Alicia Craig, NALP, ZRS Management, Tampa, Fla.
1. Second Chances. I was giving a property tour to an elderly woman who had lost her husband years ago. At one point during the tour, she looked over and saw her high school sweetheart, whom she hadn’t seen or spoken to in 50 years. The woman leased the apartment and eventually married her long-lost love.
2.Indecent Exposure. I hopped off the golf cart and my pants pocket got caught on a piece of metal. My pants ripped down to my knee and I had to hold them together while I finished the tour.
3. Divine Intervention. Years ago a lady came in to tour a one-bedroom with a view of the woods. When I showed her the apartment, she sat down on the floor and began chanting “ommmmmmm.” She said she was doing so to “feel the energy” of the apartment. So, I sat down and went along with it. Fortunately, the spirits told her it was OK to lease.
4.Bosom Buddies. I came back from a tour to find a group of ladies sitting in the clubhouse talking. None of them knew each other but started chatting and discovered they had a lot in common due to similar divorce situations. I took them on a group tour and all three ended up leasing and became great friends.
5. Obstacle Course. Our community has metal spiral staircases that rise to beautiful lofts. A prospective resident told me they weren’t fond of stairs but wanted to check out one of the units anyway. This was a mistake, as it took her a good half-hour to climb down.
6.Everyday Hero. In spring 2001, I met a prospective resident who was a Holocaust survivor. While on tour he told me his inspiring story of getting out of the camps alive. I think about him every time I have a challenging situation and remind myself that I don’t know what “bad” really is.
7. Lost and Found. I showed a woman five different floor plans before she decided to sign a lease. When she reached into her purse, she couldn’t find her keys. We retraced our footsteps around the entire community before she finally reached into her pocket—and there they were! You need patience in this industry.
8.Friendly Face. I have worked in the same market for 14 years and I have the memory of an elephant. Two years ago, I met a prospective resident who volunteered at a sanctuary for abandoned tigers. When she came to my new community for a tour, I remembered her and asked how her volunteering position was going. She was a little freaked out at first but later told me it meant a lot that someone remembered her.
9. Secret Shopper. A gentleman came in looking for a one-bedroom that was available immediately. I picked the perfect unit and brought him to the clubhouse to close the deal—or so I thought. The “prospect” then revealed that he was the CEO of another management company and told me that was the best tour he had ever been on.
10. Animal Attack. I was in the golf cart going down our tour route with two prospects when I turned the corner and was face-to-face with a four-foot alligator. The women screamed and the alligator began hissing before finally going back into the lake.
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