Real Estate agents, we just want a little respect.

Sometimes I have buyers who are super respectful of my time.  Those buyers will generally look at listings on line that I have emailed to them and decided which ones they want to see and let me know and call and set up an appointment.  Today for example a buyer called and wanted to make an appointment for one day next week to see a property we discussed yesterday.  They also wanted information on one additional property.  I have now set up appointments to show both of these properties for a day next week.  These consumers who offer respect of my time generally call between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.  If they think of a house or a question at other times they shoot me a text message or an email. 

Then of course there are the "others", the ones who call after 9 p.m. and expect me to know all the information right now.  Those who call from the driveway and want me to come show them the listing right now.  Those who walk in the office with no appointment and want me to spend the day driving them around, yet they haven't called a lender.  Those who are working with an agent who they don't want to bother who call to ask me to spend my time giving them information.  Guess they don't care if they "bother" the listing agent.  Of course many times I'm not the listing agent at all, they just found the listing on my website.

Now which of these types of buyers do you think I'll go out of my way to try and help?  With of course the exception of emergency services which you should and do get 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I can't think of anyone else that you call at 9 p.m. for information or an appointment.  Please think about it.  We're in this business because we enjoy helping people.  But we really do deserve a little respect.  Be one of those buyers or sellers that we love to help.  Please. Pretty Please.

I thought about this post and if I should write for a while now.  And I hope I'm not talking about you.  I hope you are one of the majority of people who does respect us, our time, out family life.  But if perhaps you've called an agent at 10 p.m. or called from a driveway expecting us to drop everything and show you a home right now.... put yourselves in our shoes for a minute and think.... would I want to be treated like this?  If the answer is no, don't do it.