In real estate sales, an unexpected phone call can sometimes lead to a memorable connection.
That day, I didn’t expect much. Most of the leads we received came with mobile phone numbers. This one, however, had a landline.
The moment I saw it, I felt a small wave of disappointment. ‘Probably a dead end.’
Even so, I made the call.
To my surprise, the person on the other end said they wanted to visit our office. In this business, getting someone to walk through the door is a major step. Once a client comes in, the conversation becomes very different.
That weekend, a married couple arrived.
Their personalities couldn’t have been more different. The wife was engaged from the beginning, asking thoughtful questions and taking the lead in the conversation. The husband, on the other hand, seemed distant. He looked like someone searching for a reason not to move forward.
In moments like that, pushing harder is the worst thing you can do. If one person has already closed their mind, the deal rarely goes anywhere.
An Unexpected Common Ground
After I explained the basics, our office manager continued with the detailed presentation. During that time, I found myself sitting next to the husband, making casual conversation.
As we talked, I learned that he had spent most of his career at Samsung and had only recently retired. I smiled and mentioned that I had also begun my own career through Samsung’s open recruitment program many years earlier.
That single sentence changed everything.
He immediately looked at me as if I were a younger colleague. The conversation flowed naturally—from new employee training to alumni gatherings and the determination it takes to stay with one company until retirement.
Then he smiled and said, “In Korea, there are only two places where your entry year stays with you for life: the Marine Corps and Samsung.”
I don’t know whether that’s still true today. But at that moment, it certainly felt true.
A shared background dissolved a wall that had seemed impossible to cross only minutes earlier. His guarded attitude softened, and the conversation became comfortable.
As the husband relaxed, the wife turned her attention to the numbers. She asked detailed questions about the down payment, installment schedule, and financing. Based on the cash they had available, she concluded they could comfortably purchase six units without taking out any loans.
They were carefully deciding how to invest his retirement savings. The husband was cautious, while the wife was ready to move.
The Turning Point
The consultation was going better than I had expected. Then the wife surprised everyone.
“Let’s buy ten.”
She explained that someone she knew owned several studio apartments and enjoyed a steady stream of rental income every month. In her mind, that was the kind of scale they needed for a comfortable retirement.
For a salesperson, hearing “ten units” is exciting. It would have been one of the biggest contracts I had ever handled. I’d be lying if I said the commission never crossed my mind.
But at that exact moment, I noticed the husband’s face. He wasn’t openly objecting. He simply looked uncomfortable.
I couldn’t ignore that. So I did the opposite of what many salespeople might have done.
“I wouldn’t rush into buying that many at once,” I said. “There’s an old saying about not putting all your eggs in one basket. Why not start with six? If you’re happy with the investment, you can always buy more later.”
It sounded like objective investment advice. The truth was, I also knew that if we pushed too hard, the pressure might cause him to walk away from the deal entirely.
The wife looked slightly disappointed. The husband quietly nodded. “Let’s do that.”
In the end, they bought six units.
Ten Years Later
Who would have imagined that a forgotten-looking landline number would turn into a six-unit contract? For our office, it was an outstanding result.
The property itself was excellent, directly connected to a major subway station. Investments like studio apartments are usually purchased for stable monthly income rather than quick capital gains. That was exactly what the couple had hoped for when they signed the contract.
Years passed.
One day, I became curious about what had happened to the property. Nearly ten years had gone by. When I checked the market price, I discovered that it had appreciated well beyond the original purchase price.
Seeing that brought me real peace of mind.
Even today, I don’t know whether stopping them at six instead of ten was the perfect financial decision. If they had bought all ten, they might be wealthier today. On the other hand, if I had encouraged them to buy all ten, the pressure might have caused the entire deal to fall apart.
I’ll never know. What I do know is this: ten years later, I never had to regret the advice I gave.
The contract was a success for me. More importantly, it turned out to be a good investment for the retired Samsung employee who had chosen to trust me.
It all began with a landline number that looked like a dead end. It ended with six signed contracts.
Sales often appears to be a business driven entirely by numbers. In reality, every contract is written in the space between people.