Most of a Realtor’s Job Happens Out of Sight

By Justin Croft

Justin Croft has a passion for buying and selling residential real estate that is contagious. He is a skilled negotiator and problem solver who thrives on going above and beyond for his clients.

People tend to think my job as a real estate agent ends once the sign goes in the yard. The truth is that is probably 10% of it, and the other 90% is the part you never see.

Honestly, you probably will not believe some of these stories, and you might have a good laugh.

The closing that hinged on a toilet. We were ready to sign, and then the final walkthrough revealed a toilet that wouldn’t stop running. Simple fix, right? Three or four trips to Home Depot later, I was on the bathroom floor with my hands in a pretty nasty tank, replacing the flapper myself. Thank goodness for gloves! And we still closed on time.

The listing that came with a squatter. I walked into one of my vacant listings and realized someone was still living there, and it wasn’t the owners. Whataburger wrappers everywhere. We had to get a locksmith out to secure the whole property before we could do anything else.

The spider that nearly wrecked me. Here’s one of my favorites. I was helping an out-of-town seller clean up their yard, and the lawn crew had left bags of leaves behind, so I loaded my car with them. Halfway to the dump, a giant spider crawled out of a bag and right into my ear. I am pretty sure everyone on the road thought I was losing my mind, swatting left and right and yelling.

It is almost never glamorous. I’ve had babies throw up on me at the closing table. I’ve also been sprayed by pool equipment during an open house. During a North Texas summer, there are days I take three showers just to get through all my appointments.

So why am I telling you all this?

Because real estate is not really about negotiating contracts and marketing homes, as much as those matter. It is about solving problems, and sometimes those problems are messy, unexpected, and definitely not glamorous. But here is the important part: my clients never had to deal with any of those headaches. That is my job, whether it is a surprise that turns up at the walkthrough or the costs that quietly add up on a sale.

When you hire a great Realtor, you are not just hiring someone to sell your home. You are hiring someone willing to roll up their sleeves and do whatever it takes to get you across the finish line. And if that means another trip to Home Depot or hauling bags of leaves, so be it. I signed up for that.

If you are thinking about buying or selling anywhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, that is exactly the kind of help you can expect. Reach out to me at 214-213-7200 or justin@croftrealestategroup.com, or visit blog.croftrealestategroup.com. I will handle the messy parts, so you don’t have to.