It's my business and I wrote the Policies and Procedures. 

My recent article TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS  sparked some very interesting posts.  I appreciate the feedback.  My approach works for me because I have absolute confidence in my experience, knowledge of the market, negotiating skills, rules and regulations, etc.  However, some wonderful agents who may not yet have the experience to be able to be the independent cuss that I am, simply need time to mature and get more of those little "brain imprints" that will permit them to draw upon past experiences in everyday situations. 

Thanks for all of the comments.  Readers surely must understand that my post is addressing the issue, not necessarily the words used. 

For Mikey and Stan, who are non-real estate practitioners and say that they are prospective buyers, it's true, we wouldn't get very far because I don't work with buyers who believe that they know more real estate than I.  They don't.  They just think they do and buyers who try to control the transaction have no respect for the experience, training and real life skills that a seasoned agent or broker can bring to a relationship.  Buyers such as these have a basic mistrust of real estate agents in general and will not benefit from an experienced agents abilities because they will want to control everything.  Day after day, we read posts of agents who have been working with a buyer for a year, finally get a contract only to have everything fall apart because the buyer insists on certain actions that are either unethical, sometimes downright illegal, or at the least not a good use of times and surely not what the agent would have recommended to get to the settlement table.  Agent who work within the rules and their own experience are going to sell a lot more real estate, have more trouble free transactions and YES, make more money than agents who simply do what a buyer (or seller) tells them to do. 

When contacted by such a buyer, my approach is simply to wish them well, let them know that I'm not interested and let them play real estate with someone else.  These folks gravitate to agents who will LET the buyer control the process and that doesn't serve the buyer or the agent.  For what it's worth, my advice to agents, especially new agents is to get as much experience as you can and work with buyers who will permit you to do your job in a responsible, ethical and EFFICIENT manner. 

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE??

I got a call from a prospective buyer this morning who wanted to make appointments to see properties Friday evening and Saturday morning.  Wonderful.  I advised her that  since it gets dark so early now that perhaps looking at everything Saturday would be more productive.  No, she had appointments Saturday afternoon.  "Are you looking at other homes?" I asked.  She replied that she wanted to visit the new homes in the afternoon.  So, I told her that we can show her those too.  "We have a lot of experience with new homes in that area."  "No, I want to see the new by myself."  Well, we don't want half of a buyer.  So, I asked directly, "You want us to show you the resales but you want to see the new homes with the builder alone?"  "Yes," she said. 

"Sorry, we won't be able to help you."  Long silence on the phone.  "WHY?" she said with some exasperation.  "Because our agents are very busy and if we work with a buyer showing resales, we would also want to introduce you to the builders in the area since some of them have very good opportunities at this time".  She was sensing that she wasn't going to be able to get anywhere with that so, she admitted that she already had an appointment with a new home builder, one that I knew was FIRM that the agent must introduce the buyer in order to be paid by that builder.  So, again, I declined and politely wished her well.  She called back twice wanting me to change my mind.  I told her that, unless she would speak with the builder and that they would agree to pay us if she purchased one of their homes, we wouldn't be interested in just showing her resales.  Haven't heard back from her yet today. 

The point here is that this buyer had NO RESPECT for what we do.  The hours, days, months and yes, years learning and gaining experience to be good at what we do in order to SERVE our buyers (and sellers).  She simply wanted to USE our keypad to open the doors of the resales she wanted to compare with the new construction.  However, that keypad is connected to an agent whose time is very valuable.  Now, I know from experience that most buyers, if the price is similar, are likely to buy new when they compare the condition of resales to the new condition of builder's inventories.  I'm not guessing at this. I've seen it happen too many times.  There are far too many homes on the market that were not prepared for market by the listing agents or sellers.  Perhaps these sellers never contemplated being compared to new construction.  But, I know my market and I know that builders have homes in inventory and they are making VERY good deals today.  I'm not about to send an agent out to  open doors for a buyer who is very likely to buy new and for which we would not be included.  Seems to me that the agent would be better making themselves available for other buyers that would need our services on a weekend. 

Compare the new home IN INVENTORY with the resale home.  New appliances, new heating and A/C systems, new siding, windows, fresh landscaping, clean fireplace, new flooring.  Priced the same with the same possible delivery time for new and resale.  Builder paying $15,000 to closing.  WHICH IS THE BUYER GOING TO WANT?

Walking through a resale is one experience whereby the buyer is often faced with stains on the carpet, dirty oven, 10 year furnace and hot water heater, older model appliances, stains on the garage floor and perhaps pet hairs throughout.  Buyers spend the tour thinking about what can they get the seller to do or what are they going to have to do after settlement.  COMPARE that experience with the new construction where the buyer looks at aparkling new, clean and new warranties on everything. 

Why would an agent accept a buyer to show only the resales??? 

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, I'D RATHER SHOP.