Half Empty or Half Full? Part or Full Time?

Have you ever wondered my most doctors, attorneys, air line pilots, and other highly skilled professionals typically do not work part time hours? It is amazing that the real estate industry supports and allows part-time agents. With Real Estate markets falling and even collapsing parts of the country, how do the hobby realtors continue doing business? It is because the general public has yet to be educated on how valuable a good Realtor can be. I do not ever recall visiting my part time dentist and asking him to pull a tooth, nor if I were in need of a medical procedure would I hire a doctor who strictly practices medicine as a hobby. I sincerely doubt that my mechanic would be my brother's coworker or my sister-in-law, whom just finished the hours necessary for her mechanics license. Most importantly I cannot fathom the idea of going to court with a brand new attorney just from Law School or getting on a jet aircraft with my best friend's brother as the pilot, just so I do not make them angry.

Yet time and time again people gamble with their most important asset, their homes. I hear that I can not list my home because my wife's sister just got her real estate license and I do not wish to anger them. Recently a buyer hired his niece, whom is only nineteen and just got her real estate license, because he did not feel he could hire another agent without hurting her feelings. Recently this same buyer said, "During the transaction I just never felt like I had representation." It seems that everyone either knows or is related to someone with a real estate license but that does not mean they should trust the purchase or sale of their home to just anyone with a license. Subconsciously, I am convinced these same people know they are making a mistake yet do nothing to prevent that from occurring. Clients should approach hiring a Realtor the same way they would approach hiring a person as selecting a school for their kids. Ask questions and be prepared to do whatever necessary to pick the best. On my website, http://www.corpuschristisold.com/ I have a list of 10 Questions to ask your agent, which anyone thinking of buying or selling real estate should read. All full time Realtors should have similar postings and get the word out that we are the best in our field and they deserve superior customer satisfaction!

Some of these comments may seem a bit harsh but my job is to represent clients and ensure they have the best agent in their corner. If you are a new agent hoping to make a career in Real Estate, temporarily a part time agent, working two jobs with hopes of becoming full time, or an experienced agent slowly weaning them out of the business, then this blog is not directed at you. This blog specifically it targeted at the part time hobby agent that closes one-three transactions a year, takes business away from full time professionals, and ultimately only hurts the people they represent with inferior service. The real target though is anyone thinking of buying or selling real estate and I sincerely hope if you fall into this category you ask the right question, "Are you a full time Realtor?"