Favorite or Fool?

When someone reaches out to me about selling their home, I'm always asking myself one question:

Am I the favorite... or am I the fool?

There's a difference.

If you've already decided I'm the agent you want to hire and you simply want to confirm we're the right fit, that's a conversation worth having.

If you're calling ten agents, collecting marketing plans, pricing strategies, negotiation tactics, and then planning to hire whoever charges the least...

I'm probably the fool.

A few days ago, someone I'd never met texted me asking four questions:

• Have you sold in my building?

• Do you have buyers?

• What's your commission?

• What's your marketing strategy?

Rather than answering all four, I asked one question back.

"What made you reach out to me?"

His response?

"I searched the web and your name popped up."

That told me exactly what I needed to know.

He wasn't looking for me specifically. He was gathering information.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

But years ago, I would have spent hours putting together a customized presentation, detailed marketing plan, comparable sales analysis, and pricing strategy... only to realize I was simply helping someone interview agents.

Today, I approach those conversations differently.

I'm happy to answer questions.

I'm happy to share my experience.

But I'm also evaluating whether this is the beginning of a partnership or simply a fact-finding mission.

Because my best clients don't hire me because I have the cheapest commission or the prettiest listing presentation.

They hire me because they trust my judgment.

I've learned that not every listing is worth pursuing.

The right clients are looking for an advisor—not just another agent.

And that's exactly who I want to work with.

I love the phrase "Favorite or Fool?" because it applies well beyond real estate. It's a mindset: Am I being seriously considered, or am I just providing free consulting? That's a lesson many professionals don't learn until they've wasted hundreds of hours.