Of course the "referral" could be from a previous client or even a friend BUT why it sets my hanky meter a tad blinky is that it was her hubby who claimed it was a "referral" in his interview (see post 466).
Personally, I could count on one hand the number of times I told my hubby the source of a potential customer---that would be unnecessary info unless hubby knew the referring party personally, iykwim?
I can come up with dozens of scenarios that don't seem odd and yet him knowing. Especially since we also know she wanted this property to be sold (that's been linked her previously)
Including that some couples just talk about everything (and as they've been together since they were teens that wouldn't at all shock me!) and some women simply just volunteer a lot of details.
But other scenarios I can just as easily see happening:
The smaller town, most people knowing one another and knowing one another and their business (LOL) type scenarios.
"I'm off to show ____ now."
"Oh really? Someone we know?"
"No, ____" (A friend of... A referral from...)
"I'm off to show ______. I REALLY want to see this thing finally get sold."
"Oh, is _____ coming back to see it." (Perhaps a previous person she'd shown it to or the name of someone they know)
"Nah, some other couple. They're coming from out of town so they must be really interested to drive all this way."
"How'd they end up with you?"
"It was a referral."
Or the off-handed volunteering of some information and it being a less common type of showing causing additional specifics being shared scenario:
"I'm off to show ______. I sure hope they show up and aren't late! It'll throw the rest of the evening off. They're coming down from _____ so who knows how things might be on the road..."
"Oh really? How'd you end up with them?"
"Got a referral from _____."
Or the client doesn't have a clue what they want scenario:
"Ugh, waiting here for this couple that's supposed to be coming from out of town. They're apt to be stuck in some traffic since it's 5:30. I'm taking them to ______, but then they want to see ______. I mean those two properties are SO different. I'm afraid this is a waste of my time and I could be gallivanting all over with people who really aren't sure what they want and haven't looked into it."
"Oh, sorry honey. Where did they come from?"
"Referral from _____. Maybe they just wanted someone else to deal with them." (Or something like that)