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I can’t find my agent, or my agent is busy... will you show me a home?

Lately I've been struggling with trying to figure out why buyers work with agents that are not really working for them! We happen to carry a fairly large listing inventory, so we receive a lot of sign calls.

We are continually asked to show homes to buyers that already have an agent. Basically they say, I'm working with another agent, but would like you to do their job please!

Finally, I had to ask a lady today why she would work with someone that is not even available to show her homes. Her response may surprise you, or maybe it won't. She said, "we have an agreement that I will find the home & she will give me back 50% of the commission". Don't even get me started. YIKES!

Now, on the flip side - it's our job to represent our sellers best interest and do everything we can to expose their home to the absolute greatest number of buyers. Therefore, we have been showing the homes. But I have to admit, I really dislike sharing a commission with someone that wasn't even the PROCURING cause.

Your thoughts?

Posted by Sue Nelson, Broker/Associate Las Vegas Real Estate ~Team Rhino~ on 07/15/2007 12:11 AM

Comments (41)

las vegas, real estate, clients, attitude, due diligence, representation, belief, spirit, suesellsvegas, homes, selling

41 Comments on I can’t find my agent, or my agent is busy... will you show me a home?

JUL

2007

Wow, talk about buyers with lack of representation. And to save a few bucks?

I probably would show my seller's homes too. I want to do what's best for them, but seems to me some new rules need to be in effect regarding this situation. What a crock.

Would you put that in writing, please? is perhaps one response. May I suggest another? My wife is a Realtor and I was taken by the very strong ethical standards expounded by the Association of Realtors. Instead of feeling bad about what is obviously unethical practice - call the agent, then their boss and finally the local Realtors Association. You aren't a snitch or anything bad at all - you are the person doing right and protecting the industry.

Wendy: The truth is, I could probably push the issue if I wanted to - but why? I just want to sell the home! If that means I have to do their job too... well, I guess that's what I have to do.

I just cancelled an escrow today, where the buyers agent never even saw the home.

Sue: In our market, it is not uncommon for agents to note a requirement on the listing sheet that the selling agent must be present at all showings and inspections to qualify for the commission.

Alan: I don't disagree, but at the end of the day - I want nothing more than to sell my clients home.

Sue, I totally understand what you are saying. You are aiming towards one goal for your seller, but I am still thinking this should be called out and addressed. Tough spot to be in, and I wonder if the buyers even realize how much it could hurt them. Probably more than the mere 50% they are getting back from their so called agent.

Randy: Isn't that amazing? Years ago when I was selling new homes, I had a 6 month escrow & never even knew they had an agent until 3 days prior to close when they inquired about their commission.

Carol: That's excellent, I like it! I'm just afraid to turn anyone away, you know?

Yes...I've run across too many of those lately. I think it's very unprofessional on the part of the agent. Absolutely disappointing and disgusting to say the least.

Ken

Wendy: I don't mind doing their job once escrow is open, I'm used to that. But my goodness, asking them to AT LEAST show it doesn't seem too much to ask does it?

Ken: Unprofessional, disappointing & disgusting. Good adjectives!

I've never heard of such a thing and I wonder how often this occurs. I still think a majority of these types of clients who need someone else to view a home just have lazy agents who actually keep all of their commission and are just conveniently "not available" when their clients want to view certain homes.

There are pretty sneaky clients that will also say or do whatever to get to see a house. I had one client who I've bent over backward to show houses to. I left town for one weekend and she had her mother call the listing agent on another property and pretend like she was the buyer. Boy did I get an earful from that listing agent when my buyer and her mother told the listing agent they had actually been working with me but just really wanted to see this house. By the way - I did have someone covering for me while I was gone but obviously that person wasn't good enough.

Ugh!

Well read this one, I had a customer call me about a listing and we scheduled a date for me to pick them up, well when I got to there house they had a for sale sign up from another company! (they told me they were not working with an agent. Did they think I was not going to see the sign!

I could not belive it, I call the couple the husband answered and I asked him about the sign in front of there home, I was very upset and it took all of me to hold it in (second time this has happen to me) and I told him before he answered me that I would report the agent for not doing her job, he told me that the agent told them to have another agent show them around but she will put in the contract! He did apologize.

What nerve!

Susan: Great point. It just amazes me how inconsiderate buyers can be.

Lorinda: Ouch! Yeah, yours is WAY worse than mine. I'd have to have a little chat with THAT agent (which I'm sure you probably did).

If we would all get signed Buyer Broker agreements from buyers before we take them to show homes, it would cut down on would be buyers "floating" about agent to agent and not committing to anyone.

Bob & Carolin: Excellent point. I typically only work with buyers by referral, but I have such a hard time passing up an opportunity to sell my clients home.

Sue, you were at least asked to show your own listing. I got a call from a buyer who wanted me to show him a listing from another office. The buyer had an agreement with another agent from our office. I suppose he thought if his agent is busy call somebody else in the office. May be he didn't know how the real estate agents get paid.

Keetu: That's just not right!! I think Bob & Carolin have the best idea... Our standard response should be - I'd be happy to show you any home you'd like to see with an exclusive Buyer Broker agreement!

Regarding Bob and Caroline's respones above...I've seen Buyer-Broker agreements signed and then the 'agent' in that situation sits back and does NOTHING...lets the buyer go out and find the house and tells them to call when ready to write. Not sure that a BB agreement would work in Sue's situation (maybe for the other agent but not for Sue).

Mary: I think you might be right. I'm between a rock & a hard place aren't I?

I hate that when it happens. I think it happens too often. We shop property to folks that are sent here by their agent but at least it is bood for the seller.

This must be more common than I thought. I just had this happen Thursday night. I had a buyer call on one of my listings, she sounded like she was in a frantic. "I love this house, I can't get a hold of my agent, she works another job, I'm so worried it won't be available when she calls me back". Ouch! I'm listening to this gal and instantly I want to try and get her into see my listing, but at the same time my mind is saying "yeah, her agent works another job, but come on". Where do you draw the line with that? My first instinct is to help and definitely not disappoint, but the after thought is nope, her agent should have better communication with her clients and make sure they understand what her position will be in the process. Really the agent needs to be there to protect the buyer anyway.

I'm always amazed at the people that think they are real estate agents. Especially the one's I see working at Home Depot.

I had a call from a person who told me her agent was too busy to show her the property and she didn't want to bother her. I ask why do you feel better bothering me? She didn't have an answer. I told her if she were my client I would be happy to show the property but if she had an agent I was not available to do that persons job.

Sue:

I would tell the buyers to schedule a time when their agent is available to come with them.

Showing the house to them without their agent is akin to what is known as a one legged lead. Their agent is involved to help them with their decision. If this is the case, you want all decision makers present. Don't waste your time.

I would tell the prospect that you or your company has a policy that if a buyer is represented by an agent we cannot show the listing without the buyer's agent being present.

I'm always happy to show my listing to people who want to see them, unless they have an agent. If their agent is out of town, I accomodate, but I usually ask them to call their agent and have he or she set up the showing.

I have had a few calls like this and my standard response is this:

"Please have your agent call me and I'll be happy to schedule the showing. Better yet, would you please give me the agents name and brokerage? I'll call him/her and make sure you get in to see the house."

I do my best for my sellers, but I also won't be taken advantage of. I have always alerted my sellers that I have received a call like this and my response. So far they only express appreciation for my dedication to them and my openness.

I don't work for free - and I'll be darned if I'm going to put myself on the fence showing a buyer a property when they already have an agent they are working with - or allegedly working with.

The other day when I got one of these calls the 'buyer' asked me, "Well could you at least give me the lockbox code and then I can let the agent know if I'm interested?" Ummmmmmm - that would be a resounding NO.

I had a transaction last month where the buyer wrote the contract, called me, negotiated the counter and then sent over an agency disclosure with an agents name on it. He doesn't have a license, but owns the brokerage. He demanded the commission.

Ray: My seller is the only reason I do it, although I have picked up a buyer here & there that way.

Julie: Their agent really is doing them a disservice by not being there. If I have my way, they will be paying LIST price!

Chris: :)

Darrel: I have to be more firm on this, these comments are making me think a little differently.

Bill: Company policy is always a great retort.

Todd: I agree, if the agent is out of town I don't mind. But if they are at their 2nd job or home sleeping, it really irks me!

Carol: I've had buyers ask me if I can give them a combination or locbkox code also. Are they crazy? I'm thinking someone must be giving it to them or why would they ask right?

Rich: Wow! My favorite is when they tell me that if I want to represent them I can, but they want my half of the commission. Oh gee, let me think... Now that's an offer I can't refuse!

The reason these agents are still out doing nothing is that no one will call them on it.

Sue, With that stipulation you will show the property but the buyers agent will not qualify for the commission even if they write it up. We usually pay a 25% referral fee in those cases. You can be fairly certain, it won't happen with the same agent twice.

Vicki: Excellent Point

Carol: I love this idea. Then give the buyer the option to choose whether or not they want to wait for their agent.

I've bookmarked your blog and went back through to read the more responses. Wow, Carol's idea is to the point and very helpful. Thank you for the addition.

I think that sometimes because of the agency agreement the buyer thinks they are locked in until it expires. They think they are just stuck whether the agent is actively working for them or not. I went to show a home one time and my buyer and I get to the house to find two ladies standing a box on the side of the house trying to get in through a window. They wanted to see the how really bad but the agent had not returned their call for two weeks. Its ridiculous to say the least.

Julie: I agree, it was a great suggestion for this dilemma.

Kimberly: I never thought about the fact they could be STUCK with their agent. How sad is that?

Wow, that is amazing! I bet those agents also had them sign a buyers agreement! Then people wonder why our industry has a black eye. Wow.

Steak: I'm starting to think that is the problem. These buyers are probably contractually STUCK with these agents!

JUL

2007

We have just started not showing homes to unrepresented, unqualified buyers. Even if a buyer calls on a listing we have, we do not show it until they first meet us in our office (safety), understand their agency choices and then make a choice, sign a buyer's agent agreement even if for only one house or one day and get them pre-approved (not just pre-qualified).

This has effectively 100% ruled out other agents buyers from wasting our time and our sellers time looking at properties that we have listed.

And we do this in the best interest of our sellers.

JUL

2007

Christina: I absolutely love your suggestion. Thank you!

It's a process in the making. While we don't have the redfin issues, every so often we get buyers out without their agents calling and asking for showings. I got tired of our buyer's agents running out to show properties. More often then not, these buyers don't pan out. Now, with that said, my hubby went against the grain recently to show a property, and they have become buyers for him. But, it was his choice to make as a buyer's agent prospecting for buyers.

I think that making this change will effectively rule out redfin from negatively affecting our business should they ever venture our direction. It also rules out any fly by night companies from utilizing our services and then forcing us to pay them for the "blessing".

JUL

2007

This has become an issue in our market as well. I am seeing more and more listing agents address the problem by reducing the commission to 0.5% or a small flat fee if the selling office agent is not present for ALL buyer appointments and showings. In fact per our MLS rules, the seller must write a letter stating this is their desired commission arrangement. These comments are then placed clearly in the agent only remarks.

JUL

2007

Tishelle: That is another fabulous suggestion. Thanks for your input.

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