I’ve known Mark for ten years or so during which time we’ve done a good bit of business. Everything from single-family home sales to more complicated transactions where we’ve acquired land for development and have had to deal with planning boards, zoning approvals, and other complexities.

Recently we wrapped up a land deal that had started smoothly enough - just a couple of acres already developed for townhomes. We went under contract back in January with plans to close in February, both of us thinking it would be a reasonably quick and easy transaction.

We were dead wrong.

First, we ran into problems with the owner’s association that took some time to resolve and required me to give an unexpected presentation to the HOA board along with 75 or 80 homeowners.

Once they were satisfied, I had to work with the local planning board who wanted to review and comment on the plans before they would approve the project. Although we had anticipated the review, it turns out they wanted an incredibly extensive and extraordinarily thorough review and had a whole lot of opinions.

After that, we ran into a series of seemingly endless delays with contractors who were installing additional water & sewer infrastructure. This work started in March and was to have taken just a couple of weeks, but by the first of July, it still wasn't complete.

Week after week went by, there were days where I felt like I was chasing my tail, and I felt a solid sense of relief when it finally closed.

But this isn’t about all the work I did.

It’s about what Mark did.

The day after settlement, I got this text message from him:

“I appreciate you! Thanks for everything you have done on this for the last 6 months since calling me the day it was listed.”

Now, aside from being a heavy-hitter in the real estate world, Mark happens to be one of the smartest and most successful people I’ve ever known. I’ve learned a lot from him over the years, and, for that, I feel fortunate.

As much as he knows about real estate and land development, he knows perhaps even more about relationships. See, a lot of guys in this industry would have closed and just gone on with their lives. You know, just another day in the land acquisition game.

Not only did Mark recognize the effort it had taken, but he also took the time to tell me.

It was such a simple thing.

Just a text message.

But I’m not gonna lie y’all. It made me feel good.

And like most things Mark does, it’s also smart. See, land is relatively scarce right now, and I know lots of folks who are looking, so let me ask you a question: who do you think gets the first call when I find an excellent land deal?

Both in business and life the phrase “thank you,” applied both genuinely and liberally, is incredibly powerful.