I was called on a listing appointment that was to be very complicated. The owner of the property is a retired mother and the occupant of the property is the son as a tenant. The agreement the mother had with her son was that if he paid the mortgage, taxes and insurance he could live in the home with his wife. The mother lives in a retirement community and late last year received a default notice form the lender.

She was totally overwhelmed at the news and discovered to her dismay that her son ran had run into some financial difficulties and had not made mortgage payments for over 3 months. He was to embarrassed to tell his mother and because she remains on title and on the loan he was unaware foreclosure loomed. He thought of it as just being late on paying the rent. The mother brought the debt current and was then advised by her other children to just throw him out and sell the place.

That is where I came in. I went to look at the property and discovered that it had some  deferred maintenance and needed some cosmetic issues addressed before listing the property could take place. In fact some of the issues were already there when the mother purchased it several years ago. They were deemed insignificant at the time. About $10,000 worth. The mother doesn't want to risk the small amount she has in savings to live on to address the issues. Dilemma.

As to the required counseling involved and the way things are to be handled, I was reminded of the striking difference between the full service model of counseling and the way a limited service business model company provides it services.

To untangle the mess of the family and the property issues, it is going to take some expert care on behalf of the REALTOR and it could well be that this property will not even be listed for sale. Other ways of resolving some of the issues will involve other recommended professionals to assist the mother in protecting her assets and the son to be able to continue to live in the home. At least that is an option that was shared and both sides seem to think this would be the course to take before making a decision.

The Limited Service business model doubtfully has a capacity to counsel and understand the issues involved and provide the proper recommendations for the outside help that is going to needed to resolve the issues.  Even to the advising of the other legal and professionals that will be needed to untangle the mess.

In the Full Service business model, this is what we are called upon to do sometimes in the building of relationships and giving expert care. No pre-determined selling formula but real human interaction and counseling.  In the Limited Service business model, I would seriously doubt that such counseling is to be found within their business model.  There really is a difference. When I left the property, the gratitude that was expressed to me made it clear in my mind which business model was right for me.