There are no “little” real estate deals. This is one of my favorite stories, that I originally wrote about in 2007.

I was negotiating on a “little” condo, representing the buyer. The other agent, another high producing Charlottesville agent, and I were going back and forth over $200 here, $300 there. At one point he said, “let’s get through this little one, Jim, and on to bigger and better ones,” in a dismissive tone that left no illusion that he meant what he said.

Here’s the thing. To my client, that $200 was a huge amount, perhaps more valuable than the $3K or $10K to other clients.

It wasn’t “little” to him, and it wasn’t “little” to me.

I never told my client about the other agent’s dismissiveness; doing so would not have helped.

I was telling this story to another new client recently, and for the first time thought of this:

That “little” deal? My client sold that condo a few years later, and I represented him and his new wife on the purchase of their new home, where they have been ever since. They have two kids, have renovated the house, put on a small addition, and are happy where they are.

That “little deal” led to a pretty good life for him and his family.