Laurie Howe Bourgeois
REALTOR®
Lamacchia Realty
Leominster, Massachusetts
https://www.lamacchiarealty.com
Region served: Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Years in real estate: 25
Number of offices: 23
Number of agents: 740
No. 1 tip for dealing with difficult clients: While DISC training is important for understanding behavioral styles and how to communicate, real-time communication is best with difficult clients. Patience is a virtue. It takes listening and understanding their perspective to fully understand why they may be asking more questions than others.
Best time-management tip: Always prepare the night before by creating a list for the next day with the most important items to be completed first. Getting up before most people will allow you to get your to-do’s done, then you can focus on the problems that come up throughout the day.
Key to establishing a healthy work-life balance: Determine a work schedule that works for you, and set expectations with buyers and sellers right out of the gate. The earlier you do this, the more respect your clients will have with you.
What’s the latest buzz across the New England markets you’re serving?
While there’s been a little disruption in our markets with the shakeout associated with the settlement agreement struck by the National Association of REALTORS®, the changes being made are rolling out smoothly. It’s our job to not only educate clients upfront as far as how things are changing, but also drill down into the why and how. I find the more experience an agent has, and the more confident they are, the easier it is to help clients understand exactly what’s going on. And while the change appears huge to clients, in my opinion, the media didn’t explain it properly.
How are you addressing commission questions with buyers and sellers?
When discussing commissions with buyers, my response, in brief, is that a buyer agency agreement is required—and commissions are, and always have been, negotiable. While the seller of the property may or may not be offering compensation, language can be written into the offer for a seller to pay the buyer agent fee just like any other term.
My response to sellers is the same regarding commission being negotiable. I also take the time to help them understand that whether they choose to proactively offer commission to a buyer’s agent or not, that more than likely, it will be a term of the offer—and a decision can be made when in receipt of it.
Whether I’m dealing with a buyer or a seller, I try to break my explanation down into simple terms. I truly believe that our company offers the best training in the country around this development.
Reflecting back on your 25 years in real estate, tell us about your experiences as a woman starting out in what was then a very male-dominated field.
Way back when, we were basically thrown to the wolves, which opened my eyes to the importance of seeking out an experienced and well-trained team or company before jumping in feet first. Training and mentorship are critical for new agents looking to get their feet on solid ground—and that’s something I didn’t have when I was starting out.
What is one piece of advice you received from a female colleague or mentor that has stuck with you throughout the years?
The best advice that has truly resonated with me is to remember how important self-care is. As a result, I make it a priority to set expectations with my clients right out of the gate regarding times of the day and night to expect communication from me. I also schedule time for myself and family—and time-block client meetings to use the balance of my work time as efficiently as possible.
For more information, please visit https://www.lamacchiarealty.com.
