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Ambassador
2,436,099
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

It's both. I don't think it's possible to exclude either. And a "relationship" doesn't necessarily mean a friendship, it means two (or more) people being connected, listening, respecting and working together. If friends come out of that, that's icing on the cake.

Jan 21, 2019 02:03 PM
Ambassador
5,229,945
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Relationship but, of course, our knowledge is essential to share within that relationship.

Yes, I am friends with my clients on FB as my 95% of my clients were 'born' from my sphere and most of my sphere is on FB or LI. 

Jan 21, 2019 04:24 PM
Ambassador
3,125,663
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

It is not necessary to become friends but it does happen sometimes. Building relationships by relaying reliable information to potential buyer and sellers creates trust. That means business now and down the road!

Jan 21, 2019 06:19 PM
Rainmaker
1,231,853
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Both.

Jan 21, 2019 05:41 PM
Rainmaker
4,572,117
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Why decide? If someone asks you about MySpace I think a chuckle is acceptable. 

Jan 21, 2019 03:00 PM
Rainmaker
2,390,595
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

Yes 

Jan 21, 2019 02:39 PM
Rainmaker
7,836,129
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Both. Yes, you should connect on Facebook.

Jan 21, 2019 02:35 PM
Rainmaker
1,052,211
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

It's both.

Very few clients are FB friends.

Relatively few RE agents are FB friends.

Only a select few of each are personal friends. Those relationships are separate from each other.

Worlds occasionally collide depending on the people, but at the end of the day I want to be able to shut out the world and not feel I must be available to talk shop.

To your point, yes I think that the value we bring to a real estate transaction could possibly be diluted by too tight of a personal relationship. And it could hurt the relationship too.

Some agents I know are very successful becoming friends with clients and are either able to set the boundaries or they don't feel they need to.

I like my space.

Jan 21, 2019 01:56 PM
Rainmaker
1,196,798
Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

You can have all the information in the world BUT with no relationships it's worthless. If you have an FB page let them like that page.

Jan 22, 2019 06:56 AM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

It is always more about relationships for me. I keep in touch with my clients and I am really interested in how they and their families are doing. The information I provide is the bonus. 

Jan 21, 2019 11:57 PM
Rainmaker
1,090,637
Diana Zaccaro Broker Associate
ZOOM Realty Group - Cocoa Beach, FL
"The Accidental Blogger" Cocoa Beach, Florida

Both. They are not mutually exclusive.

Jan 21, 2019 11:07 PM
Rainer
482,547
Bruce Kunz
C21 Solid Gold Realty, Brick, NJ, 732-920-2100 - Howell, NJ
REALTOR®, Brick & Howell NJ Homes for Sale

I agree with others that both a relationship (read as trust) and information business. I'm not much of a facebook user, so no friending there.
Bruce

 

Jan 21, 2019 07:39 PM
Rainmaker
2,220,323
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

It is both in my opinion. 

Jan 21, 2019 05:01 PM
Rainmaker
911,338
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Both - Sometimes Yes.

Jan 21, 2019 04:00 PM
Ambassador
6,393,179
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Both.

Jan 21, 2019 03:30 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

For some consumers it a relationship business. To not use the relationship agent they fear having to experience SHAME.

For other consumers it a information business. By going DIY they avoid the face to face situations that create SHAME.

It could be that to be  a real estate agent, one could be in the shame business.

State your case.

Jan 22, 2019 04:59 AM
Rainmaker
469,510
Dan & Laurie Pittsenbarger Team
Keller Williams Western Realty - Bellingham, WA
Lakeside & Coastal Single Family Homes

In my opinion, the business part of real estate is a relationship gig - the information is available from any realtor and several other places. So it's the relationship. The business comes from being the person the public trusts and the person they trust to give them the correct information and the pertinent information they need vs All of the information there is.

Jan 21, 2019 05:16 PM
Rainmaker
4,160,362
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

It depends on the client and the property.

Jan 21, 2019 03:43 PM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

It's like Certs, you're both right.

Jan 21, 2019 03:12 PM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

It's both. I stay in touch with many of my clients on a personal level and informational level on FB and LinkedIn. That's not my only way of staying in touch with them, but it rounds are the relationship management process. I bring value in this way both personally and professionally.

Jan 21, 2019 01:57 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

It is both. It is all about what to do with massive pile of info. Most often that involves building a relationship. However some clients may become friends, others stay clients but I do not always "friend" them on FB. Give a recent case where I got lamented for taking time off to watch the Patriots game and posted about it. Why wasnt i working 24 hours a day to sell their home?

Jan 22, 2019 05:06 AM
Rainmaker
5,216,398
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

It is a relationship business as you build trust to move forward. The knowledge you bring to the table assists.

Jan 22, 2019 03:47 AM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Both.

Jan 21, 2019 03:13 PM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Both, and I am not a fan of FB.  A

Jan 21, 2019 02:42 PM
Rainmaker
711,852
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

It is a relationship business, but you have to have the information to support the relationship!!

Jan 22, 2019 08:51 PM
Rainer
175,886
Merv Edinger & Associates
Remax Nova - Halifax, NS

It is a balance of both with the pendulum leaning more towards the relationship side. People can find information any where, if they are willing to take the time to look for it but they also may not understand how to interpret it. More importantly though, people decided within the first 90 seconds of meeting you whether or not they like you & want to work with you. 

Jan 22, 2019 06:58 AM
Rainmaker
74,540
Ricardo Mello
Manhattan Miami Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
Manhattan & Miami Real Estate Agent

both

Jan 22, 2019 06:14 AM
Rainmaker
4,936,605
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

BOTH!!!

Jan 23, 2019 12:57 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Yes and yes

Jan 22, 2019 01:56 PM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

They are interdependent.  

Jan 22, 2019 08:30 AM
Rainer
19,237
Mary Grace (Ballew) MacDougall
Keller Williams Columbia - Columbia, SC
Home Buying and Selling in the Columbia Area

Definitely both! I let my clients become friends on Facebook, but I also am very selective on what I put onto social media.

Jan 22, 2019 07:50 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,901
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

If you got a good product to sell the relationship is not important. If you want both then you need to focus also on people, social circles.

Jan 22, 2019 06:44 AM
Rainmaker
1,311,397
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

More than 50% of our Team's busienss comes from our met data base...our SOI. I think that answers your question.

Jan 23, 2019 09:43 AM
Rainmaker
1,502,998
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Both.  No, you should not friend clients on facebook.  Business and personal should be separate entities.

Jan 22, 2019 09:02 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Both.

Jan 22, 2019 08:52 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,482
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

It is both, and not necessarily friends on FB, or if you do, after closing.

Jan 26, 2019 06:10 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,163
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I would watch the friend approach as stages of emotional devlopment will present themselves. However function never goes out of style

Jan 22, 2019 07:04 AM