In the last couple of months I have received contacts from more than a couple of people looking for a new REALTOR®.  Since getting in the business I get these contacts from time to time, but lately it has been happening more and more.

I am extremely cautious when I receive one of these calls or a contact at one of my open houses, etc.  If they are under contract with another agent, you can get yourself in a lot of hot water by saying the wrong thing.  I would not appreciate another agent undermining one of my clients with me and I would not do that to someone else.

Let's look at a few of the reasons I have been given for these clients contacting me:

Sellers

1. Their agent is too busy to sell their home.
2. Their agent does not return phone calls
3. No showings of their home.
4. Unhappy with their agents request to lower the price.
5. No regular communication from their agent
6. Lack of marketing including pictures in the MLS or proper flyers.
7. No open houses
8. Agent too pushy or rude.
9. Their home is under priced. (even if it isn't selling)

Buyers:

1. Agent too busy to show property
2. Agent telling the buyer to find the home and they will write it up. (I have heard this one many times)
3. Agent requiring them to use their lender (usually a sister company)
4. Agent not returning phone calls.
5. Not showing them homes they want to see.
6. Only showing listings from their office or their own.
7. Encouraging the buyer to put offers on homes they do not like.

I am sure those of you who are active in the business have heard all of these and many more.  I put these potential clients in two categories.

Bad or unreasonable client:

• The seller who believes their home is worth $100,000 more than anything ever sold in history.
• The client who wants the agent to hold 7 open houses a week, spend $500 a week in advertising and cut their commissions in half.
• The buyer who wants to see all 500 listings in the area.
• The buyer who refuses to do a pre-approval with a lender.

Good Client/ Bad Agent:

• The agent wants the client to do all of the work and then pay them.
• The agent who never returns a phone call.  We know them from when we try to show their listings and give up.
• The agent who does next to no marketing other than a sign in the yard.
• The agent who wants to severely under price ever listing to make their job easier.
• The agent who insults the clients.
• The agent who has a full time job during the day and can not be reached except off hours.

I hope I never fall into any of the categories.  Any agent who does deserves to loose their client or worse.  REALTORS® charge large fees to market and sell properties.  If they do their job professionally they can easily justify the fees.  If they do not do their job professionally they really should find another line of work.

They are dealing with the most important asset for most people and their clients deserve the best.