Is Your Agent a Homeowner?

I am amazed by anyone who is telling their customers they should buy, but don't feel they themselves should.

Aloha to all and have a Hauoli Makahiki Hou  (Happy New Year in Hawaiian)

When I first got into real estate, I had just turned 24 and was only making about $30k in corporate world.  You can't buy a "decent" house with that type of income.  I could have bought a condo, but for that price range, it's just like an apartment... so I opted to wait a year.  With that, because of my credit scores, I was able to buy a house with stated income only even though I was self employed less than 2 years.  The rate was a little higher, but I was now a home owner... and again... and the second time around was a NIGHTMARE!!!

It's not just the realtors that are apartment dwellers but MANY mortgage people are as well.  It amazes me how many people can give the ins and outs of loans and not get one themselves though they know all the options.

I am in the real estate business because of my home buying selling experience.  The buy side wasnt too bad except it was never disclosed to me that my agent actually worked for the seller.  This was in 1996 before buyer agency came to CT.  I had NO clue what I was doing and now am amazed I made it through it.

Selling was the catalyst.  I found out afterward that there were things that I didnt know about.  Like that I didnt HAVE to make repairs that CHFA required.  I was told I HAD to.  My home sold THREE times.  The first two times the person was not even qualified to buy.  The house appraised out twice and them somehow appraised out at 10K less on the 3rd go round in an increasing sellers market!  My realtor NEVER told me I didnt have to go forward.  She NEVER told me I could negotiate.  She agreed to a commission reduction and when we got to closing NEVER said a word and collected her full 3%.  I found all this out aftwerwards and felt totally betrayed.

ooops...guess I vented there a bit.  But my point is without having gone through both processes I would have no idea what an emotional experience it is as well as finanically stressful etc.  And I learned what NOT to in my own business.

interesting post, it is really hard to imagine so many agents are renter, this is like "Do as I say, not as I do."

Funny, sure touched on something here!  Great to see that there are so many views

I became a REALTOR because of my experience in buying and selling a home.  I bought my first home when I was 26 and I wanted to make sure no one had to feel like I did when I went through it.  I knew I could make a differrence.

While I can comment on the posts about the importance of being a REALTOR and a homeowner, the biggest key is the client. 

 A cancer doctor empathizes with the patient and the family, a REALTOR empathizes with the client.  How your communicate and educate and represent your client is what matters.  The bond you have with your client is just that a bond. You are the expert- can you know the ins and outs of a transaction solely by your education? Or is it more knowledge because you have personally gone through it?  Seems the biggest thing here would be you "feel" the experience because you have been there before as opposed to being experienced in it by prior transactions.  What does that mean to the client?  The difference in saying to a client 'I did that when I bought my home'  as opposed to explaining 'this is what happens'.  Is that more for your benefit, or the clients?

Food for thought here, not saying I agree or disagree that a licensee should have purchased a home before or that it impacts the transaction- just pointing out that a good agent is a good agent because of the bond and representation they provide to a client.

Perceptions is 99% of the rule, how does the cleient perceive an agent?  What do they expect? Does it just solidify the relationship when an agent can say ' I know how you feel I've been there  before'? 

I believe our profession is one of great pride, and it's hard when you hear those horror stories of transactions gone crazy.  For those agents who believe in what they do and take it seriously, we need to express that to clients.  For agents who are in this business for the wrong reasons, or do not take it seriously..............well, stop and think about how and what that means to consumers. It's about the consumer. 

Funny, sure touched on something here!  Great to see that there are so many views

I became a REALTOR because of my experience in buying and selling a home.  I bought my first home when I was 26 and I wanted to make sure no one had to feel like I did when I went through it.  I knew I could make a differrence.

While I can comment on the posts about the importance of being a REALTOR and a homeowner, the biggest key is the client. 

 A cancer doctor empathizes with the patient and the family, a REALTOR empathizes with the client.  How your communicate and educate and represent your client is what matters.  The bond you have with your client is just that a bond. You are the expert- can you know the ins and outs of a transaction solely by your education? Or is it more knowledge because you have personally gone through it?  Seems the biggest thing here would be you "feel" the experience because you have been there before as opposed to being experienced in it by prior transactions.  What does that mean to the client?  The difference in saying to a client 'I did that when I bought my home'  as opposed to explaining 'this is what happens'.  Is that more for your benefit, or the clients?

Food for thought here, not saying I agree or disagree that a licensee should have purchased a home before or that it impacts the transaction- just pointing out that a good agent is a good agent because of the bond and representation they provide to a client.

Perceptions is 99% of the rule, how does the cleient perceive an agent?  What do they expect? Does it just solidify the relationship when an agent can say ' I know how you feel I've been there  before'? 

I believe our profession is one of great pride, and it's hard when you hear those horror stories of transactions gone crazy.  For those agents who believe in what they do and take it seriously, we need to express that to clients.  For agents who are in this business for the wrong reasons, or do not take it seriously..............well, stop and think about how and what that means to consumers. It's about the consumer.