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Annoying Holiday Phone Calls!

It is amazing that each set of holidays there are loads of phone calls that come in from persons that want the services of a real estate agent, or further explanations about a property. Some callers are serial callers, calling on the hour or half hour. It is not unusual for callers to call either after 8:30PM or before 8:30AM. This year the phone calls seemed to be more than usual. That means a lot of other agents must be asleep at the wheel or on the beach in Destin. Many of these phone calls come in over VOIP where every 5th word may be audible, and many leave a message but forget to leave any contact information. It is most annoying. However what is more annoying are the callers that mention over the phone that their agent is useless and want us to do the work for them. They are brazen enough to ask for free information, to have home shown to them after the fact they mentioned they have a buyer's agent that cannot be reached. Sometimes they mention their agent is just too busy...could we help them. Other times they will mention they are in a signed contract and need advice. Last time I looked real estate agents are not attorneys.

It is amazing that these callers do not mind bothering others on a holiday weekend, waking us in the early morning, and disturbing our free time. I wish my clients respected me that much that I would have their unyielding loyalty, but I do not. Since I respect agency, and am a person of ethics... I have no intentions of running interference with another agent and their agency agreement with their principal...I feel it is not wise to engage them in conversation because they just want what they want...and I am not a willing participant.

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Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO on 07/05/2009 07:59 PM

Comments (25)

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25 Comments on Annoying Holiday Phone Calls!

JUL

I can't say I had any of those calls over the holiday, but have had them before. And yes, they are not fun. I love the "my agent is too busy" especially. I will say no more. :D

Jim

I call from a customer is a good thing, most real estate professionals will take all they can get.

Lou Ludwig

Jim, I know the feeling. I showed one of my listings the other evening to an (agentless) prospect because she said she had called a few agents but they were busy w/ closings, holidays, etc. I figured she needed a "working" agent.

On the other hand, if they are calling about my listing, then I am glad to help even if their agent is too busy - that is between the caller and that agent. I am not to busy to try to sell my listing and work for my seller.

Oh yes -- 6:30 on Saturday AM -- gotta love it -- and from someone with no hope of buying a home at all.

I don't think these kind of inappropriate calls are limited just to real estate agents, but more symptomatic of the times. You upholding the higher standard though never goes out of style.

Look at how many give the President of the United States so little respect second guessing decisions, drivers darting across the interstate to make an exit while risking the lives or those near them, a person walking their dog at a public park letting the dog drink out of the fountain instead of filling the dog bowl laying on the ground a couple feet away! I see this nonsense almost every day!

Now you know not all guests on Jerry Springer are paid actors and actresses!

For sure Jim!

I just Tweeted about how they all came out of the woodwork this weekend--few qualified--started ringing me before 8 am. 6 total - 2 need to sell a house first - 2 have agents - 1 needs to rent.

I did get a referral today though which makes it worthwhile . . .

This will be a busy week! But most of it could have waited till tomorrow after 9 am . . .

Andrea Swiedler (Prudential Adams & Associates, REALTORS) We had several this weekend that first identified that they had an agent. Some said their agent was too busy, one said their agent was too stupid....but they had an agent. One mentioned they did not want an agent but asked if a million dollar plus property could be shown in the next 30 minutes. Even when you mention it is not our listing it is IDX...they ask, "Well are you going to show me or not?"

Lou Ludwig CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC, e-PRO, (Ludwig & Associates) Client calls are always good.

Lizette Fitzpatrick - Broker-Realtor® Lizette.US - Kentucky Residential Homes (Lizette Realty - Lexington KY - Richmond KY) They are agentless, but many are not clueless. The word 'selfish' comes to mind.

I answer my calls on the holiday if I am working but If I'm off the phone is off. As too doing another agents work no way.

Lise Howe, Realtor and Attorney Licensed in DC, MD and VA (WC&AN Miller, a Long and Foster Co. ) Definitely! I have a separate number for our own listings. These are website calls.

Bob & Carolin Benjamin - E Phoenix Arizona Real Estate (Benjamin Realty LLC) if you ask them... "have you been pre-qualified, do you have a home to sell, is your home currently on the market..." it is like an exorcist that just sprinkled holy water on them!

Phil - You're right... society is coming apart at the seems!

Candice A Donofrio Broker/Owner Next Wave RE Invsts FM, AZ Seems more productive than the calls we received. LOL! Have a great week!

Russ Ravary - Michigan Homes for sale - Michigan Real estate & Mortgage info (Remerica Hometown One) Russ my business model is Internet. So our phone rings 24/7/365. On holidays many agents go MIA. Their clients want what they want when they want it.

I got one of these recently too. They said they are ready to put in an offer and they are working with an agent. So, why did they call me for more information? Just beats me. It shows that the agent did not educate his/ her clients correctly about agency. That's the time of businesses some poeple are running.

Loreena Yeo - Broker|Realtor(R) of www.Frisco-TX-Homes.com (214) 783-2210 (3:16 team REALTY) Unfortunatley...it is very common these days.

JUL

Jim - This is so true. I find I get calls for showings and inquiries from random people leading into a holiday weekend or on the holiday weekend which end up being leads that fizzle out. It's obvious that many agents are away and have left their clients to fend for themselves when it comes to gathering information or getting into a property. No fair, why should I do all the work and get paid nothing while another agent is laying on the beach?

Funny you mention this topic. .here I'm in the 4Th of July and I get two calls. .

Before answering, I said to myself. .it better not be another agent asking me questions about a listing..

I have to answer my phone because my buyer agent needs the leads.

These two calls start the same way.. they want to know the price. . and after I ask them "Are they working with a Realtor" they both quickly answered 'YES"

'. .then call your Realtor"

"No, I don't want to bother them. . I just want to know the price. ."

Click!

Jim - We had one call on the morning of the 4th, last Saturday, that wanted to write an offer on our listing that they had seen. Knowing they had seen it with another agent we told them to contact that agent to write the offer. Have seen nothing so far. I always love the one that says they can't reach the agent because they are "working their other job". I don't fault the agent from doing what they have to do, but if the client needs more attention than they can presently serve maybe they need to refer them out.

Carol Culkin (Houlihan Lawrence Realty) I totally agree with you. You also reminded me that on holiday weekends in the years gone past...that driving around the in-laws for entertainment was usually par for the course. The in-laws would come to visit, and were just nosy about the area...and liked to look at homes on our dime.

Fernando Herboso Real Estate Maryland, DC and Virginia (Key Realty Group-Foreclosures in Maryland,Rockville MD) Don't you love the logic? They do not want to disturb their "Realtor" but it is OK to disturb you!

Jim Valentine (RE/MAX Realty Affiliates) Jim, how come we do not get that loyalty? I would kill to have clients like that! The clients that I worked for 6 months are more likely to go off and buy a home at an open house with the listing agent.

JUL

I tend to get calls on the Monday federal holidays, as in "I'm off work and my kids are off school, so I'd like to bring the family to see some homes." When do you plan to move? "Oh, I don't know, we've just always wanted to see the inside of that house." Sorry, Sunday is our usual open house day around here!

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