Take a Realtor to Lunch..........

Hello Everyone,
Today I did something I wish I would do at least 2 times a week. Unfortunately, so far, I have only done it 2 times this year. I took a Realtor from another real estate company in town, and her husband to supper tonight. Had such a great time, talked about a ton of stuff and 98% of it was NOT real estate.
On my way home I was thinking how great it would be to meet other Realtors in my town of Rapid City, South Dakota. I know all of the 41 Realtors I work with in my company and we meet all the time at meetings, gatherings, X-mas parties, lunches, etc. But here I was with a Realtor I just had a transaction with from another company in town and I feel like we will be good friends. I certainly learned alot about her family, old jobs, vacations she took and on and on.
The thing I really thought would be nice is that I am going to have about 50 transactions this year and if I could meet with the Realtor on the other end of the transaction for lunch, a drink, or supper, I think I will be in the back of their minds when they think of the company I work with which is Coldwell Banker. Now, you may think, what could I benefit from making good friends with several Realtors from other local real estate companies? They certainly won't be sending me any referrals, they certainly aren't going to co-list a property with me and they certainly aren't going to tell their friends or relatives how nice of a guy I am.
But how many times have you been in a multiple offer situation? How about a situation where you want a Realtor to keep you updated on a property you may have an interested buyer for? How many times have you seen a Realtor's sign blown down, or a door left open at a Realtor's house you just showed, or heard a person say, "oh, I have a Realtor, he is such and such from Company XYZ", etc. etc. etc.
I think it is very, VERY important to have excellent relations with every Realtor you may have contact with in your community. You WANT them to say good things about you, you WANT them to keep you informed on certain properties you may have a buyer for. You want to get just that little edge over some other Realtor they have never met, never sat down with, never shared a meal with. Plus, it is just fun and good business.
Thanks for reading. Duane Hosek in the Black Hills of South Dakota www.duanehosek.com