I really hate it when people operate with misconceptions. Blame gets misplaced, anger is misdirected, resentment builds. In the end nobody wins.
The housing market operates the same way as other markets in our capitalist society. Supply and demand dictate pricing. Supply and/or demand change to make corrections when things are slow or moving too fast. Supply and demand can be interpreted by an expert but cannot be set by a single force.
Real estate agents are expert interpreters of the market. They can do their homework and use their experience to guide sellers in establishing a price for their listing, but in the end it is the buyer that holds the cards. The buyers determine what the house is worth when they make their offers.
Sometimes the offers are great and sellers are happy. Sometimes the offers are low and often the agent has already told the seller that they are overpriced. Some sellers, instead of getting real about the market, decide to blame their agent. Their agent isn't working hard enough, isn't placing enough ads in the newspaper (we all know that is a waste of money in today's world), needs to hold more open houses, etc.
It frustrates me to hear sellers unfairly blame their agents when their house isn't selling. Of course sometimes there is a bum agent that doesn't do much and is unrealistic about price. But when a seller has done their homework, interviewed several agents and made an educated selection then they need to place their trust in his/her hands. Sellers should remember that real esate agents are interpreters of the market and only have so much control over how quickly and for how much a home sells for.
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I totally agree. I have a listing hear in Utah and the seller keeps getting mad at me because I haven't showed the house to any of my buyers. It is in a 55+ community and I just don't have any buyers in that price range or thats older than 55. And because of that he thinks that I'm not doing anything for him. Its super frustrating to be told that I need to show the house soon or he will cancel the listing. I can only do what I can do and as I'm doing my job the best I can.