Anti-Realtors.....They Blame Us, But What About The Pool Guy?

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Anti-Realtors.....They Blame Us, But What About The Pool Guy?

Anti-Realtors! We've all seen them! They lurk in the shadows of Zillow and local newspaper real estate blogs waiting for a new post or article by a Realtor so they can pounce on the comments section. The intent is normally to scare potential buyers and sellers from using a Realtor. They do this through intimidation...they position the potential client as an "idiot" if they don't handle their own real estate transaction and are "duped" into using a Realtor.

It's too bad...since those of us who are professionals in the Real Estate Industry know how much work and expertise goes into navigating a transaction to a successful close. Perhaps it's the very reason we are considered and "extra" and not a necessity....we take care of so much behind the scenes without concerning the client that they never know all that we do! Hmmm....hadn't thought of that!

Last night one of the Anti-Realtors surfaced on a post of mine here on Active Rain. Realtors Were NOT Part of the Real Estate Problem . In this case the author felt that during the "boom" listing agents were ok but that buyer's agents were at fault? What? Apparently buyer's agents should have known that the prices were unsustainable and so by allowing the buyers to buy.....they were the problem!

Ok...so taking that same logic, here are some more people to blame for the bad economy. During the "boom":

1) Contractors and Sub-Contractors should have turned down all remodeling jobs since these jobs would be cheaper in the coming years when they have no other work.

2) Car Companies and Dealers should have closed their lots for a few years since the economy was going to drive prices down. In addition, the car companies are going to offer to pay the car payment if they run into trouble..better wait for that plan.

3) Gas Stations should have stopped supplying the pumps since the gas prices were going to fall to around $2/gallon and that will be a much better time to fill up your tanks.

4) Electronic Stores should have put all TVs in the back room for a couple of years since the Plasma TVs are going to be very inexpensive in a couple of years.

5) Internet Retailers should have shut down their sites for a few years so that the walk-in retailers can get their fair share now...and then when the economy stalled and sale tax rose...they can take their profits later.

6) Pool Guys, Cleaning Services, Gardeners...what can I say? How could you charge so much for your services when they are going to be almost half that price in a couple of years? Why didn't you charge us the least you possibly could in the first place?

The list goes on.....I'm sure you have some to add! The point is.....WHAT? Things happen and if the Real Estate Industry is the one who holds the Crystal Ball....then I want mine!

Karen Fiddler
Broker/Associate
The Fiddler Realty Team/eVantage Real Estate
Lic # 01494165

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Posted by Karen Fiddler, Broker/Realtor, Mission Viejo on 04/27/2009 09:46 AM

Comments (133)

Anti-Realtors in the ActiveRain Channel

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133 Comments on Anti-Realtors.....They Blame Us, But What About The Pool Guy?

APR

2009

Great. I love it. This country is in the mood to blame business and corporations for everything that is wrong with our country.

I have heard suggestions that we only get paid on peoples equity or appreciation. People are always trying to cut our commission and feel we are overpaid. I think we make it look too easy because so many things we do are not seen by buyers and sellers. Most companies can barely make it on our commission structure as it is, and the only people really making a lot of money in this business are those that can afford to invest in property. It's a lot of hard work, but always interesting, and I guess I would not want to do anything else.

Thanks for your post....

Karen, yeah, I get some of the same responses to blog posts or comments. Many of those making disparaging remarks about Realtors seem to have learned so much from the Internet, that to suggest using a Realtor is idiocy. I usually ignore their comments for you can't argue with those who don't want to see the facts.

Karen, the funny thing is everyone seems to be anti-something. Just laugh it off.

I do think it's funny....in fact, the few times I've found myself up against one in a one-to-one situation I like to think that I showcase my poise and professionalism. But others will have to judge that one....I don't dive into the muck...that's for sure.

Why are consumer so quick to want to cut our paycheck? They would never walk into an Attorney's office or a Surgeon's office and ask them to cut their fee by 25%, so why ours?

I think that NAR needs to get the word out as to what we actual do in a transaction, markting, etc. We need more public awareness of the value that we bring to the table.

With clients we are naturally the focus point of all their concerns. But as to the we are to blame, well that's just like saying "fast food resturants are responsible for making me fat"

Nice post

Scott

I agree that NAR needs to do a better job....we all hear the ads which talk about the great time to buy a home and that's great..then there is a small tag line about calling a Realtor. But they need to go into detail as to why!

LOVE IT! I think I will take this approach the next time the hysterical anti-Realtor types weigh-in with their tirades!

Hi Janna....I think so too! We need to stick together on this.

Hi Karen, it's aggrivating isn't it? In my experience, fingerpointing is endemic to American life but not at all effective in resolving issues.

I only wish we could list all the times our clients DIDN'T listen to us and got burned. This subject is fresh on my mind as I just drove a home I had listed about a year ago. At the time the seller was asking $679K and received 3 offers. One of them a solid $650K offer price that my client refused to entertain no matter how much I begged...if he didn't get the price he wanted he was not going to sell. The house is now owned by the bank and is being offered at $485K. Gee, maybe all those Realtor nay-sayers are right, I should have begged harder!

You know Julie..that's a great point! We all have those stories! The offers that were rejected even as we showed the sellers the trends. All we can do is our best....but sometimes the learning curve for our clients are very painful and sad.

Hi Karen! I always have to laugh when people ask me to "predict" the future! I usually tell them that if I could do that I'd be doing something besides selling real estate!

This would be a very tough market to WING IT on your own as a buyer or seller.

Hi Karen,

It's too bad that people look to blame, rather then look to fix. If people spent half as much time as blaming as they did fixing, we would all be in a better place. Bad things happen, people make mistakes, but you can't dwell on it too long. Find a solution and move in that direction.

-Lisa

Thanks for the humor Karen! So how did they forget to blame the bankers/lenders that gave the homeowners large equity lines of credit? Or, how about cash-out re-fi's? The Realtors didn't pull that one off - the people with the money did!

Chicago Federal Reserve: Check out this Q & A from October of 2006 http://www.carolbest.net/Blog/Archive/?c=CHICAGO%20FEDERAL%20RESERVE

Now, let's talk about NAR... why are they remaining silent and not taking a stand against the news media? Some areas are selling homes with multiple offers. Is anybody telling that story?

I've decided to ignore the Anti-Realtor group - they apparently don't have a job or a clue as they spend their time on the new anti-social media online!

Carol Best
IL BUYERS: www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com
IL SELLERS: www.NorthernIllinoisHouseValues.com

***

Regarding NAR doing a better job of informing the public, they've been trying to do that since 1974, when the term "REALTOR" was adopted, with little success. I wouldn't expect it to change soon.

Blame is a useless activity! Especially when it's based on nothing. We are professionals....and frankly so many agents were greatly hurt financially by the bust...so certainly it's not something we would have wanted and would have avoided if we could have.

Well said, This is brilliant.

That is a good one. You are soooooo right. Like we would have put ourselves here in this place.....

It is amazing how crazy some people are and the funny thing is....... I wish they knew as much as they thought they did. It is quite funny at times. I love this post. Blame us for everything. You know I have taken the approach ok you want to sale your own home, call the paper and run every weekend this month... hahaha. They will call us after they see all the wasted money we float out there.

Hopefully we will all be back STRONG soon. You have to laugh right now, people are quite FUNNY.

I'm sure there is a lot of blame to go around. A lot of people made a lot of money over the last few years, and a lot of people did not save for a rainy day. And this *does* include Realtors.

Although Realtors are not the cause of the problem, they are also not blameless... nor is anyone else. We all got into this problem, we all need to solve it.

Great Article. The "negative" comments come from those that don't have anything better to do then blame someone for their problems. Fortunately, they have a minority voice and most people with some common sense don't pay much attention to them. It's no differentthen when they were saying that it was the real estate industry "driving up the prices" and so it's the same bunch. Tell them to "get a life" and quit whinning.

Diane Beck

Missoula, Montana

Oh I Love it!! Very well said. Thank you!

Just wait a minute Karen! You have every right to your opinion but the mortgage lenders have taken a much bigger blame than Realtors. And I know most of you Realtors know I'm right!

Its the old story of a few bad apples.................

Both Realtors AND mortgage lenders need to police their own because the fact is their are bad apples out there. As a former lender I KNOW I could have done better policing my side of the street.

By the way, I ALWAYS call upon a good Realtor when I sell a property!

I love #11. We have ALL had that happen. They usually think and I am sure say to their friends. He/She just needs a paycheck. Yea it is funny.......

No we Realtors know that it is a fact 100% of the time, YOUR FIRST OFFER IS YOUR BEST OFFER, get it to work.........

You know, when ever anyone brings up blame, it's usually because they themselves do not have a clear consciences. The one thing that may have crashed harder than anything in personal responsibility. When confronted with such talk, all you have to do is honestly ask yourself, "Did you do the best you can do and did you do it the right way?" If you answer yes and can sleep good at night, then who cares what they say.

Now I'm off to bed for a GOOD nights sleep.

As Realtors we do a great job working for our buyers and sellers. The National Assocation of Realtors is doing a good job in getting the word out that it is a Great Time to buy a home. It's time to stop the blame game and lets looks for the good in the world and the real estate market!!

Great post, Karen, just like an earlier commentor, I've had listings where offers were received and the sellers would not even consider accepting the offers...and those properties too are now bank-owned and on the market for much, much less. But, no one in the media wants to cover that side of the real estate world. Some days it really does seem like just about everyone I come across is completely anti-realtor. I do think the association of realtors really should let the public know what exactly goes on behind-the-scenes...but would the media cover that? Would the public believe it anyhow?

There will always be people who think they know everything and can handle real estate transactions by themselves. I can't tell you how many times I, or the title company, or an attorney, or a combination thereof, has had to fix some long-ago title issue caused by one of these "I can handle my own real estate transactions without a realtor" types. I like to think of them as being in the same group as those who believed they were perfectly qualified to do their own room addition, electrical upgrade or plumbing without a professional. I think we all have horror stories to tell about those guys!

Bill....you are right! I meant no disrespect to the grief that mortgage brokers have taken :).

Unfortunately since we are the "face" of the industry and since the public sees us some people blame and/or bash us. IMHO I wish NAR would take a more pro-active approach to help educate the public... more.

It never ceases to amaze me of the creativity of the anti agent crowd. I think that deep in thier subconsious they know that we are actually needed referees that make the whole real estate market possible and it bugs the bleep out of them..... Even when they have a succesfull private transaction it is because we made thier market avalable for them to sell in.....We made the comps....Without the comps there is nothing....Without good comps there is nothing......Even Zillow gets their comps from Agent generated sales.....What agents do on the street and in our offices makes everything else happen without total chaos and warfare.... Patrick Cooper , Cooper Realty, Spokane Wa

Karen, Stop frustrating yourself. You'll never make sense out of their nonsense. These are the same people who are looking for the discount heart translant ?

I think it's important for the public to better understand what real estate consultants really do in a transaction.

Karen - great post!

In my line of work, I deal with numerous FSBO listings.

Unfortunately, many Realtors think I am "out to get them." The reality is, I rarely have a first meeting with a homeowner that doesn't involve the phrase "if you don't have a nibble on your home by XX, we need to talk about finding you a Realtor."

Once upon a time, I was a Realtor, too. If someone can sell on their own, more power to them. I offer them all the tools they can possibly have without a Realtor being involved. Unfortunately, this market requires a finesse that very few homeowners possess.

Enter the Realtor!

I'm long overdue on a couple of blogs. Your post has added to the list. Tomorrow is time to catch up - keep an eye out. You may be surprised at the insight I can offer regarding what you've laid out here.

Again - great post!

Thanks Daryl...I'll look forward to your insights tomarrow...be sure and send me a note with the link so I don't miss it.

Karen...

& Everyone else.... there is some blame to shoulder by each of us. We, ourselves have let the (R) name be put out there by anyone who can sit though a class, and pay a few hundred bucks. IS it not true????

Where does the real distinction lie between a (R) and someone "wing'in" it? Seriously.... We as (R) are to blame that we let every Tom and Jerry become a weekend warrior because they took a state test and maintained the lowest of qualifications. This does not mean that we have done the same... as the testament that we are still here says a lot, but many (R) have moved on to pick up part time jobs because the sales are not there, but as soon as the sales are back, so will they....

The good ones will survive do doubt, and the better ones survive on real estate alone but we all need to put food on the table and I understand that, but shouldn't that be the proof we need? I have often thought the (R) association should have a "Full Time" designation for many of us. Just as I suggest home buyers visit a potential community at various times of the day to see the coming and going of the community, the lifestyles that prevail in the community to see if it fits their needs and lifestyles, I also suggest EVERY buyer or seller test their agents before locking one down. Call an agent at various times of the day,, how long does it take to get a return call, how long until they send an email response back, how do they treat other potential request for info, or clients? All of these are indicators of a good (R). Those that fail that test, are the ones that should quite possibly move on, or those are the ones who give us a bad name.....

We ourselves are to blame that we allow others do dictate how we are seen, because we allow ANYONE to potentially get the same designation we have. When was the last time we really explained what each designation means, when was the last time we took the time "ourselves" to build out own worth with every client we come in contact with?

Often when these naysayers pop in to give their 2 cents worth, I have no problem agreeing with them, but also pointing out that there are good (R) and there are bad ones. There are full time (R) and part time (R). Just like there are numerous types of medicine, there are numerous types of (R) who specialize in different areas, and there are those in both professions who's goal is bettering their golf game that spending time in the classroom perfecting their craft. A blanket "(R) are not to blame" is very in-accurate. Many people got involved in the get rich quick aspect of real estate and many of those are to blame and we need to realize this.

So what can we do ourselves to counter-act this? IMHO it is calling out those that make us look bad. If you see something in-accurate on the MLS, we need to report it. If we see another agent make a mistake, we need to bring it to their attention and repair it. Covering for bad agents has allowed us to continue down the path of being lumped in with them. WE need to take our "PROFESSION" back and take pride in the fact that we take it seriously.

Just my opinion, but I do not disagree with "ALL" that say (R) are to blame, b/c sometimes they are correct.

Yes, blaming us is silly. I'm not saying we don't need better transparency and accountability. We do. But pointing blame can go anywhere from the pool guy back to the creation of Fannie and Freddie. You note "take care of so much behind the scenes without concerning the client that they never know all that we do". The question is how do we educate the client better to get rid of the nay sayers -- but that's another purpose of Update Lane. I'm not sure why any anti-Realtor's would even bother being on ActiveRain or any other realtor blog. They're just silly.

Dan

This post hit home for me, as I have been involved in a war over on Zillow back in early April. The sad thing is that the moderators, and Zillow's very high ups, appear to condone the disrespectful behavior.

I had a chance to communicate with their COO, Spencer Rascoff, and his response to me was basically that they do the best they can to moderate, but all sides have a right to be heard. (A very lazy cop-out).

These folks even had the kahunas to ask me if I wanted to advertise on their site??? Really????

My argument was that it is great for all sides to be heard, but respect must be used, and that is not happening. If you go over there, proceed with caution, as the personal attacks are aggressive.

As an example, I was given advice that my 7 and 9 year old daughters should go work the stipper pole instead of continuing my career in real estate???

Zillow is an embarrassment to themselves, and more so to the advertisers who spend money on their website. I am confident that this is not the image Bank of America wants, but it is what they are getting.

More Realtors need to voice their concern about the Zillow, and maybe it would force them to clean up that murky pit of despair they call the advice threads.

- Harrison

Yeah! I love it when I see a post that:

1. Makes sense

2. Re-states a faulty rationale so that it's in comprehensible format

3. Adds a backbone to the poor Scarecrow I mean scapegoat that agents have become

4. Adds an element of humor to a recyclable clarification of the bigger picture

THANKS VERY MUCH!

I don't think any buyer had a gun held to their head when being told to sign on the bottom line for a "liar loan" or a "pick a payment" neg am loan.

I read the article. I don't think Realtors are blameless. For that to be the case two things a) did you warn your clients that they might be overpaying b) Did you potentially see this crisis coming?

APR

2009

Karen, thank you for voicing your concerns about our image, we have had those out there who think they know what is best for everybody. Back when the good times were the rule, a home buyer would show up at my open house and wanted to buy it. Who was I to tell him that the letter the bank had given him was going to put him upside down in just a couple of years? Did I know that? did he know that? As it is right now, that buyer is no longer a homeowner and I am still concerned about my profession, could I have done something different to change that? We will survive this one too, it has been 24 years since I started selling real estate and I am not about to do anything else, this is what I love to do no matter what other people think I should do. Great post Karen, I am with you all the way!

Antonio

Why are consumer so quick to want to cut our paycheck? They would never walk into an Attorney's office or a Surgeon's office and ask them to cut their fee by 25%, so why ours? ---- You're not a surgeon or an attorney. Becoming a surgeon or an attorney takes years of college, graduate school, and then rigorous testing to finally get your medical or law license. To become a realtor takes a couple of weeks of classes and a heart beat-- this, in essence, is why consumers like me want to cut your paycheck. You have failed to demonstrate value deserving of the large fees realtors have traditionally pocketed. You try to pass yourselves off as financial/economic experts, when you're really pure sales people who are not qualified to do any type of economic forecasting or even give financial advice. And if that weren't bad enough, you have a blatant conflict of interest...I'm still waiting for a realtor to say that it's a bad time to buy. And since you bring up lawyers, I have to ask you...why would I pay several percentage points of hundreds of thousands of dollars to a realtor (which anyone can become easily), when I could pay a real estate attorney $300/hour for several hours of work and benefit from actual expertise (not the kind of "expertise" you can gain after taking a couple weeks of easy realtor classes)? Please help me understand if I'm missing something here, but what exactly do realtors do to justify such huge sums of money beyond what an attorney and an inspector could do for a fixed fee? After researching what's happening on the internet with Zillow, Redfin, etc., it sounds to me like the NAR is very aware that it's not adding much value, which is why it's holding onto its MLS monopoly for dear life-- God forbid the iron curtain lifts and house listings were available easily to everyone on the Web...then what value would realtors add? Put simply, the only thing keeping realtors from going the way of travel agents is that the NAR has kept a tight hold on MLS listings...and consumers resent it. Now, I'm sure all of you who are reading this will call me ignorant or other names. But instead of blaming me, why don't you blame yourselves? Either I'm right and you all should confront the reality that you're part of a soon-to-be-extinct business model, or I'm wrong and you're collectively doing a crappy job making your case as to why you deserve your fees. So why don't you make a better case for why people should continue to pay you and how you're more than a glorified, insanely-overpriced MLS access card?

Brady....I know there are good Realtors and bad Realtors! I think the good ones, with strong referrals due to great service are what is left now. But of course more will join in when things are great again. But that's true in every industry.....and those of us who are good need to do our best to uphold the standards and hope that clients gravitate towards us. Education is more available than ever on what to expect from a Realtor....so that is helpful too.

Dear Anti-Realtor,

It seems obvious you don't value a Realtor....but I do wonder why you spend time on Active Rain? It seems that you've had a bad experience and perhaps feel taken advantage of...I'm sorry for that! It's a big expense to purchase a piece of property and the sting of a bad decision can last a long time.

I think if you read the posts on Active Rain with an eye to learn something about Realtors....you wouldn't have to ask us to justify our fees.

Karen

Actually, Realtors were a part of the problem. Realtors were doing the business of putting people into homes that they could not afford. In a dual fidiciary or in some cases Dual Agency, they were not taking care of the buyer, but were taking care of the seller.

I have even seen realtors lie to prospects about the housing market on the way down saying that the market was not impacted by the recession. The foreclosure rate skyrocketed.

There are pieces to a puzzle in which each piece is saying that they had no blame for the current problems. I disagree. In order for certain actions to happen, those who were part of the problem need to take that responsibility and own up to it.

I am really upset that there were REALTORS who were being told to put people in homes who worked at McDonald's just for a commission by the builders and the mortgage companies.

Then again, if there was a molocum of ethics in any piece of the puzzle, this problem would never have surfaced.

"I agree that NAR needs to do a better job..."

I just want to point out that the NAR has placed in Washington the laws and ethics that they follow. I would not say that they need to do a better job - as a member of the NAR I would be asking why what happened happened and why Realtors have gotten a bad rap. I would also ask them why their ethics and rulemaking body violated their own ethics.

When you can answer Joe Sixpack with the answers, then real estate professionals image will not look like a greasy used car salesman's image.

"I don't think any buyer had a gun held to their head when being told to sign on the bottom line for a "liar loan" or a "pick a payment" neg am loan."

Unfortunately, here is what my AG said..."If you are a real estate professional and you know for a fact that the potential buyer can not afford the mortgage at the highest rate, then you, as their fidiciary have the duty to tell them to back away from the table because it is a bad deal."

Too many agents did not tell their clients they were being screwed, and now are using the gun to the head defense. Those who use that defense are probably the ones who were encouraging the signatures on the dotted line.

Wow anti-realtor really has a thing against the profession... I wonder what might have triggered the hostility!

I guess he/she is only seeing the buyer representative side of the equation. Sure it is easy to see what's available by going to sites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia etc... After the perfect property is found all he/she needs is a good home inspector & real estate lawyer buy... A lot of the market information can be found on line nowadays ... If the buyer has a lot of time on his/her hand, he/she can do that, although a buyer's agent is usually paid through cooperation with the listing agent.

But what about the listing side? Is the FSBO really prepared to do all the marketing (with upfront expenses in the hundreds of $ for both print & internet ads), then dealing with the showings and finally negotiating the terms of the offer? How is he/she going to determine value for his/her property? If nobody is using Realtors, what are the risks of bringing strangers to their home?...

Why are people still hiring a gardener when it is easy to water & take care of the plants or a cleaning service? It all comes down to how valuable one's time is... If one enjoys spending a lot of time driving around to look for a place or do everything that's involved in a listing, then he/she doesn't need a realtor. If he/she doesn't have that much time to waste, then hiring someone who does this for a living should be the logical choice...

Aloha!

Karen...great article! I completely understand your frustration with the "doom & gloom" comments posted. It is unfortunate that there are individuals out there that pride themselves on reaking havoc in the general population. I find it even more sad, that consumers choose to believe this non-sense and babble...posted by individuals that they neither know or will ever meet.

But...as a business owner, it is our job to present our message loud and clear...with consistancy and measurable information. Altough I hate to be thrown in the same mix with all agents...I make it my daily goal to enlighten, educate and motivate the consumers I reach with my words. Being a Real Estate Agent is like being a Freshman in High School...you're just another face in the crowd...until you find "Your Identity"...put "Your Convictions" behind it & "Build from a Solid Foundation"...

Monique, Nothing has triggered my hostility, other than a general sense of the consumer getting screwed so that realtors can keep their pockets lined. As for the value of realtors to the listing side, sure. There is a value. I'm not arguing that showing a house has no value. It just doesn't justify X% of XXX,000. Redfin has the right idea. It's absurd to pay someone tens of thousands of dollars to let someone into the house and point out how nice the curtains are. That's a fixed fee job. And the only reason people are overpaying is a combination of ignorance, momentum, and most of all, the NAR has leverage to keep this monopoly going because it has the keys to the listing data. Do you honestly think, in a free market like America, that if every single home sale/listing were available on one website, realtors would still get away with charging percentages instead of fixed fees? Of course not, once you take away the MLS access, realtors are glorified tour guides. As for marketing and home valuation, it's as I just said... the only reason realtors add any value here is because of the NAR's monopoly on MLS listings. If the NAR would simply open up the MLS, marketing would be a non issue. There would be an easy, central place for people to find and list houses, and then Joe Schmoe could browse them from the comfort of his own home and find comperable sales by which to value his house. As for the paperwork and deal making, that is a job best left to an attorney. Period. Realtors who aren't even required to have a college degree and only need a couple weeks of classes are NOT qualified to be advising people on transactional real estate law, title, or any other issue touching law. These tasks should be handled by an attorney.

Karen ... thanks for this article, and we have all heard people out there who want to blame somebody, and Realtors, for the housing collapse.

Almost everyone was involved, and people need to accept responsibility for what they have done and for what has happened to real estate and our economy.

NAR needs to do a better job of informing our consumers about what Realtors do for their customer service and why you should hire a Realtor. I think NAR is working to earn trust of the consumers first and then suggest a Realtor as the advisor and solution.

Karen,

I will gladly take the blame for finding the right home, at the right time for my clients. I have not had any client tell me they wish they had waited to make their purchase as they have been enjoying their home since day one. Isn't that what it is all about?

As usual, the answer to this dilemma is "it depends". We can rarely see into the future, but sometimes our experience helps.

For the years 2005-2007 neither I nor my agents sold homes in the DC/VA/MD area to active duty military. Once the real estate "boom" was clear, I knew that the military home buyer, when transferred in 2-4 years would not be able to sell for what they paid for their home. I simply advised them to rent for their tour of duty here. They did and many contacted me later appreciative that they were spared being in the "upside down" home sellers market.

My advice to these military personnel has nothing to do with "doom and gloom". It was purely market advice.

We sold to other prospective home buyers who needed a home to house themselves and their families because they had no intention of selling in the near future.

Anti- Realtors are the people who will one day be standing in a courtroom on the wrong side of a Real Estate lawsuit and won't have a clue as to what just happened

Excellent post and exactly the subject that needs attention.

Lions and Tigers and Bears.... Oh My....So which one is to blame for eating the porridge ?

The fact is we know the lenders/banks royally screwed up but what about the consumer ? The consumer who purchased homes, cars etc on a beer budget with a champagne appetite. People know what they can afford and if you can not afford it you shouldn't buy it ! Then you have those who used there home as an ATM Machine still knowing they couldn't afford it. All with the premise of " I will find a way ". If money grew on trees that would be a grand idea but seeings how the last time I checked it does NOT..... who would have thought this was a good idea ?

It's a snowball effect of pointing finger and not a chance in hell that we realtors(r) should be blamed for something we could not foresee. Now, excuse me while I go and call Lowes and give them a piece of my mind...that darn water heater I purchased last year is half of what I spent this year ! OMG, the nerve of them !

I see a lot of posts which indicate that the listing side of the transaction has more value than the buyer's side. I am primarily a listing agent and I absolutely respect and understand the complexities of being a buyer's agent - especially when I land on that side of the fence. Let's be clear about this: attorneys, mechanics, postal workers, almost everyone I know gets paid for THEIR TIME as they work! Not so for Realtors: we work, drive, consult, and negotiate in hope of a paycheck. I actually think that it's one of the poorest work models I've ever encountered - and of the two sides of the transaction (selling vs buying), buyer agents spend more time with buyers so they definitely deserve their money!

Buying and selling a home can be emotional and many folks resent paying commissions. For those folks, I say: go forth and blunder. I have enough on my plate without dealing with someone's extraneous hostility. My sellers and buyers do understand what I do for them because I tell them what I'm doing. We are always going to have naysayers, but we can help our industry's light shine through education and great communication.

Karen,

There will always be the finger pointers, for them could we please have our delete option back??? Where did it go and why? I recently wrote a post that had some pretty nasty comments, shall we say rude!

Many Realtors know their business and perform it well, but there is always that one bad apple that makes it look bad for all the rest and that is truly a shame. I wonder how bloody real estate transactions would be without us. Many would fall apart at the offer! The fact is we all went with the flow and market value is and always has been what a buyer is willing to pay for the home. Can we blame Mortgage people? Realtors? Appraisers? Banks? Hindsight is 20/20 it's going forward that always seems to be most difficult to navigate. Let us all hope that we've learned something from this mess so as not to have a recurrance.

Hi Karen: That was a great post - you tell them!

Great Post. Sometimes, when people dont know where to place the blame, they blame the ones they trust most. I take it as a compliment that they would have so much faith in me!! But I am always certain to let them know that I DO NOT have a crystal ball, and that if I did, I would be in a different profession!!! It does make me somewhat angry that we realtors are at the heart of the crisis, but as long as I can go to sleep with a clear conscience and knowing full well that I did all (and most times more) in my power, then Im ok with that. I look for what else can I learn from the situation and how I can change it in the future. Step up to the challenge, the glass is half full, charge on and be successful. This too shall pass and someday we will look back and wonder why we were so upset at the time.

Karen:

Thank you for your insightful post... in our area (Upstate SC) Realtors and real estate agents like to be 'sign rich' and 'closing poor'. Meaning, they LOVE to put up a sign and LIST property but do not work with clients once the ink is dry on the listing contract. Many feel the sign will sell the property and decide to never lift a finger to bring buyer and seller together.

I am an auctioneer and love to work with Realtors because they are holding a LOT of inventory right now. We are Realtors but choose not to list property, however we do our best to bridge the gap between the two in order to give another option.

Keep up the good work... ALL OF YOU! Do the deed and always remember, "customer service first and the money will follow!"

Darron Meares, MBA, CAI, MPPA, BAS

COO- Meares Auction Group

Karen,

I agree with you...but too often perception is the reality. I cant tell you how many times a Buyer or Sellers wispers to me " I guess we are in the wrong business" when the RE Agent pulls up in a Lexus or Mercedes. I know that most of them are leased or "needed" to make clients fell comfortable while driving around to view listings but again its "perception..."

Anti Realtor-"And if that weren't bad enough, you have a blatant conflict of interest...I'm still waiting for a realtor to say that it's a bad time to buy."

You clearly have not read my blog and profile. I have advised low risk tolerant buyers to wait and have for months. "This is NOT a good time for those with low and/or no risk tolerance to purchase."

I'm going to address your other points in a post on my site because this is not my blog.

Karen- Thought provoking post. Thank you.

Anti,

Have you ever thought of how much of that 2.5 or 3% of each side actually end up in a realtors pocket? After E&O insurance , board fees, advertising the listings, splits with the broker, telephone , fax , office supplies , desk fees or rent, gas, etc??

Where will ALL OF THESE these expenses shift to in your non realtor world?? To the seller would be the correct answer. Not to mention the huge headache it takes to get many transactions to the closing table - figure a price on that?

How many transcations have you brought to closing?? I would love to see your post after your first twenty or so- that would be great.

Who pays the Realtors fee? The seller

Do sellers ever get sued?? Yes would be the answer . Do FSBO sellers have the correct insurance to keep them from paying damages? That would be a big NO.

There is a lot more to your argument than you have decided to post- your way of putting it out there makes you look pretty smart ... That is until you look at the entire equation .

I would hate to live in your negative world , why not find something positive to do with your writing skills?

A perfect world would be great , since the world is not perfect a great way to start would be to accentuate the positive -

As Realtors, we DO NOT make decisions for our clients - we tell them the options and offer advice. Last spring/summer, I can think of 3 instances off the top of my head where I was working with buyers who found a house, and when I prepared the CMA, I found the homes to be over-priced, in 2 cases, significantly so. One Buyer walked from the house without making an offer because they did not want to insult the seller (they later did purchase another home), but the two others bought the houses, and paid top dollar, because THEY LOVED THE HOUSES and didn't want to lose them by low-balling. Now, these people could well afford these homes - one was able to over-pay because it was a cash deal; the other put significant down so, again, not subject to lender approval. What would I have done in these cases if I had been the buyer? I would have walked from both deals hoping the Seller would come down on their price, but each of these people wanted "that" house and did not have the tolerance for risk (not getting the house) that I have - - I can't impose that on my clients! Conversely, I cannot impose my conservative nature on my clients - - I can advise them to think of all the "what if's" but ultimately, the decision is theirs, not mine. Should I walk away from a pay check when a buyer is bound and determined? They will just go work with another Realtor so that's just a bad business plan for me.

And don't forget, Realtors provide clients with information and advice on SO MUCH MORE than price!

Ask anyone why they buy anything - - unless they are purely an investor, their reason will have nothing to do with market timing. It has to do with wants, needs, and the American Dream. It is not my fault that their dream may have become a nightmare - I don't have clients losing their homes right now, and I would feel terrible if any one of them did - but, I simply helped them accomplish one of their goals. I DID NOT MAKE THEIR DECISIONS FOR THEM!

I have a client that is just absolutely driving me crazy with the blame. Oh he doesn't just come out and say this is your fault but he calls constantly to see what is going on with his listing and then starts to whine uncontrollable. Saying he just didn't know this was going to be like this. Well, I did try to explain it to him and still do try to explain it to him but he never listens. He just keeps cutting the price to the edge of the market and it don't sell and then next month if he had listened to me a year ago he would have put as much as 100,000 more in his pocket. BUT, I never hear him complain about the money he made when he was flipping properties and making money. Funny how you don't hear about that anymore.

"I cant tell you how many times a Buyer or Sellers wispers to me " I guess we are in the wrong business" when the RE Agent pulls up in a Lexus or Mercedes"

That is the perception...

Hey blame someoen else goes way back to the Garden of Eden. Go read it.

Adam did you eat that apple? Yes God, but the woman gave it to me.

Eve did you do that? Yes, but the Serpent told me to.

You see it's very human to blame someone or something else.

The good news as humans we can choose. Keep blaming or move forward. I say let's move forward.

That's my opinion.

I guess we could talk about the alternative--no more real esate companies, that would do it! Wouldn't it be great to have a neighborhood filled with FSBO signs, everyone doing it on their own using professional tips from their brother-in-law or next door neighbor. That should solve everything!

Next we could have all cars sold by owner. Just imagine the strip malls with cars for sale and every vacant lot packed with everything from a one year old Mercedes to a broken down Kia. Then we wouldn't have to deal with those wacky car salesmen who make all that money by tricking us into buying a car that isn't worth what we paid for it when we drive it off the lot.

And when I need surgery, I'll call my neighbor with the Ginsu knife set...

Great post. It's funny how easy it is for people to put down an industry until they see what life might be like without it.

Keep up the great work.

There is a whole lot of blame going around. Nobody has the right to blame any 1 industry for the economy. Part of it is simply the business cycle. It goes up quickly, it goes down quickly, and then it remains flat for a long time and then slowly starts going up. Then the cycle starts again.

Thanks for the great post and the time you put into writing this. We seem to be a nation of 'blamers' for everything that goes wrong - or that we 'think' goes wrong.

Sadly, you cannot use logic or facts to prove your point with the anit-Realtors. They are trolls and the cold hard facts about housing, the economy or life in general do not interest them. All they want is to get a response or get under somebody's skin.

Flag them and move on. Responding means you are falling into their trap. No amount of logic or fact will overcome their bias and ignorance.

Everybody is a victim lately. The guys who blame the buyers agents are just plain idiots. When we sell a house there is a system of checks & balances called the mortgage appraisal too. The house sold at that current market price, nobody messed with the selling price at the time. It was a snapshot in time so to speak and the buyers, sellers, realtors (although not part of the transaction), home inspector and the pool guy said 'OK this is the house for me - let's do it'. Just like when you purchase stocks and they go down - who do you blame - never yourself! You purchase gold and the price goes down, let's blame the realtor and your golf instructor for the bad advice they gave you. What??????

1) As far as NAR... it's politics.. I agree it's monopoly..I have decided not to join NAR this year ,I felt that it's a waste of money. Sitting in class for a few hours every 4 years to take the Ethics class does not make you have a better work ethics - you either have them or not. I don't have a single Buyer or Seller that came to me or chose me to represent them because I am holding a designation or belong to the Board of REALTORS. All of my clients are coming from Referrals from Past clients. When you join a Broker you are required to join NAR if your Broker is a member ( it's not a choice).

What else you get from NAR a monthly magazine full w/advertisement...

2) As far as what an Agent is doing for their client ,I don't thing we are overpaid- I have created a list of all the things we are doing on behalf of our clients - for example the Check List came to 100 different Tasks that an Agent will do from taking the Listing or Buyer to Closing ( CMA's,marketing/showing homes,scheduling appointments,checking availabilities,disclosures legal paperwork,follow up calls, feedback on showings, contract negotiations, follow up , follow up, follow up, tons of hours on the phone,facilitating the transactions with all parties involved( attorneys, inspectors, buyer?listing agents,lenders,clients,etc) to make my client aware of what we are doing that the public don't see us doing.

3) As far as Education - Yes, it will take you a few months to get licensed but this class won't teach you how to Sell real estate. a new Licensee has no clue of what to do or not to do.. That's why you need to take as many classes and training as you can, close a lot of transactions in order to learn the Business. Experience is the Key, you are learning something new from each transaction you close, so you can see things coming once you see the Home with the next client you have.

4) I think the Buyer Agent is not overpaid at all esspessially if you work with a First Time Home Buyer( 95% of my buyers are First time Home Buyers)

A) need to educate them what to expect, how it works

B) Qualify them for Financing

C) Educate them on Areas

D) Dig and Research Schools, area Info, etc

E)Schedule Showings, Check availabilities, Give a feedback to Listing agents

F) Drive ,Drive,Drive

G) Qualify the Home(when found) to see if it qualify for their financing ,especially if it's a foreclosure

H) Prepare CMA for the last 6 months or more, get Tax Info, anything else you can get, Prepare an offer, negotiate an offer, Dealing and Educating the Buyer if Multiple Offers ( very often in today's market w/REO properties).If Short Sale- educate them, set up expectations.

If it does not work. start over again.... If it the property is Under Contract - schedule, Inspections, Appraisla, Closing, Follow up - Attorney,lender, Inspections, Listing Agent, watch the deadlines, contingency period, make sure everybody involved is doing what they supposed to do in a timely manner, so you don't sacrifice your client earnest money, answer ??, educate, educate, talk on the phone, talk on the phone.

5) In Regards to

"I don't think any buyer had a gun held to their head when being told to sign on the bottom line for a "liar loan" or a "pick a payment" neg am loan."

I don't agree with the above.

We have duties to our clients. Think in a long term, this Buyer will become your seller/client in a future. Are they going to call you if you did not care ..I have personally sat down with my clients and caution them if they want to take the road of getting a sub-prime mortgage. Each Buyer has been given a several financing options 30yr fixed, Interest only, 5yr fixed, 10 year fixed based on their Financing situation. Nobody knew that today market will come around the corner and we were overpaying for houses but I was always felt responsible to discuss w/clients the Good and Bad and looking for my their Exit strategy few years in a row., because they will call me and than what I will say?!

6) I also agree that it's a Free Market. Everybody has the choice to decide if they are to use a Realtor or not based on theirs comfort level. If you sold a few houses already , if you know what you want to Buy, if you educated yourself well with the market area,the process of Selling or Buying, if you have the time to spend calling, scheduling appointments to view homes at different times,know the terms of the agreements, know what you are doing... why not you can do it. If you are a Seller, price your home right, know the process, market it well, even if you like to pay the Buyer's agent you can have it on MLS for a Flat fee, if you need some help you can use a Realtor as a transaction Broker for a Lower Fee. Finally the Commission is negotiable. I have created a different commission plans to meet everybody 's needs - from Flat fee to 6% Commission ( 3% of course is going to the Buyer's Broker) based on what the client's needs.

I guess I was raised incorrectly. Blame is never a way to solve a problem. Having been a realtor for 10 years, I understand many of the anti-realtor comments. The responsibility is ours. We provide information for free, we provide our services for a fee and the customer or client may never know exactly what we do. Because of technology our business model is changing. Once again we must create value in the market place.

I am ashamed to admit that at one time I too was an anti-realtor. I should rephrase that, I am happy I was an anti realtor because If I hadn't been, I would have never realized how important Real Estate Agents are. You see, I worked in a law firm, about 70% of the work was real estate transactions. I worked for what I believe to this day was the first Polish attorney on the south side of Chicago. Maybe he wasn't, but I sure as heck haven't found anyone before Mr. Kash. Anyway, for close to 15 years I wondered what the heck those realtors were getting paid for. Why the stress? Then I added title company closer to my resume and still I met more real estate agents, but still I doubted they did enough to warrant the pay. My family members would flirt from one agent to the next, and I would too. Then one day, I made a comment to one of my fellow closers about the agents making all this money, followed by negative comments about the profession, my friend looked at me and said, "you know what, why don't you go and get your license, you could make all that money too! You know everything about real estate, you've been around it for soo long." You see my fellow closer/friend never told me she was a real estate agent also. She figured I needed to learn the only way people can, by stepping into someone else's shoe. So I signed up for class & HOLY COW I actually learned more than I thought agents needed to know. I guess I didn't know it all. Okay, new knowledge...Good. I found a broker I wanted to be with, paid my dues and started to receive News from the Boards...what, agents actually worked hand in hand with communities to help laws that would affect owners. Then I got my first client. I became a friend, a confidant, their protector. Sure there will always be anti-realtors, but I have learned I will never again judge another person or profession. I don't want to walk in anyone elses shoes, I love the shoes I am wearing right now.

Harriet Maj/Classic Realty Group, Orland Park, Illinois

While that comment was really unjustified I'm assuming this person needs someone to blame. You have forumlated a great response and a very well written post!

Whine…. Whine…. Whine…. The problem lies with the big five in OLE New York! The fleecing of America! The big boys with the Cowboy Hats! They all saw it coming when they went for broke. They loaned money to people, dogs, cats and rats knowing they we’re not just destine to fail but guaranteed to do so. They collected outrageous funding fees and resold they crap to foreign investors. When the loans defaulted the foreign investors stopped investing and the whole castle of cards fell down. No one went to jail because technically they did nothing wrong. De regulation of the Countries Banking industry was a failure. Government back loans they had no regulation over. They bought loans without having a say so. Now the government is attempting to throw money at it by essentially buying up bad debt they backed in the first place. You an’t seen nothing yet! This will work! For a while things will get better. Then another little fellow will rear its ugly head. Inflation we will all have to pay the piper. Prices will go up, Interest rates will go up, and Stocks will tank. We’ll all say hey isn’t this another recession. Then after yet another time of correction thing will stabilize. Then some Fat Cats will figure out they can dupe the American Public again and the whole thing will start over Greed always succeeds and Whiners just die broke. Never and I say never follow the pack. Think out side the box and you will survive. When everyone goes left go right. You get he picture. Change is the only constant in our lives quite placing blame on others and move on with what you have. It’s the American way of life. Eat drink and be merry in the good times and eat beans and enjoy them in the bad. I made tons of money in the boom now I’m making tons in the bust. Just change with the change. I wish you all Gods speed in your endeavors. Go out make a decent living be winners enjoy life. This is your life folks. Not a dress rehearsal.

Anonymous because you would not believe who I’am

Walk the walk before you talk the talk, top agents earn every penny!

Well stated Karen. Unfortunately, there are still so many out there playing the "blame game" instead of going within to figure out the problem and fixing it. Perhaps, they could shut off their tvs and write some affirmations in the morning and gratitudes in the evening. They may just establish a whole different take on life and create their "own economy" instead of buying into "the economy".

This is just my two cents.

Julie Boyd-Elrod, EXIT Realty

For every "anti-REALTOR" there are hundreds of grateful clients who are happy to pay for the expertise which helps them achieve their goals. I've worked with some who might have been a "Doubting Thomas" on Day One but quickly came to realize the benefits they enjoyed as a result of my years of experience and training. I'm content to let the "anti-REALTORS" do their own thing and not try to convert them.

Nice post. We do receive the blame from some. All we can do is kill them with kindness, adn make sure that our sphere of buyers and sellers always knows that we have their best interest in mind. NAR says nearly 90% of people start their search on line. So lets get the good word out about Realtors and overshadow the anti-realtors.

Excellent post! Everyone is an expert 'after the fact' is seems. The anti Realtors are just part of the profession and they have their own agenda.

The main thing Anti-Realtor has forgotten in this whole thing....no one is forced to use a Realtor. We are a choice...as a buyer and a seller. The client who meets an individual Realtor and finds value....that's who hires us. And since many agents....including all the great ones on Active Rain...have survived in a commission-industry during the down turn, we must be bringing some value or we'd be accountants by now.

Please just ignore these people. They do this to get our attention and agrevate us. That is why I never log into Zillow. Zillow is built around Realtor bashing and I have more important things to do.

Great post, Karen.

Unfortunatly, some of the sentiment we get as REALTORS is well founded. While the vast majority of REALTORS are hardworking, honest, caring professionals, there are still some that don't get it. That gives the rest a bad name.

As an owner - broker, I am occassionally surprised at the lack of understanding I encounter from agents that I supervise, and it's not always new agents. I tell my agents that you have to give 110% in this business in everything you do. If you give 110%, you might get it right 80% of the time. It's a tough business.

Secondly, the nature of agency is such that if an agent truly represents the interests of his or her client, the other party may not be happy. This can also lead to anti-realtor sentiment. And back to my first point, if agency is properly explained, some of these ill feelings can be diffused.

Thanks Barry...

I never let "Anti-s" affect my day or business...way too busy :). But I wouldn't discount Zillow. I have gotten quite a few leads and closed deals from Zillow Advice. I have written a few blog posts on this..I contact them directly when possible and try and be helpful on the answers. I let the other Realtors with more stomach for fighting take care of the battle. Stay above the fray and you will see some great results from Zillow and Trulia.

It's interested that "anti realtor" doesn't identify who he/she is or what they do for a living; tough to be credible without a name, etc. attached!

Actually, a good friend of mine who is a Realtor has been telling buyers for years not to buy predicting gloom and doom - she obviosly doesn't make much of a living... her clients who listened are still renting, paying someone elses mortgage, etc. Whereas, my clients who purchased homes they could afford in areas where they will establish solid ties in their communities couldn't be happier.

I have never had a client say they paid me too much. The people who hire me knew they are too busy and it's too stressful and complex to do it on their own, even with the help of an attorney. Attorneys write legal documents; they are not in the housing market day in and day out - that's not their job. So unless the houses are in cookie-cutter subdivisions where all of the houses are exactly the same, they cannot advise about value or home inspection issues, etc. The hours they work are also more limited (on this we should take a page from their book) so while a buyer or seller who has an agent representing them is writing and negotiating offers; the unrepresented/do-it-yourselfer buyer and seller is waiting for their attorney... As much as everyone hates commissions, it's the only way to get the transaction done. Anyone who is paid by the hour regardless of the outcome is going to drag things out - the longer it takes, the more they make.

My husband replaces convertible tops and it used to be that manufacturers would only sell to installers. now anyone can purchase a convertible top on-line, but once they buy the top, they have no idea what do with it. They don't have the tools and if they do, they don't know how to use them! How much do they save when they tear the top? But they think they're smart and saving money... and they will always think that.

When Zillow first started, they announced they were going to put realtors out of business. Now they can't do enough to get us on their site... they found out pretty quickly they had nothing of value on their site without us! I have also found that most do-it-yourselfers don't really do it themselves but involve a agent is some capacity - FSBOs pay buyer agents, and buyers go directly to the seller's agent thinking they will save... People either get it or they don't. Smart people know they don't know everything, spend their time doing what they do well and hire professionals to do everything else!

One thing for sure is all the internet brokers are getting the advantage over the realtors who refuse to change. All yes ALL agents and brokers must make changes the internet buyers need to find you find more places that will make it easy to find you. Again I have been offering a place for over two years for A Better Market Place only have taken advantage. My blogs and web site are very high in most cities in the riverside/san bernardino counties. iwannatrade.com is free.

Take advantage of expanding your walls, use networking like it is designed. Don't Worry About The Blame Thing-this is an after the fact - Oh We Should Have!! Could Have! Would Have! Now let's get busy doing What We Need To!!

Hi Karen, great post! My dad used to be fond of saying " 50% of all the doctors who graduated from Harvard graduated in the bottom half of their class". when told that a doctor graduated from Harvard. He also used to insert lawyer, politician, just about any profession in place of doctor. But he never put Realtor in there, as he said that if you're too dumb to know when you need one, you wouldn't even get the joke.

Great post! I wish I had read this post before my open house last week. One couple that approached me had the idea that we Realtors were to be blamed for the housing crises. What a joke! Know I will have my script, thanks to you! Thank you for sharing.

Karen I loved your post!!!!! I am sending it to everyone I know. (WHAT IF) Thanks Rose in Hickory NC

There is always going to be that 10% who will try to blame the issue on someone. I just laugh it off and press forward. Ignore it.

Patricia Aulson/Portsmouth NH Real Estate

SALES FACT: Price is only an issue in the absence of value.

Anti-Realtors say, "Do you honestly think, in a free market like America, that if every single home sale/listing were available on one website, realtors would still get away with charging percentages instead of fixed fees?" They are questioning RE Agents' qualifications and the value they bring to the transaction. There should be an immediate, cookie-cutter response with both parties moving on.

An earlier comment mentioned RE Agents have control over the public perception of what value they bring to the business. I agree and think Steve Blaisdell and Kevin Kilpatrick touch on this slightly. With all the information available, one of my struggles as a mortgage broker is constantly reeling customers back in, keeping them looking forward and focused, and keeping them out of the market. If my value is questioned, I'm immediately reminding them of everything I've done for them up to that point, reiterating the value I've brought to their transaction (specifics, like a comp search with an appraiser, running automated underwriting and getting an approval upfront), certainly not at all validating nor acknoweledging that ill perception with a pause or a startled look. I see RE Agents not doing that effectively enough given this idea of a "low barrier to entry" vs. what it actually takes to be a great RE agent. I've found success by behaving/acting like the BEST, the authority. If I'm perceived otherwise, I nip it in the bud immediately - "NO. STOP. Here is what I've done for YOU. Now you owe me. I'm the BEST. Don't forget it." Plus, there's nothing like confidence to drive production.

Also, I disagree with the notion that real estate agents have any blame for the current problems we're seeing. This is basic macroeconomics. The demand for mortgage brokers, RE Agents and the pool guy are based on larger decisions made by captive lenders and Fannie/Freddie, the controlling powers and ultimatly the dictators of the direction of hard-earned money. These entities have the largest and only "responsibility" as soon as they manipulated well-performing lending standards into poor-performing lending standards. The accelerated appreciation of asset value and the fast money in this business came from the ill notion that everything must go up always no matter what (stocks, real estate, Bernie Madoff). If there is actually any and we're passing it around, "fiduciary responsibility" includes everyone, but MOSTLY the customer, since they provide the hard-earned money and subsequent demand for our services (not to mention, they voted for these leaders who demanded these changes, see link below). As long as we continue to get these levels of commissions, the customer is inherently demanding it and setting the price, again basic macroeconomics. The standards of owning real estate have never been dictated by us, and they were loosened on purpose. Was this result we're seeing now the end game in mind? IMHO, this is all by design, but that's another conversation.

Beyond the fact we mortgage brokers turnaround closing docs faster and have the flexibility of accessing dozens of them, captive lenders have been disloyal by way of all this havoc and uncertainty they've created for RE Agents trying to earn a living for their family. Captive lenders changed all their loan programs, fired their support and replaced them with $8/hour idiots. Government jobs will be government jobs, especially when we nationalize banks.

Perhaps all this is another reason for RE Agents to question their relationships with these captive lenders.

give it a second or two, and check out the date it was written: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260

Hi Karen, Great! Thanks for getting this started - May I add.....

Hey Anti-Realtor,

I'll tell you why we Realtors deserve our fees. Because our work is much more difficult, stressful, and less profitable than you realize. We provide valuable and professional services to millions of people each year that need and appreciate our expertise. It is not about the amount of the commssion, it's about the time, money, and effort a professional Realtor can save you and your family through proper representation in today's very challenging real estate market.

Really, I think your "general sense of the consumer getting screwed so that Realtors can keep their pockets lined" is misguided and very unfortunate. The vast majority of Realtors work hard, work smart, and do a fine job in meeting the needs of their clients. There are great Realtors and some not so great, just like there are great Attorneys and some not so great. And as far as Realtors "lining their pockets", the average Realtor takes home less than $20,000 per year.

So if you think "consumers are getting screwed" perhaps you should get your real estate license in your spare time,(piece of cake, right?). Then you would only need to spend as much time as possible over the next few years learning the trade inside and out so you can weed out the "non-believers" and concentrate on those serious buyers and sellers who truly need help.

Next, if you seriously thinking "Redfin has the right idea" ( I don't for one) you may want to take your Broker's exam and invest a few bucks to open your own Brokerage ($40,000 to $50,000 should get you started). But here is the Key: you can provide Rebates and Discounts all week long but you will fail misserable if you do not provide what the consumer expects and demands - namely fast and efficent professional real estate services.

We all know that the consumer gets what they want - one way or another - it's the American Way. All Realtors are not the same, as you seem to imply. Today there are a growing number of High Tech, Non-Traditional Real Estate Brokerages opening with new business models to not only meet the demands and the needs of the consumers like you, but also to compete effectively in an over-crowded "Tranditional" real estate businesses. Go to the Internet and look around for the services you need. Perhaps you can find a Realtor worthy of your business. Good Luck!

They way to put it is we all got taken by surprise. Now ask them is they had $500,000.00 two years ago and they put half in the market and half in property, which half would have done better? I don't know the answer but it provides some perspective.

Great Post

Those who balme the Realtors sound a lot like the gang that can't shoot straight in Washington. One day they are whining about banks not making enough loans, the next they are saying the banks should up their capital reserves.

If it sounds good someone will say it. And repeat it whether it makes sense or not.

Free lunch is great as long as you are buying instead of me.

Good post... I'd love to pull some inserts out and use... I have always wondered why we are the scapegoat... just as lenders are for the bad loans... no thought to the adults how did the purchase... with eyes wide open!

Karen, Great post! Unfortunately human nature seems to dictate that we all blame someone else rather than being responsible for our own decisions and actions.

Hi Karen,

Spencer from Zillow here. Very good post. And as always, the comments are interesting also. I want to address a few of the Zillow comments.

First, to Karen - you wrote: "I have gotten quite a few leads and closed deals from Zillow Advice. I have written a few blog posts on this..I contact them directly when possible and try and be helpful on the answers." Thank you for writing this. I'm glad that you have gotten business from Zillow. That's great news.

Harrison, you commented that you think the moderation policy on Zillow Advice is too lax and it creates a disrespectful environment. As you noted, our moderation policy is that "all sides have a right to be heard". I don't think this is a "lazy cop-out", as you described it. I think this is appropriate. I do agree with you though that personal attacks will not be condoned; we delete personal attacks, when they're flagged for us. The tricky part is discerning between an attack on someone's ideas and an attack on someone as an individual. We don't allow attacks on people, but we definitely allow people to be critical of others' ideas. We have a flagging system on Zillow and we review all flagged comments. If you ever see something that you think violates our Good Neighbor Policy and flagging it doesn't have your expected effect, you can always email me.

Marilyn Messenger, you wrote "When Zillow first started, they announced they were going to put realtors out of business. Now they can't do enough to get us on their site... they found out pretty quickly they had nothing of value on their site without us!" Nothing could be further from the truth. No one from Zillow EVER said we were going to put realtors out of business. That never has been and never will be a goal of Zillow. I don't know where you heard that, but it's flat out false. I have always said that real estate is, always will be, and always should be a professionally-assisted transaction. Zillow is not a brokerage; we do not have real estate agents at Zillow. We are not Redfin, though we're frequently confused with them by people not paying close attention. In short, Zillow sells ads, not houses. We do not compete with agents or brokers whatsoever. We are a media company and we have lots of web site traffic (about 9 million unique visitors per month) and make money on advertising. We're like a 21st century version of the real estate section of the newspaper.

Good discussion and excellent post. The sad thing is that some of the criticisms are true. There is a relatively low entry level into the industry. Increased education and more stringent entry requirements would certainly help.

If there weren't unscrupulous realtors, there would be no need for the complaint in the first place. But, this group is far less than 1%, and it's unfortunate that they do so much damage.

I am frequently called upon to testify in Court or in discipline proceedings concerning standards of practise. So, I know that some of the criticisms are quite true. They are, however, relatively few in number. By and large, most realtors do a very good job for their clients. The poor ones are usually unsuccessful and simply leave the business. Then again, there's the odd "rogue realtor" out there. And, that's bad for everybody.

Just about everyone I know is working with their second auto mechanic. Why? What went wrong with the first one? Actually, you'll likely find the same in most professions as well. I think it simply boils down to "human nature".

Brian Madigan

Spencer, I'm glad to see that Zillow is represented here. I can confirm that Zillow has never said they were out to put Realtors out of business, in fact they bent over backward to state the opposite... "that they couldn't do what they do without Realtors, and wanted to work with us to make Zillow a terrific resource".

That being said, Zillow Discussions (now Zillow advice) is the wild, wild west. Moderation is inconsistent at best, and non-existent at worst. Realtors are frequently trashed (both their ideas and themselves.. plenty of ad hominem attacks)... and when a curious potential buyer asks a legitimate question, they are jumped on from all sides by the OMIGOSHIT'SATERRIBLETIMETOBUY tribe.

Zillow moderation does very little to keep the conversation civil, and in bending over to see that all sides are heard, makes certain that instead "no sides are heard".

I used to be a regular over at Zillow Discussions, and since their redesign (incredibly unfriendly design) I decided that the "good fight" was no longer worth the effort.

Dear anti realtor, The public must take some responsibility and take the time to find a realtor that they like and stick with that realtor as long as possible. If anything realtors are too available....The public doing transactions on their own will lead to more chaos in the markets.... Negotiation rules need to be followed and without that street level activity that agents provide ,it would be chaos. Attorneys do not want to hit the streets, Attorneys do not want to do BPOS, CMAS,,, for free... Patrick

You've got to laugh or you'll cry! Love the post. So true. If it's not our fault it was the loan officers fault, etc. Some people just don't want to take responsibility for anything. I do agree with the idea that NAR needs to explain more of why the public should use a Realtor. The public really just does not know the answer to the why. They have no clue as to what we do beyond open a door to a house they are interested in.

I think that NAR and each individual agent needs to get the word out as to what we actual do in a transaction, markting, etc. We need more public awareness of the value that we bring to the table

I think real estate agents are definitely part of the problem. Whatever the general public thinks of real estate agents, that image was created by the industry itself, and all the brokers and agents that work in it. Although I am not now an agent, I was one for 10 years, and I know how agents think. Realtors are not professional economists, and as such they tend to put an unrealistically happy face on the purchase of real estate by the uneducated public.

If you profited from the real estate boom, then you played a part. Realtors included. Who's to blame?

Buyers - If you bought a house that you really couldn't afford or stretched your budget too thin, and now you're caught up in this mess without a way out...you asked for it. Yes, it's unfortunate if your home value has plummeted, but if you were in a truly proper financial position to buy the house in the first place, then you could wait it out...values will come back. Just because you can qualify for something, doesn’t mean you can afford it. Be accountable for your own decisions. If a lender put you in a bad loan, it’s because you didn’t educate yourself. Buyers are partly to blame.

Realtors - If you put even one client into a house who was using a 100% loan or a stated income loan, then you are partly to blame. If you helped price a home high in a buyers market, then c'mon, you know you played a part. Maybe you didn't know it at the time, but you participated...and willingly at that. Did you enjoy all those commissions? In addition, your job is to look out for your client's entire real estate interests, not just the negotiations and purchase agreement. If you say that asking about your client’s finances is not your responsibility, then you are not a quality professional. Just like a good lender would point out a flaw in a purchase agreement, a good Realtor should be able to point out that their clients are getting a bad loan. Ignorance and or laziness are not excuses. Realtors are partly to blame.

Lenders – No need to elaborate.

Wall Street - Investors buying and encouraging fundamentally flawed mortgage loans, you're partly to blame too.

Everyone got big eyes, everyone wanted to make profits and commissions and everyone who participated in the process needs to shoulder part of the blame. And yes, it is fair to place blame here. This crisis didn't happen by itself, we all caused it. Just as with so many of the country’s problems, GREED is to blame and all of you Realtors are part of this as well.

In addition, to all those “real” Realtors who whine and complain about people not wanting to use you to buy or sell a house, and for those who bitch about clients asking you to cut your commissions...you only need blame your industry and co-workers.

There are no real barriers of entry to becoming a Realtor, which has resulted in so many poor Realtors out there who are blowing it for the actual few good ones. My father owned a large real estate company for over 30 years. I grew up attending sales classes, open houses and educational seminars from an early age. I also worked in his marketing department while I went to college. Now I am a Mortgage Loan Officer at a large bank. I have been around “Realtors” my entire life. Without any hesitation, I can say with absolute certainty that 60-70% of the Realtors I have ever met have NO BUSINESS helping people buy and sell houses. I also took all the hours required to get a real estate license and it was a joke.

So please don't compare yourselves to doctors, lawyers or anyone else who had to truly earn their way to becoming a professional. When Realtors have to actually graduate from college and attend "Real Estate" school for many years, then you can compare yourselves to those professionals. I know more about mortgage financing and real estate combined than most of you and I do have a college degree, but I know I'm not in the same category as a lawyer or doctor...lol, get real.

While there are good Realtors out there, most of you are no more educated than someone who has gone to a 1-year trade school to learn how to weld. My father and sister are both Realtors and God knows I love them, but they are sadly just as nuts as most of you, but at least they’re educated nuts. If you are ever in the unbelievable position of discovering the middle of the universe, you might be amazed to find that it did not revolve around you. Freaking Realtors, what a bunch of whiny-A@#, self-righteous, egotistical boobs. You are partly to blame, so get over it.

GREAT news! FSBO's (ForSaleByOwner) are 99% of MY business! There will ALWAYS be the Owners who 'try' to sell by themselves, on their own, because They THINK they will SAVE money by not having to Pay Commissions, or their 'friend/family' told them to do so. Its a fact. Unfortunately, they only attract bargain hunters, investors, and people with questionable intensions as they open their door to Strangers- neither willing to pay top dollar! Perhaps they havent heard of Identy Theft? They dont have a clue to who is coming through their home! Safety is only worth a few thousand dollars to these people? Honestly, they havent even thought of it. THEY are so concerned with the Commission payout- they cant seem to think of anything else. What I have discovered after years of providing services as a Real Estate Professional in Western Canada, (and in the Retail sector), is, Uneducated people Buy PRICE, Educated people shop VALUE. This ISN'T a school education- this is Knowledge of whatever professionals they may have to interact with, and the Real Estate industry in particular. When I first see them at their home, I HAVE to build value. Once they are open-minded about having a conversation, THEN I can build VALUE, then they can determine IF hiring a Professional to promote their intrests would be an option for them? The more value I can show, the easier it is for the Sellers to be able to see, its not expensive to hire a Realtor, its PRICELESS! What's a LawSuit worth these days? Do they have their RPR with Compliance? You get the 'Deer in the headlightes' look with that one. We chat, I preview their property. Share some 'Staging' ideas with them and what WE know Buyers are looking for. I book a time for a sit down and provide a FREE CMA (Comparative Market Analysis), we do a Net Sheet of how much money they should walk away with- depending on market trends, & as a Fair-Trade, I show them how I work, what we do as a company to get homes SOLD for TOP Dollar in a very competitive market, show them how most successful Sellers chose their List price and then I have provided the information neccessary for them to make an EDUCATED & INFORMED decision. IF they are motivated to actually sell and re-locate, then the choice is obvious- HIRE A PROFESSIONAL! Only a small percentage of Realtors in my area (5700 agents) actively approach FSBO's. I find, when I provide the information they need to make an Informed decision, they choose a REALTOR every time! Here's the Challenge- how do we, as a Professional Group, get the word out, that, what we do, has VALUE and its NOT just taking money from someone who needs to realize every penny of equity from the sale of their home??? IF the sellers can determine, investing a nickle to make a dime, is in THEIR best interest- then they will hire us to get them MORE money from the sale of their property. I LOVE FSBO's!

Hi all,

This has clearly touched us all! I think this is a great discussion that can help us all. It's always useful to see, and hopefully correct, misconceptions and also to listen to legitimate criticism. That being said....I have deleted a couple of comments that cross the line. I think that Jeff's comment gets close at the end, but the remainder of his comments are valid as part of this discussion.

Please....let's keep this professional and helpful. I think as Realtors it's good to see what our image is so that we can better articulate our value.

Side note....many of you have asked me privately if you can use this, or some of this, in your own blog or in other ways...OF COURSE! Please just keep it in context. Thanks for the compliment.

Karen

Unfortunately, there is a very small minority of us Realtors that are either unscrupulous or downright incompetent. Those people have given the public the idea that we're nothing but a bunch of money-grubbing idiots who care about nothing beyond how big a commission we can rake in. We have done a lousy job of weeding these people out -- seeing as we're all "independent contractors" it's hard to get them "fired." Sadly, we will be lumped in with them until such time as we can figure out a way to get them the heck out of our collective MLS systems.

Karen...

I laughed so hard at your observations that I forgot what I was going to say :)

TLW...ROAR!

Karen,

I actually agree with Jeff, Esspecially when he said that " In addition, your job is to look out for your client's entire real estate interests, not just the negotiations and purchase agreement. If you say that asking about your client's finances is not your responsibility, then you are not a quality professional. Just like a good lender would point out a flaw in a purchase agreement, a good Realtor should be able to point out that their clients are getting a bad loan. Ignorance and or laziness are not excuses. Realtors are partly to blame. "

I think the problem is that nobody wants to take a responsibility. we are the little man... see what is happening at the Top levels in our country - nobody is taking a responsibility, always there is a somebody else to blame. Everything is politics ...It's this way not just in the Housing Business, it's True for everything else. Nobody cares what will happen after them - everybody is interested to put more money in their pockets today. Greedy, Greedy...

Smile... Life goes On ...

I disagree that it's my job to delve into my client's finances. I think there are serious ethic problems in giving advice. Let's say that instead of the market going down, it went up...and I advised lots of buyers to wait. Wouldn't I still be liable for something I couldn't know? Certainly I give opinions....but unless I am licensed to handle mortgage loans, I refer that to those in the business. If I'm asked for an opinion....I'm full of them (you can probably tell). But if not...my job is to get the best outcome for my clients on the deal we are working on...and sometimes to recommend that they walk away if we can't. But ultimately, it's their decision.

Karen - Funny post! As I started reading through your list, I started laughing. As a mortgage gal, I've gotten my share of blame for the entire country's current financial woes.

Nevermind that in the nearly eight years since I've been in the biz, I never sold a neg am loan program. Nevermind that in nearly eight years, I have never had a client I sold a loan to foreclose or walk away from their mortgage. Nevermind that my entire mortgage career has been dedicated to assisting low-medium income first time buyers realize the dream of homeownership (with fully documented, fully amoritized, 30yr mortgages).

Just this morning, I was talking to a Realtor about some of local city/county/state down payment assistance programs and she commented about how much I knew about all the various programs and she asked me how I knew about all of these programs? Because these are the types of programs that I have promoted for pretty much my entire mortgage career. Because of that, every anti-mortgage wacko feels it's their duty to trash me every chance they get and to blame me and my kind (really love it when they throw in that lovely phrase - like I'm some kind of alien) for the mess that the US economy is in.

Most of the time, I can just ignore these bozos but the ones that seem to bother me the most, and I mean no disrespect here, are the rants that come from Realtors. Go figure!

You know that you have written a good post when it solicits so many responses that are heart felt!

The way I look at it is, being a Realtor is a profession just like many others... whether the nay sayers want to admit to this or not. If you really do not feel that a Realtor is worth their fees then go it alone and stop all the negativity. Some of us are trying to make an honest living. I have literally worked for weeks or months on end with someone - not for any pay BUT FOR THE HOPE of a commission cheque at the end. AND GUESS WHAT? It will be WELL deserved when it comes!!!

Thanks Karen :))

Donne....

Good for you! The mortgage brokers are not to blame either....they used the tools and loan products available to them to help the most people they could buy a home. What's really wrong with that? It's interesting to me.....I lived through the boom and bust of the 80s and there were few, if any short sales, none that I remember. Not the overwhelming number of foreclosures we see now. More personal responsibility. Now...all we see is bailout....what can my country do for ME.

Thanks for your comments...and I hope the Realtors lay off..that's not fair.

Karen

Karen,

Leave Jeff's post just as it is. Yes, if this were my blog, I would have thought about deleting the last paragraph too.

However, while some of the points raised were good ones, Jeff unfortunately "tipped the scales of credibility" at the end.

His comments I now consider to be just foolish.

Brian Madigan

I found this list on ActiveRain some time ago.......It seems relevant for this blog.

Next time someone says a Realtor does very little ...print this and give it to them.

101 things your realtor does!

by www.bettyannhomes.com

Here is a list of 101 things off the top of my head that I do as a realtor...

and the list goes on! 101 Things YOUR realtor does..

Buyer consults

Buyer searches (MLS)

Shows Homes and other properties (drive, drive, drive!)

Contacts with lenders/ pre-approval

Phone calls to buyers regarding properties

Writing offers

Presenting offers

Writing addendums

Arranging for inspections

Attending inspections

Reviewing inspections with buyer

Writing addendums for inspections

Walks through prior to purchasing

Reviewing HUD statements prior to closing

Ordering Title

Reviewing preliminary title reports

Counseling buyers through the process,

fielding questions and concerns.

Ongoing contact with other realtor (listing agent)

Checking in with closing agent

Checking on loan documents and time sensitive loan information

Handling negotiations

Keeping written records of the transaction

Cold calling

Marketing yourself

Photography of properties

Creating Virtual Tours

Market Analysis of properties

Pre-listing interviews

Listing consultations/presentations

Reviewing records (county, taxes, comparables)

Previewing properties

Market research

Listing paperwork and input to systems

Ordering Signs

Marketing property

E-mailing, faxing

Market preparation advice

Installing lockboxes

Staging consults

Counseling sellers through the process and paperwork

Continual market evaluations of listings

Regular contact with buyers and sellers

Updating Mailing lists

Thank you gifts

Flyer designs and oversight Delivering/restocking flyers

Online marketing

Continuing education classes, conferences.

Legal counsel as needed

Office meetings

Agent council

Motivational meetings

Office organization

Price adjustments

Brokers Opens

Open Houses

Print marketing materials

Developing business plans

Budgeting/Paying expenses

Vendor interactions

Farming (mailing's to designated areas)

Community Involvement and volunteering

Attending closings

Creative brainstorming for new marketing ideas

Writing adds

Placing adds

weekly Technical training and expenditures

Web site updating

Uploading listings to internet sites

Lunch's and Dinners with clients

Review CCR'S

Public relations

Continual e-mail and voice mail returns

Calling agents for feedback on your listings

Safety preparation and plans

Handling rescissions

Client Appreciation events

Car maintenance

Ordering materials

Meeting with builders

Viewing developments

Handling referrals

Checking on vacant properties

Updating data base

Attending non clock hour classes

TV adds

Market Forums

Learning new forms

Read real estate related materials

Statistics

Calling on For Sale By Owners

Keeping in touch with former clients

Meeting with broker

Being mentored/accountability

Daily review of MLS/Hotlist

Updating clients

Oversight of remodel projects(Flips)

Blogging

Community Events C

overing for out of town associates

Listening!

www.BethAnnHomes.com

Hi...there was another post that I deleted...I think that Jeff loses something when he gets crass at the end, but the points were otherwise fair to post.

Roland..wow! This is a great list! And when you add that sometimes we end up doing it for free!

That was a great post, and the comments were great, too. I really liked the list of 101 things that a Realtor does.

Karen, I think the problem with out society is over-generalization. It is not a good idea to over-generalize things but almost everybody tries to do that, including myself. Not every bankers are cons; not every realtors are cons; not every car salesperson are cons;....

Roland,

Loved that post here on Karen's blog. That is such a correct list,

While I sat here and read all of the comments. Now I know why I stay away from negative people, while I think this post was great....I'm exhausted with the negativity of some of the comments.

Karen M.

The real estate "sales" industry is up for a huge shake-up like the newspaper industry (the Internet happened), the car dealership industry (custom design happened), the telephone booth industry (cell phone happened), and many other industries.

Case in point, newspapers can count and quote all kinds of things they do for their readers and communites, democracy, nation, etc., but a majority of them are going to be eliminated. The economy just does not need them anymore.

National Association of Realtors is the largest trade organization in the world which enrolls practitioners like the mortgage industry signed up sub-prime loans. Snooze through 60 hours of class time, take a couple of tests and you are in. Work as a salesperson for a couple of years, take 120 hours of class time, take a few tests and you are a broker. Connecticut does not even require that you see a transaction through all stages of completion before you can become a broker and "represent" people with the largest purchase(s) of their lives. Scary indeed.

You can count all the wonderful things which real estate salespeople do for their clients, communites, nation, world peace, etc., but that is not going to keep a large number of real estate salespeople employed for a long time. The industry has changed big time and few of the savvy salespeople will command majority of the business.

Real estate "salespeople" are in denial and there is nothing wrong with being in denial as long as your spouse is kind enough to carry you. Yes, the "job" is fun and flexible but there is a reason why an average real estate "salesperson" makes $13,000/year which is barely above the poverty line http://aspe.hhs.gov/POVERTY/09poverty.shtml

NAR could have tightened up the requirements for becoming a "Realtor" and ensured resonable income levels for practitioners, but I guess it is too late. Realtors or not, the Internet is forcing many real estate salespeople to be out of business.

The new real estate sales paradigm just does not need as many people running around showing houses. A new CAR study indicated that only 20% of clients care for buyer agents' help with selecting houses. The rest only want the agents to help them get a better price. But that is a bummer. Until Realtors' seller bias is arrested, buyers ain't getting the best prices. :)

I guess that buyers can use a National Association of Buyer Agents. Any takers?

APR

2009

98% of Real Estate Agenst are professionals, 1% are learning to be, and the last 1%.... well, they don't count... LOL

Good post. Anti-Real Estate Agent, or Anti - anything people are always good to hear from, just gives me practice on learning new objections and answers to those objections.

What a fantastic topic... It seems to be the buzz in every state and local Realtor Association.

About 1/3 of the way down all of these blog responses I started to realize that the line between Realtor and Real Estate Licensee is being blurred in this conversation... Even in the Anti-Realtor's comments it leads me to believe this person does not distinguish between the two.

I won't point blame or comment on the opinion of the person that feels poorly about my chosen profession and the trade organization that represents me, BUT; I strongly encourage EVERYONE to contact your state and local Realtor Association and ask them what their Realtor dollars have done for the consumers as well as the Realtor? My Association (Tacoma-Pierce County & Washington State) has done a tremendous amount of work on my behalf. While I'm in the trenches keeping food on the table, MY Association is protecting my clients and they are preserving my trade.

I am a proud Realtor, paying my dues and all HOLLA!!!!!!!

p.s. Our MLS is NOT Realtor owned....

Karen,

Got this link for you from this bozo on another post/feed. You'll get a lot of good link love on this post that's for sure.

Hi Lyn,

Thanks for the heads up....I went and read the blog and made my own comment....fun stuff!

MAY

2009

Excellent job! If they want to spread the wealth when business is good then they should spread the blame when it's bad. Dont' have a crystal ball but I do have a snow ball. Interested?

Wow, the NAR needing to do a better job? Oh my goodness...now there's an original can of worms to open!

The NAR's business seems to primarily be that of collecting member fees and lining their own pockets...they aren't (As they would have us believe) on our side necessarily, like a lot of associations and unions that have been forced down the throats of folks, (They are in bed with most local associations, so you can't work if you don't join the NAR!) they may have originally been set up to serve us, it's members, yet eventually they serve their own agenda, and create unnecessary jobs within their corporate office much more than continuing to focus on and serve all members. I'm not saying that they do absolutely nothing, that's not true at all, but I am saying that they clearly don't do enough which is obvious by all of us...are they not actively listening to us members? Or is it that they listen, but do not hear us? The commercial advertisements I see from NAR are very nearly laughable and wouldn't convince me to use a realtor...or any other service or product.

I believe that membership in NAR should be an option, and not a requirement to work, perhaps NAR members would receive some benefits that they asked for, benefits that non-members would not receive. Yet to NOT be allowed to join a local board without first joining the NAR is, in my book...rather akin to being financially hijacked for ransom, only by joining NAR can you go about your business. I feel that if we join state and local associations...that that should be plenty...local and state boards can offer member benefits to its members, why the heck should I be forced into joining the national association?

It makes no sense to be required to join THREE associations, national, state AND local! Again, if NAR membership was optional, I would have zero beef with them, heck...I might even join if given the choice...but they have created a scenario by bedding with local associations and you can't (In most places) join only state and local associations until AFTER you have joined the NAR.

When I get my state drivers license, I am not required to pay for a local association fee, then a state fee, and yet another national fee...just to hold a license and drive a vehicle! AND let me clarify that I don't actually have any angst towards the NAR itself, the part that makes me uncomfortable is that they have made membership a requirement rather than an option because they managed to wine and dine the local associations into making NAR membership a requirement, offering them (God knows what?) in exchange of requiring it's local members to also join the NAR. THAT is the part that is NOT okay. Of course, if given an option, I can imagine that a lot of folks might opt out if they were not happy with what the membership in the NAR provided...Something like that might motivate the NAR do a better job!

Wow...what a novel concept, you do a good job and then I use your services...or...you don't do a good job and then I take my business elsewhere.

I have a great idea, we'll pay them a hundred bucks a year if the NAR served us better and we are pleased with their service...but we pay them only a one buck if we aren't happy with their service...maybe they'd begin to serve us better under that particular scenario! I'd sign up with that program right now! I can't help but wonder under which scenario the NAR might perform better, the one dollar model or the hundred dollar model?

But you are right on target, the NAR should be doing a better job, serving its members, and getting the word out as to all the tasks we take on behind the scenes...people don't understand that.

I don't hate the NAR...I simply don't support being forced to do what should be an option...that's my opinion, you might disagree...and also...I could be totally wrong! I'll accept being wrong, (I have no problem with that!) and I'll be pleased to learn from my wrongness...I just wonder if the NAR would do the same.

Carol

PS: my crystal ball is in the shop being repaired...they've had it for a LONG time now!

Crystal ball sales would be a good business to be in.

MAY

2009

Great analogies, Karen! I wonder how many anti-Realtor bloggers work in the industries you list. And I have always wondered about do-it-yourselfers. They always know how to do it better than a trained professional. They think we pay nothing to be a trained, experienced professional. To them I say, "Save a penny, spend a dollar, have at it, learn the hard way, it isn't easy for us, either!"

MAY

2009

'we take care of so much behind the scenes without concerning the client that they never know all that we do'

Truer words have never been spoken. I'm dealing with a client now who has NO IDEA how hard I've worked to keep their deal together, despite their idiotic behavior. In the end, they'll benefit from tons of instant equity and badmouth Realtors to their friends and family.

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Karen Fiddler, Broker/Realtor, Mission Viejo

Mission Viejo, CA

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(949)510-2395,The Fiddler Realty Team/eVantage Real Estate

Address: Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Laguna Beach,, Lake Forest, Riverside, Corona, Dana Point, Newport Beach, Tustin, Brea, Orange, Fullerton, Long Beach, Anaheim, SJ Capistrano, Mission Viejo, CA, 92691

Office Phone: (949) 510-2395

Cell Phone: (949) 510-2395

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