From Moses our Rabbi until today – what is the real role of the mediator?

What does Moses teach us about the nature of the broker’s role, and what makes a real estate broker a key figure in negotiations between two parties? Yair Levy talks about the truth behind the brokerage profession. Moshe Rabbnu, besides being a worthy leader, is considered the first mediator in history. He is the first to mediate between God and the children of Israel, and he manages to lead them through the desert until they reach the promised land thanks to his ability to see the big picture, share the people’s decisions and advocate for them before God when necessary. At a certain moment the difficulty in his role as a mediator is so great that he angrily breaks the tablets of the covenant. Moshe’s success, and with it his outburst of rage, teach us about the real role of the mediator and give us a glimpse of the type of difficulties encountered by those involved in the profession. (And in the said words there is no recommendation for the use of physical force!) What is the real role of a mediator? One of the common errors regarding the role of the broker is the perception that his biggest challenge is presenting the right property and getting both parties to agree on a price. In practice, the price is only one component out of a whole complex of differences between the parties, and often this is the issue on which an agreement is reached relatively easily. Larger gaps include issues that reflect the real needs of the parties such as: 1. The terms of payment 2. The eviction date 3. Regulatory problems in the property 4. The possibility of financing the property alongside these objective issues, the mediator faces a variety of opinions and agendas of various advisors representing the the parties, and from problems that originate from ego, and from the will of one or the other to dictate the terms and have the last word, even if it does not advance the issue. The role of the mediator is to bridge between the parties sensitively and assertively. Act to reduce the gaps with reason and from the ability to distinguish between needs and feelings, and between essence and ego. Mediation between the parties is a work of thought that requires a broad and deep look at the smallest details of the transaction being made. To this end, a good mediator needs interpersonal skills such as listening and inclusion, distinguishing between the essential and the insipid, creativity in finding business and other solutions and the ability to reflect the reality to each side. In many ways, a mediator is a kind of deal psychologist, who helps the parties to process and digest the data and move forward. A mediator is a deal generator, but his success is not measured only by the final result, but mainly by the way he outlines the negotiation process and mediates between the parties. A successful broker is one who builds relationships of mutual respect and trust with his clients, and these return to him again and again whenever they have a need or desire for a real estate transaction. In conclusion, aside from the extensive professional knowledge and thorough familiarity with the area, a good mediator is the one who takes the time to get to know the real needs and desires of the parties to the transaction, and uses this knowledge to lead the parties to agreements by: 1. Differentiating between a real need and an ego 2. Detection, disclosure and handling problematic points before they come up for discussion between the parties 3. Inflating “experimental balloons” in order to test the reaction of the other party without causing a crisis between the parties 4. Transferring relevant information and non-binding messages between the parties to enable the promotion of the deal 5. Mediation between the parties and finding solutions Creative for problematic issues that arise during negotiations 6. Dealing with crises in negotiations and preventing situations of loss of trust between the parties 7. Leading the process while maintaining an appropriate pace for both parties Of course a good mediator is also measured by his ability to distill the needs from the client’s list of requirements his real ones, to prioritize them and offer him properties accordingly, but his real strength will be measured in his ability to bring the involved parties to close a good deal, where both parties feel that maybe it was possible to get a little more… Yes, such a deal is the most successful real estate deal!