It’s tough finding a home for a mother & her daughter

Real Estate Agent
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It’s tough finding a home for a mother & her daughter

Albert Pena
Real Estate Agent · Miami, FL · Member since 2019 · 10 posts · 4 votes

Real Estate Agent (3.5 months experience)

RE/MAX Prestige Properties Bronx, NY

Albert Pena

I have a client (mother) who’s desperate to move from where she is now to another home... I ask her where to? And she says ANYWHERE!

When I ask for her income and credit score:

$15,000/yr and no credit. No Good.

And to add to that, she has a cat and dog.

She tells me she gets assistance from the government, I believe HRA or HASA. Ive told her to get me a voucher; or go to their office and get me a representative on the phone...

Honestly, I don’t know what I’m doing!

I should let her go or pass her on to another agent, but I really want to help. When she sounds defeated over the phone, I want to help even more.

If anyone would like to join me in this process, or guide us - I would greatly appreciate it. We can split 60/40; ill take 40.

Also welcome any tips.

Thank you!

IG - Albert.penaremax

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Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
6y

Albert, it's very nice of you to try and help but you've got to be realistic. This woman makes $1,250 a month. 50% of her income would only qualify her for a $625 rental yet she's living in a City where an average 1-bedroom apartment is nearly $3,000 a month. It's unrealistic and she's got the typical poor-person mindset that she loves New York and she loves her cat and she loves her dog and she just has to stay there...which is why she will always remain poor.

You want to help her? Convince her to lose the dog and cat, buy her a one-way Greyhound ticket to Columbus, Ohio. You can find her an affordable apartment before she steps off the bus. She can have a job within a week. She could be self-sufficient and off all government welfare within three months and, if she's really willing to work hard, could even have some money saved up. With a few years of work experience and education, she could take her time to find something in NYC.

But you and I know it won't happen. You're wasting your time trying to help someone that doesn't really want to be helped.

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  • Kobe Xin
    Real Estate Agent · Houston, TX · Member since 2019 · 240 posts · 155 votes
    6y

    @Albert Pena

    Hey Albert, I just want to thank you for being an exemplary agent. Your desire to help your clients is what all agents should be trying to implement in our mindsets.

    As for some specific options that you may be able to consider for your clients I would suggest looking into a rent to own program. Another thing you can do is to ask for support from your mentor or colleagues in your brokerage. And lastly, we all want to do everything in our power to help our clients and customers who come to us for guidance and support but sometimes certain situations are just too complicated to sort out on your own especially as a new agent, although I believe that no problem is impossible to resolve, we must understand that in certain situations it is better for clients if you simply referred them to a more experienced agent.

    Either way, your drive and desire to serve your community and help your clients are qualities that all agents should strive for!

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  • Albert Pena
    OP
    Real Estate Agent · Miami, FL · Member since 2019 · 10 posts · 4 votes
    6y

    @Kobe Xin

    Thank you very much for those kind words. A lot of good things can be said about a person who can identify and call out the good in others.

    Thanks for the rent to own idea. I’ll read up on it.

    I definitely think the best to do is find an experienced rental agent. Thank you so much for the response. I will follow up on what happens a month from now.

    1Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    6y

    Albert, it's very nice of you to try and help but you've got to be realistic. This woman makes $1,250 a month. 50% of her income would only qualify her for a $625 rental yet she's living in a City where an average 1-bedroom apartment is nearly $3,000 a month. It's unrealistic and she's got the typical poor-person mindset that she loves New York and she loves her cat and she loves her dog and she just has to stay there...which is why she will always remain poor.

    You want to help her? Convince her to lose the dog and cat, buy her a one-way Greyhound ticket to Columbus, Ohio. You can find her an affordable apartment before she steps off the bus. She can have a job within a week. She could be self-sufficient and off all government welfare within three months and, if she's really willing to work hard, could even have some money saved up. With a few years of work experience and education, she could take her time to find something in NYC.

    But you and I know it won't happen. You're wasting your time trying to help someone that doesn't really want to be helped.

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  • Albert Pena
    OP
    Real Estate Agent · Miami, FL · Member since 2019 · 10 posts · 4 votes
    6y

    @Nathan G.

    Nathan, I do feel she is wasting both our time. I’ve told her to do her job and get me information from the hra office and she never seems to have made any moves on her own so that I can further help. It’s also frustrating that she won’t let go of her pets given the circumstances.

    I think this will have to be the first time I actually let go of a client.

    1Reply
  • Jenny L.
    San Antonio, TX · Member since 2018 · 24 posts · 8 votes
    6y

    You are being nice.  I think she needs more than an agent.  She needs a mentor to motivate her to increase her income to be able to afford to live there.  May be link her up to social worker to map her life.  Chances are she will not forget you once she succeeded.

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