reputation on the block, yet not the point of this post. The agent making the post was outside their lane of traffic. I see and hear this often where an agent interjects themselves into conversations that are outside their knowledge base. I can think of at least 2 things off the top of my head that the agent is risking in these type of comments/posts.
- By them giving advice on an area of expertise they are not qualified to give, they could unintentionally destroy a real estate transaction between a buyer and seller. The buyer's agent should advise their client to have the necessary inspections of the property, and in a situation like this, even have a separate licensed electrician inspect the panel. Then with the information gathered, the buyer would have the ability to negotiate with the information provided by the appropriate expert.
- By posting crap like this, you are setting yourself up to have someone screenshot your post, and that can come back to haunt you later as someone licensed giving an opinion/suggestion on a something outside your knowledge area.
If ever in doubt, consult your real estate broker. Facebook is not always the best place to look for help especially when it was as specific as this agent's post. Your real estate broker/licensed supervisor is at the end of the day responsible.
Second, surround yourself with an amazing network of vendor services: plumbers, electricians, foundation, lawn services, lenders, title companies, etc. Have that team you can rely on and connect your clients to that are the experts in their particular field.
Avoid challenges by staying in your lane, building great relationships with the experts, and know that not everything should be posted to Facebook.
