Special offer

Commitment is NOT a Four Letter Word

By
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

Commitment is not a four letter word.

But judging from what you see on the part of some Carlsbad real estate agents, buyers and sellers, one would think commitment is the furthest thing from their minds…indeed, something to be shunned, and avoided at all costs.

  • Commitment implies, well, a willingness to take a stand, and to follow through on what you say you are going to do
  • It implies a loyalty to another individual, through thick or thin
  • And fulfilling your obligations, whether self-imposed or not
  • And commitment connotes a certain seriousness about whatever actions are taken, as opposed to a flighty, “I don’t care what happens” approach.

So, commitment would seem to be pretty darn important in our real estate business, yet so many act as though commitment is to be avoided.

Are YOU Committed?Some Carlsbad sellers put their homes on the market but the commitment is not there. You can tell they are testing the market, and setting a price that is so out of line with market conditions that it will never sell, no matter what is done to market it. The home is not in showing condition, due to clutter, lots of deferred maintenance and need for repairs, and the showing schedule is so limiting that it makes it hard for many buyers to even see the property.

Read also: Sellers, Don’t be Saboteurs (a.k.a. Be Committed to your Home Sale)

There are Carlsbad buyers who are not committed as well. They spends lots of time, either on or their own, or worse with one or more agents, looking at property endlessly but can’t or won’t make a decision. Some don’t get pre-approved so you have to wonder if they are serious. There are buyers that will not commit to working with a qualified agent even when it is in their best interests but, rather, have several they call to show them homes. Or they have one agent they are working with but then walk into an open house and decide to jump ship and use that agent instead. Where is their commitment?

Read also: Why Are You Using More Than One Agent?

And then there are a few agents whose lack of commitment is so apparent. They don’t do what they say they are going to do for their seller clients. They don’t respond to calls for information or to questions, and don’t facilitate showings. They don’t provide the marketing necessary to expose their sellers’ home to the appropriate market. Those working with buyers aren’t committed to providing the best service and representing their fiduciary interests. They don’t stay in touch either before or after a sale. And personal commitment to themselves to do the best job they can by putting aside their personal agendas and behaving ethically is sadly lacking.

Read also: Is Your Home Sale being Sabotaged (i.e., the things agents do that show they are not committed to their seller clients)

So ask yourself:

  • Are YOU really committed to your home sale?
  • To purchasing a home?
  • To helping your buyer and seller clients and doing the best real estate job you can?

Believe me, a lack of commitment shows and is obvious to all. And it hurts you in the long run.

By the same token, commitment is readily apparent and makes things run so much more smoothly. And you benefit from commitment, yours and well as from those who are working with you.

In general I think MOST people ARE committed to buying or selling once they make the decision to do so. They do what needs to be done, and then reap the benefits of a job well done. They are a pleasure to work with, and the satisfaction of seeing them achieve their goals is what this business is all about.

Fortunately the number of agents who are not doing their jobs is, for the most part, small. The problem is that those who do not are the ones who are remembered and who create a more negative impression of profession in general.

How important is commitment to YOU? And are YOU commited?

Posted by

Jeff Dowler, CRS
Certified Residential Specialist / Realtor®


Call or Text
(760) 840-1360

Email Me

Enjoy the beach life in Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas,
San Marcos & other
North San Diego County coastal
& inland communities

Buy - Sell - Invest - Second Homes  

     

About Me

My Blog

My Website

  Jeff Dowler's Facebook Profile  Jeff Dowler's YouTube Profile    Jeff Dowler's LinkedIn Profile

 

Comments (11)

Barry Bridges
Barry Bridges Weichert Realtors Bridges & Co. - Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Lake professional

Sellers can't do that unless someone takes the listing
Some buyers will do that but the majority I have 99% are loyal.
Are the agents really that bad? They are very good in my area.
It seems you are not real fond of agents and maybe they feel that. That should not be an excuse for bad service but maybe a little sugar would help.

May 31, 2008 05:54 AM
Chip Jefferson
Advanced Building LLC - Lexington, SC

Commitment is what I give God, Family and my clients. It has a powerful meaning and I have a award that I received early in my career that has and eagle and the word. COMMITMENT!

May 31, 2008 06:22 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Barry - thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Jeff

May 31, 2008 06:28 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Chip - actually I think mosts agents ARE committed, and do a go job, and that is true of sellers and buyers. But it seems that in this market the challenges of dealing with pricing changes, comepetition,and more that there are more problems. I agree that buyers, once they start to work with you are pretty commited (mine certainly have been). I guess I am referring to the folks who spend their time going to opens house, trying to see every propperty but without a willing to commit to an agent who can help them...and I can give you a number of examples from agents I know well.

You raise a good point about the agent who takes the listsing where the seller is not committed to pricing well, etc. So whose fault is that? Seems to me that is an agent who is not committed to doing the best job they can and being open and honest with the sellers?

Thanks for your thoughts. Commitment IS so important in our business and it is hard for those who are (no matter what side of the fence you are on) to have to deal with others who act as if they don't care.

Jeff

May 31, 2008 06:39 AM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

I like the way you address this issue.  I feel that from the side of an agent, not marketing the home; it should be an ethics violation.

From the buyers and sellers side the agents need to do a better job of pre-qualifying their clients.  Again I blaime the agents.

May 31, 2008 07:51 AM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate

Jeff, commitment is huge to me!  (I like your series on sabatoge.)  I am a perfectionist and it drives me crazy when I see others give less than 100% out of laziness.  I either do my best or don't do it.  Actually, I am a bit mad at a buyer right now who I am thinking of firing so this came at a good time.  He wants the moon and doesn't get the reality of prices of waterfront property.  By the way, did I say great post?  Sorry to rant!

May 31, 2008 08:54 AM
Jim Crawford
Long & Foster - Fredericksburg, VA
Jim Crawford Broker Associate Fredericksburg VA

Motivation is very inportant both on the selling and agent side. 

May 31, 2008 08:56 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Jeff, I agree Commitment does seem to be a problem for many these days, not just in Real Estate but in many other areas of life as well.  No longer can business be done with a hand shake or be taken at your word.  These days it better be in writing and even then commitment is sometimes in question.

May 31, 2008 10:44 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Jeff, I like this post and it has a great message.

I see that you didn't really draw a conclusion but more put the question in context.

Here is what I mean. A seller must somehow believe that there is a bigger fool than they. How do you suppose they feel about there fellow man?

Buyers, Yes we are committed to buy. But they leave the following off their statement. Only if we can steal a property and they are the very type that always feel they have been taken advantage of.

How do they feel about their fellow man?

Agents: Seem to believe this real estate business is like betting on the craps table. There must be a chance that either the seller will reduce it or that a fool will buy it. A chance. the odds are so high that even if you win once, in the longer run you will lose.

How do you suppose they think of their fellow man?

The answer is that some people no longer trust in others and many people are not to be trusted because they don't possess strong ethics. And many agents have no passion to seek excellence and benefit the consumer, it seems like they resemble gamblers, chasing a craps game.

Thankfully these people are smaller in number. But with stressful market conditions, they seem to appear on a more regular basis.

May 31, 2008 02:46 PM
Becky Respess
Broker/Associate Century 21 Judge Fite Co - Cedar Hill, TX
ABR, CRB, CRS

Jeff, great post. Thank you for giving us your insight oncommitment. You are so right. People seem to be having a problem dealing with commitment in every place in their lives personal, business, social, etc. Thank you again.

Jun 01, 2008 01:08 PM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, Realtor® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

Commitment to buy or sell, and not test the market is so important. I am definitely committed to my clients and demonstrate professionalism so that they will stay committed to me.

Jun 02, 2008 02:49 AM