A SMALL WORLD

Once upon a time, an in-house broker sold a pre-selling condo to a walk-in buyer.

The buyer was pleasant, easy to talk to, and decisive.

The deal closed in a few weeks. File done. Commission earned. Life moved on.

Months later, the broker met someone with the same last name as his buyer.

It was an uncommon surname, the kind that makes you pause.

So he asked, if they were related.

She smiled.

“That’s my father.”

What a small world.

Thinking nothing of it, the broker casually mentioned that her dad had bought a condo from him. No details. No unit number. Just a passing remark—like mentioning the weather.

A few days later, chaos erupted.

The buyer stormed into the office, shouting at anyone in his path. He demanded to see the broker. Then the boss.

He accused them of leaking confidential information.

He threatened lawsuits.

He questioned their professionalism, their ethics, their existence.

An hour of shouting later, he left.

The boss called the broker in and asked for the full story.

The broker explained—confused, shaken, and still not understanding what he did wrong.

They were related. He assumed it was harmless.

He didn’t give documents.

He didn’t share numbers.

He just mentioned the purchase.

But it didn’t matter.

To avoid a lawsuit and calm the client, the boss made a decision.

The broker was fired.

Breach of privacy.

Case closed.

Months later, when the unit was finally turned over, a different person showed up to accept it.

A young woman.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

Apparently, that was why the condo was parked under a corporation.

Lesson:

In real estate (and in life):

Avoid disclosing who your clients are.

But more importantly, never disclose what they buy, sell, or own.

Not to friends.

Not to family.

Not even to people who “already know.”