Hi Karen - very nice post, and a great list for new agents to think about when they're trying to break into this business.  We were all new at one time.

Ann

I agree. I'd add that new agents should broaden their view to include working with wholesale investors and auctions. Many agents only focus on retail customers and standard retail listings. 25% of real estate will be sold via auction over the next ten years. Don't miss that market!

I'd like to add to Ann's reply. This is also a great list for seasoned agents to read as perhaps some of them have grown lackadaisical an have let the young enter and establish themselves in their territory's.

Karen:  Thank you for reminding us that just because someone may have more experience, one should not discount the newer agent.

Ann,

I'm not sure when a newbie is no longer a newbie. My husband asked me that question yesterday. How many closings makes a seasoned professional?

Brett,

I agree about the auctions and I am a great proponent of new agents doing Broker Price Opinions and getting their feet wet in the foreclosure market, which is lateley increasing. Incidentally, my maiden name is Cole!  Good name:)

Danny and Theresa,

I wasn't thinking about that when I wrote this, but you are absolutely correct. There are some lackadaisical Seasoned agents out there. I suspect they are not on Active Rain though, because most of the agents here are still trying to keep their name out there.

Karen-Great post.  Yes we were all new agents at some point in time.  As a trainer of many "newbies" there is a difference in how they choose to treat this industry right out of the chute.  Someone who is customer service focused will always hit the points in your list.  Those that are here simply "for the money" and believe this is an easy business to make a quick buck scare the daylights out of me!  Then again that same attitude prevails in some of the agents who've been in the business for a long time as well.

Guess there's no secret to success at this.  Treat the customer really well, be diligent in your obligations to them, treat all parties honestly and fairly and you'll succeed whether new or in this business a long period of time.

Darren,

Guess there's no secret to success at this.  Treat the customer really well, be diligent in your obligations to them, treat all parties honestly and fairly and you'll succeed whether new or in this business a long period of time.

Very well said!

New or seasoned realtor I believe it is the person, how well they communicate with others and their integrity.

As a rookie agent in a market with a lot of experienced agent, its good to see there are some reasons out there for choosing a new agent!

I like an experienced agent with the heart and energy of a new agent.  I still feel like a new agent.  When I lose that feeling I think I will quit and find something to get excited about again.

Karen, I wondered this myself when I first went into the business.  I quickly found out that very few clients look at your track record.  For the most part the public views us as fungible, they don't perceive real differences between agents, even in terms of knowledge of market areas. 

There was one couple who sent out an RFP (Request for Proposal) to rationally determine who was the best agent to list their home.  Out of the 13 agents they interviewed they chose me, which was the rational choice as I'm the only agent who specializes in this market area and I have the best track record.  Before I could get over to the home to sign them up, they had become friendly with another agent and decided to work with them for that reason. 

Selling one's home should be a rational process, but it isn't.  New agents can make it in this business because someone feels comfortable with them.  As a newbie I got a million+ listing for the same reasons, they had planned to sign with an experienced agent and at the last minute happened to meet me and felt more comfortable with me and signed up.

I wish I had known all this as a newbie, I would have been less nervous, and my listing presentation would have been a lot shorter.  I try to keep the part of the listing presentation about my qualifications and track record short as I can see prospects' eyes glaze over.  They want you to get to the "meat" of the presentation, which is "How are you going to market my house?" and what is the right list price?

Karen... I agree, it shouldn't be a deal killer per se. Besides, everyone has to start some where. New or old, someone willing to go the extra mile. Explains things well and not half ass. And someone that follows up is what I look for.

Karen,

New agents are also hungry, at least the ones who want to make a name for themselves.

New agets get programmed to not worry about mistakes,they do not know better.

There is nothing wrong with working with a new agent, as long as they are confident and if they wing it, the client will never know, it happend to me on my first deal...the sellers thought i was very seasoned, I took it as a compliment.

Believe me, I have had a few agents brag how long they have been in the business, "I in the business for 35 yrs".....but they know nothing ,they do nothing and the onlt reason why they have been doing it longer is because they were lucky enough to be put on this earth before us, that is the only reason,they could be in it for 35yrs, but never worked full time.

I have a husband and wife team that brought me a buyer, they have been around the 35yrs, I have not heard from them since the contract was delivered, they came to the inspection and left 5 min later, they buyer has been calling me about everything, and I am giving the other agents more compensation then I am getting.

Gail is Right ON, 
I also heard, when I was new that the BEST experience you can get (right away) is working with FSBOs and EXPIREDs.  If you can close FSBOs and EXPIREDS in the beginning of your career then you should be able to deal with anybody.  I think we all begin working with mostly BUYERS First and I know a lot of agents that prefer working with BUYERS only throughout their entire careers.  Sellers buy experience and reputation more than personality (Sellers tend to LIKE pushy and agressive).  Buyers more often buy or work with you because of your personality (Buyers tend to LIKE warm and mushy).  I don't think  experience and reputation matter as much to buyers.

Karen- Good post. When I started in the business no one ever asked me how long I have been in the business. Not until I had been doing this about a year. And my first 12 months I closed 22 sides. I think you and the commenters make really good points. Zest, enthusiasm, effort, energy, and a "fake it until you make it" attidude go a really long ways.

Yes we were all new at one time or other. In the purchase of what could be your largest expenditure of your life this question begs to be answered.

Do you want to work with an agent that has no experience with all of the myriad of problems, objections, and pitfalls that come with the transaction? In other words DO YOU want your Agent to practice on YOU.

It's just a question. It does not mean that the seasoned agent will do better or worse. It only suggests that a Seasoned agent has been exposed to more and may be able to handle problems better than someone encountering the problem for the first time.

Very well said.  There is an upside to being a new agent!  You always have to sell your positives!

Karen:

Thanks for the thread.  Great subject.

 "We are all new agents on time or another ".  At age 45, after 20 years in engineering, I am switching to real estate! Newbie!  Other people think I am crazy, but with all the outsourcing of jobs here in silicon valley, with PC sell for $299, I think my years as a engineer is numbered.  At the same time, I see agents working fine at 65 years old. At age 45, and had been real estate investor at past, I am very passinate about real estate and I am hungry! I am eager to prove myself by giving extra-ordinary service to clients.  At the same time, believe me, there is a lot of doubt too :(   There are so much to learn in the business, contracts, legal, marketing, website, SEO, designation ...  but again, maybe that's what make this career exciting!

Well said. In my Broker's office I work with every new agent for several transactions until they tell me, "I got it." Even from tha point on I am available to answer questions. Beyond that, since I do not know it all (amazing how little I do know), we always have our Broker vailable. Great post!

Good morning Karen....I value you of all the points you have made.  As a former broker that trained a lot of Realtors in the past I have seen many of the traits you have mentioned.  However, I have seem some new agents fall flat on their face.  I have also seen some seasoned agents that have been in the business for over 20 years that have all the traits you have mentioned and many, many more.

I believe whole heartedly that the best virtue anyone can have is "Passion" which means many things.  With Passion agents are driven because they love what they do. The can't wait to get up in the morning so they can go out and do what they want to do and they want to do it well. If they fall down they get right up because of this Passion.

In my opinion it doesn't matter if one is 20 or 60 years old.  It doesn't matter if you are new to real estate or been in it 30 years.  Passion is the ingredient every great Realtor has.

No doubt new agents break themselves in on their friends and relatives.  Good thing.  I believe that experience counts for a lot.  That said, this business is fueled by self-generated clients.  The new agent relies on their sphere to learn the business.  Friends and relatives are more likely to be "forgiving" of the new agent making mistakes.  That's just the way it is. 

New agents need a lot of broker guidence.  New agents with brokers who provide a lot of oversight are fortunate and so are their clients, even moms and cousins and neighbors. 

I believe that the client is more likely to have a good result with an experienced agent.  But, of course there are some pretty bad anges with lots of experience. 

Self employment is a funny thing.  Anyone who wants to can start a real estate practice if they can find a broker to hold their license and we know that is not hard to do.  Most brokers welcome new agents for the moms, dads, cousins and friends and neighbors that come with them.  Once those folks are sold and settled, that is when many new or newer agents get the day job.

Sometimes a new agent is more eager, enthusiastic and has the time a buyer and seller may require. I agree with others that we all have to start somewhere. It's more about like, trust, and customer satisfaction. Personality is a huge part of why people work with the ones they do. Your Passion to help others will always prevail regardless of time in the business.

In some cases they are just "there" and so they were chosen.  I think we have a tendency to over analyze why one person choose this agent over me?  Most people do not understand how we actually get paid and assume we get a pay check like everybody else.  I know people that have chosen an agent over an "agent friend" because they did not want to cause them any work so they figured they would choose one of the other guys so as not to cause their friend any work!  Its important to educate your SOI an I think the new agent today has the benefit of learning from the mistakes of those already out there. 

Think of Activerain for example.  A newbie can come here and put himself years ahead where those agents starting 20 years ago were at when they were new. 

I think your post will help some of the new agents see their potential. I think it's great when we can help new agents boost their confidence.

Luke,

Integrity is key to how well an agent will continue to prosper. Hows Daddy?

Erin,

It's tough to compete with experienced agents. They actually do have more knowledge:) However, it's not impossible.

Tim,

I agree, any agent needs to be driven from the heart or else, what is the point?

Gail,

I personally agree, that clients want to know about how you are going to sell their homes or with buyers, how you are going to find them their home. I have yet to use a graph. That is not to say I don't give people a current synopsis of the market and have a few reports to back it up, however, I really think Agent choice is Emotional.

Jeff,

Followup is important. I have actually gotten clients due to lack of followup from other agents:) btw did you get my email:)

Neil,

Yes, hungry is important. I like to use the word "driven". I consider myself driven. It also causes some stress in my daily life because I try not to miss any detail. I eat, drink, sleep (sometimes), Real Estate!

Debbie,

I personally LOVE working with buyers! Does this make me mushy? Perhaps. Conversely, there is nothing like the 10,000 phone calls you get with a good listing and all the followup contacts you make from that listing. Guess I am a BiAgent:)

Love it, a BiAgent.....I enjoyed this post and the comments.  Keep 'em coming.

Before getting into real estate, I worked with a newer agent (3 years in the business) while he was still hungry and he did an excellent job for my husband and I when we we began looking for our first home. He truly listened, helped us negotiate a good price on it and walked us through the process. As the years went by, he moved to a fancier town, hired an assistant and by the time my now ex-husband and I got a divorce and put our home on the market, he made it clear that I had to buy my home in x amount of time, that he was too important to give me the time that we had when I made my first purchase. Never, never lose sight of the people that helped you build your business and the habits that you developed to obtain that business. We may want to be bigger, faster and more productive but our hearts should always be there.

Debi,

You're right! Most people do not ask how long we are in the business. It's the Realtor that promotes it, if they are in the business 25 years or if they are a Newbie, they are nervous because of it.

Herb,

You do make a good point and it sounds a little scary, "having an agent practicing on you", however, as seen by some of the comments in this thread, and also if you read some of the profiles from people here on Active Rain, you will find that there are a good many Agents who have come to this profession after being in other professions. I personally think life experience is a great backdrop for a Real Estate Agent. I am certainly not saying that all seasoned agents are not as good as newbies, just trying to let newer agents know that if they pay attention, put their heart and soul into it, they can prosper and enjoy the Real Estate Business.

Randall,

Yes, a new agent actually has an advantage in some ways if they can get over their fears.

Kelling,

Exactly what I was trying to say above....When you actually "choose" Real Estate as a profession, you will probably do well at it.

Gary,

It's great that you are so supportive to your agents and the fact is "no one knows everything"! Things are changing constantly

George,

I believe whole heartedly that the best virtue anyone can have is "Passion" which means many things.  With Passion agents are driven because they love what they do. The can't wait to get up in the morning so they can go out and do what they want to do and they want to do it well. If they fall down they get right up because of this Passion

I can't say it any better than that!

Lenn,

Having a supportive Broker is extremely important! I would suggest to all new agents to make sure that they are in the right company for this reason alone. I don't know how many times I ask my Broker questions, even if I know the answers, just to double check myself.  As far as the other job, that's a whole nother post:)

Brad,

Your Passion to help others will always prevail regardless of time in the business.

Passion seems to be the root of a good Agent no matter how long he/she is in the business!

Very true Karen, and good post.  How closely I can relate to all that has been said in this post since I am now entering my second year, WHEW!!!

Great post!!  I think that we seasoned agents need to remember what we were willing to do to get a deal.

Hi Peggy,

I don't do that many posts! I wasn't sure if I could use that word, but guess it's not a Real word:)

Irene,

So that's the kind of story I hear a lot, unfortunately for the Real Estate Business. Obviously he lost his Passion and in turn his Drive. He is exactly the type of agent, that a newbie can out produce!

Matt,

I don't want the seasoned agents to get too Passionate:)  I'm trying to pave the way for a few new agents who really should be in this business! Bottom line, if you have the drive and passion, in any profession, you can and will make it!

Chris,

I just read your profile. You should add Passion to the list!

As a new agent myself, I say thank you! I believe what you wrote is true and I love how it's spelled out in a way a client would appriciate it. Again thanks for the great post :)

Karen,

Thanks for the post.  As a new agent I ran into this the a few nights ago.  Talking with an acquaintance who mentioned he was going to be putting his house on the market soon.  When I asked if he needed an agent he told me he was going to use someone with more experience.  Through conversation I found out that he was not going to use agent he had previously, and she is in my office and definitely produces more than me at the moment.  However, she has not kept up with him allowing another agent to come in.  My response to him was experience doesn't necessarily make a good agent.  Now we'll see if I can be persistant enough to get his listing.

Good post Karen, and Thanks for supporting the newbies out there we all started somewhere lets not forget our roots and encourage the new agents!!

Good Day!! have a cup of java and a smile on me :)

Karen,

Congratulations to you as this is a very thoughtful and excellent post. I have no doubt that it will serve to inspire many new agents and they strive to gain their professional reputation as well as fair market share in the business.

Anyone (long-timer) in the business now can't help but respect the challenges facing the newest agents out there working to survive in the current housing market. I'm sure that this post will serve to inspire and encourage many of them to stay the course.

Karen,

Nice upbeat feature!  In today's difficult market it can be discouraging for both new and seasoned agents.   New agents need to hang in there... Given time their day will come..!

I think a distinction can be made between newbies who've never purchased a home vs newbies who are starting this industry as a second career. Many in that second category have likely purchased multiple homes, know the good/bad points of a home, and are experienced in life if not in real estate.

Julie,

You're welcome. That's what I was trying to do:)

Brian,

Just calling to see how he's making out will give you an idea, and also give him an idea that you do follow up. Just be very careful, you want the business, yes, but I find that most people don't want to feel pushed, they want to feel like it was their choice. Listen listen listen!!!:)

Duayne,

No java for me:)  Hot chocolate with Amaretto and Kaluha sounds pretty good though:)

Ron,

Thankyou! I hope it does inspire someone. The first couple of years can be very depressing! There's an incredible amount of hard work getting one's name out there in the first place, and then trying to "prove" yourself can be very daunting! I only can speak from my own experience and it's much harder than I ever thought, but also much more rewarding than I ever thought:)

Dan,

You're right, today's market can be depressing for seasoned agents also, having to adjust to new technology can be just as troublesome. We can't all be selling multi million dollar homes once a year:) But we can all make a living and be our own boss, which to me is the most pleasurable part.

Elaine,

I have to admit, you are right. There is a distinction between a second career newbie and a first job newbie. However, I still feel that, with passion and drive and an open mind, so many things are possible in Real Estate. There are so many avenues to pursue. It's not only buying and selling homes, as you know. But yes, it would e tougher for someone "new to life", but not impossible by any means. We all have the same options, we just need to take them:)

I love this!  I read an article a couple of weeks ago from an agent who "claimed" to have sold over x amount million and should have been given extra "perks" from the office.  No matter what the price of the home...how much of a % did they bring into the office...not to mention the quality of service!  I have worked on the other side of agents who "claimed" they had over 10 or 20 or 25 or whatever years but after "researching" I found out they only had a few transactions.

When I first started out my broker gave me a floor call and said they specifically did not want a "seasoned" agent and when he asked them why they told him that they wanted someone new who could spend the time with them....needless to say they were great people....and bought as well as sold their home through me!

Bottom line....remember where we came from!

Karen ~ you bring up some very valid points.  I do believe many clients would rather work with a new and perhaps young agent that is more like themselves. The experienced agents many times don't have the patience needed to stick with some of the expectations of the first time buyer.  Newer agents tend to have more in common with some buyers.  It's the commonality that binds them together to make a good working team that has faith and trusts in each other.  Understanding each other's needs and expectations is a huge part of finding the right house and putting a good deal together.

kk

Hi Karen, As a new agent, I thank you for this encouraging post.  I believe that my experience in my previous profession will be a big help to me as I continue to learn more about real estate.  Thanks again for encouraging us 'newbies'.  Doreen

Karen-Great job! I really can't add a lot to the previous comments except to say that as an agent for a little over a year-I never thought about the competition. I went out and grabbed the business wherever I could in a very focused way. No one ran into me, talked to me for more than 10 seconds, or stood in line by me without leaving with a business card. Add on top of that a very focused organized geo-farm and I had an awesome first year-5th highest producer in office ahead of many of the "seasoned" professionals. Great post! Would you mind adding to the "Rookies Turning Pro Group"-this is exactly the kind of information that we as rookies need> Thanks so much

Karen,

Nicely done.  I would also say that newbies are particularly energetic and they bring a freshness to the situation.  I would also agree with some of the comments here that stated that it really depends on the person and how well received they are by their customer.  Not all matches are made in Heaven.  Thanks for the post and for introducing us to Julie Akyol.

I like your thoughts..

Well said. I can remember when I was new to real estate and worked twice as hard as "seasoned" agents. I have always been full time and now into my 4th year all that extra work to set myself apart and be different has paid off. I don't seem to struggle anymore. Love my job!

Hi, after reading the comments I am intrigued and am going to present the same question to a different topic. 

 If you are willing to  work with a new realestate agent would you also work with a new home inspector?  This question comes up many a time as to when are you no longer new. And what makes the differnece?  A home inspector with 5 years experience doing inspections and little official training (the profession is mainly unregulated and education is not manditory as long as you can pass the exams or a newer inspector with all different type of training and education but say 1 year of inspections.?

Please let me know your views.  Any agents and those especially in the Simcoe County, (Barrie, on) region.

Thanx. Steven 

Celeste,

Another point! New agents do have more time to spend with a client. Thankyou for mentioning that!

Kristal,

That also is a good point. I remember a post by Marianna Wagner awhile back about her generation. Generation and peer groups are also important. People will go with whomever they feel comfortable with.

Doreen,

Your very welcome! It's all about attitude:)

Stephen,

I have edited this to be included in the Rookie turning pro group. Thanks for mentioning it:)

Lisa,

Thanks for noticing Julie and I hope others will welcome her also:)

Gloria,

Thanks.  I think your slogan should be "It's not all about Price", what do you think?

Lizette,

New agents need to know that working hard does pay off. Not to lessen how hard it is to do, but to have faith in themselves.

You're right, Karen, there are a lot of reasons someone would choose a new agent: enthusiasm is one, fresh ideas is another. Length of time in the business isn't the sole way to chose an agent, as you pointed out. Interview old and new, and see what each has to offer.

When my son joined our team, we'd go out on a marketing presentation together and tell prospective clients that they would get the best of both worlds: enthusiasm and new ideas combined with experience and a track record.

Steven,

I can only state from my own experience. Maybe someone else will chime in here. Usually, in my state, the client chooses the inspector that they wish to work with. I particularly like one inspection company in my area for the thorough job they do. They not only show my buyers the big things but all the little things that may come up in the course of owning their own home. It has never occurred to me to ask how long they have been in the business. I have seen them in action and that is all I need. On the other hand I have seen a different inspection company foul up a sale because they were not thorough enough. They told the buyers that the septic system had failed, the buyers were ready to back out. Luckily my sellers had all the paperwork for the backup septic system that had been installed and we were able to complete the transaction. I would not recommend these people for that reason. Again, I do not know how long they were in business either. So I guess it comes down to the same thing, no matter what profession you are in, if you try your best, do a good job, the clients will follow.

Sharon,

Now that is a team!  I bet that worked well, didn't it. New agents definitely need someone to mentor them. I am still searching for a mentor:) And I am going to start training my 1 year old granddaughter to take over for me:)

I agree ,even as a seasoned agent sometimes we forget that we all had to get started somewhere. I still go above and beyond! I want my business to pass to my family and children. I want clients to say well you're just like your father. Hardworking and very honest.

Karen,

I agree with much of what has already been said. New or seasoned, the agent that a person(s) feels most comfortable with their abilities is the one they should choose, for reasons previously stated. Great post ; )

Karen,

None of my clients nor prospective clients have asked me how long I've been in this business, but they've all acknowledged and thanked me for the great service I've given them.  The only one who seems to question whether or not I'm qualified to handle a lising is my niece's husband.  He wants my sister & her husband to list their luxury home with a more "experienced" agent.  Fortunately, my sister & brother-in-law know me, my abilities, my work ethic, and integrity--they listed with me.

Karen,

Keep the good work :)

Karen - I red your article this morning and it so moved my I realized I had too big a comment so I wrote an article referencing yours. Thanks for sparking dialogue on a great topic.

Karen - I know when Rick and I started, we were hired because of our dedication, we were willing to work 3x's as much as the seasoned agent and had no bad habits and no reputations to follow us, except for our professional backgrounds.  Great encouraging post!

Yes new agents do have a  lot to offer.   When I first started out I pointed out to the potential client that being new I had more time to focus on their interest.  This enthusiasm was communicated to the potential client I was was off running.

True, we are all new at one point, it's how obvious our newness appears to those who don't know.  Another factor to consider, after 25 years in the market, many agents are experiencing burn out.  Ultimately it comes to knowledge and whether we know the answer to a question or not, we can always find out.  Great post and encouraging to newbies.

Karen, I replaced the word "new" with "good" in your bullet points. For me, new or seasoned, if someone has those qualities, their golden. 

Chris,

Correct, it does boil down to what you want in your future and your childrens future. I want my granddaughter to someday be at the helm of a business that I have built and I want her to share my ideas. With that in mind it helps me focus!

Kelli,

Thanks for stopping by. Yup it does boil down to comfortable!  All the usual first impressions have to be taken into account.

Teri,

I have personally refused to represent family. When I first started, I was under the impression that family would "help me out". This is so untrue because family really doesn't know what you actually know. Even now, they have no idea. And it's hard to educate family in the same way you would educate a stranger. Family expects a good "deal", ie low or no commission and they feel as if they are "doing you a favor" letting you work for them:(   Just don't do it, that's my policy and it alleviates a lot of issues:)

Ray,

Say that in Spanish for me:)

Cyndee,

I have updated this post to include a link to your article. Very well written and thought provoking.

Ines,

Another good point "no bad habits and reputations" to follow you!  Starting out fresh is the newbies advantage!

Jennifer,

Enthusiam and hanging on to it throughout your career, is a challenge, but only helps both your clientelle and yourself.

Amy,

We can be new and still have a lot of knowledge about a subject. You're right, I think it does depend on if someone knows whether we are new or not, but this is where our skills come in

Jeff,

I updated my post to include "Good", you are so correct! Thankyou.

Some good points, Karen. Years on the job is not necessarily a good indicator of how qualified an agent is. An new agents are often working closely with a mentor of their broker so they have someone more experience to assist if needed. We all started as new folks at some point, didn't we? Some agents who have been at it for years are amazing - one wonders how they survive.

Jeff

Sol many comments, good for you.  I agree everyone has to start somewhere.  Agents in the business are not necessarily better just because of longivity.  But experienced agents bring years and years of experience and the ability to handle a myriad of problems that can occur in a transaction.  They have the skills and tools to fall back on.  A new agent starts with each transaction to learn and it does take time.  A smart new agent will know to ask managers the questions and use each transaction as a learning experience.

Good post. Being prepared and enthusiastic will over come a lack of experience.

Karen and all, great comment on my original post and terrific thread.  You've all put alot of "food for thought" in me today.  I just discovered AR a few days ago and already I have gotten so much from all of you...thanks! 

Great post.  You made a lot of good points.  As a newer agent, I know I try very hard to go above and beyond what is expected.  I try to soak everything in.  I agree though that passion plays a huge part.  Passion and drive

How about just because you like the person and trust them, and believe them to be competent?

Those are encouraging words for a relative rookie.  I just picked up a client who's store I installed a phone system.  He said that he had an agent, but he didn't like her.  When I asked him why he didn't like her, his response was "She just doesn't listen.  I won't inquire as to who she is or even for which agency she works.  What matters is that He knows that I will listen and pay attention to what he is saying.  I want to be a good agent.

Great Post.  I am a fairly new agent.  I love being a realtor.  I look forward to each new client that I get.  I have to agree with your post.  Sometimes a new agent is more patient with their clients than a seasoned agent.  I also have more time to work with my clients than the seasoned.  I feel that I am also more computer savy than a lot of the seasoned agents which helps with the more computer savy buyers and sellers out there.

Karen,

Excellent post and a great recourse for newer agents. I'm going to share this with some on the newbies in my office!

Karen, it is late and 71 comments is a lot of comments to back and read so I hope I am not repeating something already said.

I love working with new agents because they want to learn and take care of everything right away.  Don't get me wrong I have some great Realtors that have been around for a few years that I also love working with, but new Realtors just seem to give me a shot of energy because their excitement about their transactions. 

When I was new, new agents were the very best you could find. I think now though agents with 5 years experience are the best around. By the way I have 5 years experience :)