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The Super, Duper, Pushy, Agressive agent wins...

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Real Estate Agent with More Realty, Englewood Cliifs, NJ

I met with my seller/buyer friend at their house, to talk about their listing and to have the kids play. Little chit chat, blah blah and they mention something about some house they like.

i know they were looking at some houses in an area where i normally don't cover. They felt bad that they were dragging me all the way there to see couple of houses when they weren';t even sure that they wanted to live there(great school, nice town but longer commute/far from family) so they went with another agent, who supposedly knew about every house that were to come out on the market.

Anyway, assuming it was a house there, i was surprised to find out it was from the neighborhood that i've been working with them on for the past....couple of months. they have been updated on every new listing, we've practically have been there every weekend looking at the new listings and such. they mention the address... i know the address, it was the one that ultimately we took off the list because it was on a busy street.

My seller/buyer friends begin to tell me a story

Awhile back, they were driving around and saw an open house sign. they go in, look around, not impressed. The agent asked them to sign in, make small conversation, asks for number/email. for the next couple of weeks, the agent kept on calling them.

"hey, it's me, there's a great new listing i think you'd be interested in.. blah blah..."

they just ignored him couple of times but kept on calling on the cell phone, at work and emailing about things that we have already seen. it was annoying, but they really couldnt' tell him off. they told him that i was working with them already but this did not stop this man from contacting them about other properties(doesn't this violate some ethics code??) this continued for couple of weeks and on Friday, he called them about this particular property.

"this property is really great, it's got everything you want, it's really hard to show and people have not been able to go view it but i work with the listing agent and she befriended the seller and they can do me a favor and get us in, today and probably today only, otherwise it will be difficult."

they got the sales pitch of "act now or regret for the rest of your life" and they figured they had nothing to lose, they went and they loved the place.

$1.2million, great location, just on a slightly busy street, got everything they wanted~

i think they might go undercontract and the wife is mad that they could not get this through me(their point is that this agent was making them miserable and annoyed for couple of weeks and will now benefit(commission and lots of it) from it 

normally when i meet a potential buyer/seller i ask if they are working with another agent. if they say they are,  i'd give basic information that they are looking for but  i tell them to go back to their agent,  telling them i can't represent them. but for an agent to keep persuing customers who already have an agent that they are working with.. i don't think i can sleep at night.

 

 

 

Geri Sonkin
Douglas Elliman Real Estate 516-457-7103 - Merrick, NY
Long Island Real Estate & Staging Expert

The problem is, many agents don't care if they mention they've worked (are working) with another agent.  Unless you have a buyer brokerage agreement with them, they're available to aggressive people out there.  In this particular case I would wonder if the property you're describing would be the best choice for them.  In that price range, on a busy road, it might be harder to sell down the road, or sell for less than a similar home on a quiet street.  Wouldn't you think?

May 26, 2009 02:14 AM
Sarah Eubanks
Hill Valley Financial Services - Oregon City, OR
Preferred Oregon Loan Consultant & Notary Public

Jane!  WOW!!  I cannot believe the nerve of the other agent.  I hope that you have some recourse with them.  Best wishes to you...

May 26, 2009 02:16 AM
Elizabeth Bolton
RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA
Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Jane ~ There's a lot more of this type of behavior going on now that things aren't coming so easy.  Like you I back off when a buyer tells me they're working with someone but clearly that's not the case for everyone.  In our area some agents have started phrasing the question "have you signed a buyer agency contract with anyone?"  It's really obnoxious IMO but unfortunately I think in the scenario you described you are only protected if you did in fact have them signed up as buyer clients.  Bummer! 

Liz

May 26, 2009 02:56 AM
Matt Listro
National Credit Fixers - Matt Listro - Vernon, CT
Your Credit Repair Expert

Hi Jane: I guess the squeeky wheel gets the grease.

:)

May 26, 2009 03:12 AM
Jane Myong
More Realty, Englewood Cliifs, NJ - Fort Lee, NJ
Broker Associate, CRS, ePro, GRI

Geri: it's sort of on a busy street, not a main road but a bit of traffic. that's why it was taken off from our initial list... there's another one on the market on the same block for $1.9M which makes that one seem like a bargain..

 

Sarah: thanks~

 

Elizabeth: i know this is business but it's really sad that many are out there to look for opportunities to step all over other realtors...

 

Matt: guess so.... ;) 

May 26, 2009 01:25 PM