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Overcoming a Realtor's Low Standing in the Country

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell banker Residential Real Estate

As a tv journalist and producer who has traveled the world and reported from many so-called "hot-spots", it was a refreshing change to move from cold Canada (weather I mean) to Florida in 1994.

Shortly after moving here, at the age of 45, I found that early retirement was not all that it was made out to be. One has to keep one's mind busy or your brain will turn to sponge.

This led to a second career, this time in Real Estate and I quickly found that a Realtor can do very well financially, but there must be a well thought out plan and a will to work "VERY HARD".

The old saying that "80-90 percent of the work in real estate is conducted by 10 percent of the Realtors" is certainly true.

There are many thousands of people in this, such important profession, who have absolutely no business in real estate in any way, shape or form. There was and unfortunately continues to be an attitude by people out there, that "anyone can sell real estate". How untrue that is.

As a journalist, I worked with the most professional of people, whether they were other journalists, politicians, attorneys, and general business entrepreneurs. The system "weeded" out the incompetents.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a way to rid the real estate industry of people who do not know a "Deed Restriction" from a "Power of Attorney". They certainly do not know how to write a brochure, descriptive text in the MLS, hold an "Open House", how to dress for work, or to even speak properly.

The "Greater Tampa Association of Realtors", GTAR, in its recent monthly newspaper, reported on a poll showing Realtors at the bottom of the public's list of important professions in America.

Officials at the Board seemed to shrug at the news.

My company, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, corporate owned office in Plant City, Florida, a Tampa suburb, has been one of the few companies out to try and change the public perception of Realtors, by holding many, many seminars and training sessions and by giving their associates the tools necessary to do the job professionally.

Unfortunately, there are many "Johnny-Come-Lately's" who popped up in the last five years, especially in Florida, where the market has been "HOT". These companies have a "Make a Quick Buck" and the rest "Be Damned" attitude. They take-on people who obtained their state real estate license, "goodness knows how".

The "Fly-By-Night" companies, some of which have already disappeared, following the market adjustment this year, offer(ed) absolutely no training to agents and simply collected a small fee at transaction time.

This is not to say that a new real estate firm should be prevented from entering the market place, but real estate is such an important component in our economy that there should be some standards established by the National Association of Realtors, its state or Canadian province regulatory bodies, as well as municipal real estate boards.

Take a very recent case where a client of mine watched in horror as a so-called Realtor, dressed in shorts so short that part of her derriere was showing, plus a skimpy tank-top, brought a customer to see her upscale home. Comparatively speaking, it's like going to a pharmacy to have a prescription filled and the pharmacist is dressed for the beach.

Some basic business decorum and skills are really all that are required for a member of the public to begin having confidence in the real estate profession again. It may not be rocket-science but if one were to conduct a survey, you'll find the successful agents are always dressed in business attire.

If nothing is done to police itself, the real estate brokerage business will see the banks and other financial institutions, get their wishes approved by Congress which would enable them to Broker real estate transactions.

That would place this extremely important profession in the hands of the financeers who already have too much clout in the economy.

 

Comments (16)

Eric Bouler
Gardner Realtors, Licensed in La. - New Orleans, LA
Listening to your Needs
Banks and other Financial institutions will have to pay agents and take on that liability on. True they can hire who they want. Why hasn't someboby used another model.
Sep 20, 2006 10:44 AM
Geordie Romer
Windermere Real Estate / NCW - Leavenworth, WA
Serving Leavenworth, Lake Wenatchee, and Plain
Ken-
What do you think we can do to make real estate more professional? I myself would like to see changes in licensing and educational requirements. Currently in Washington State we need 60 hours to get a license and then 30 hours every 2 years of continuing ed. I would like to see 100 hrs of pre-licensing and 30 hrs of education EVERY year. I also think that failing the real estate exam is a good indication you aren't cut out for the job. If you have to re-take the test 3 times is this really the job for you? I think you should have to wait 6 months to re-take the test. If it is your calling, you will study and re-take. If you erroneously think that real estate is easy money (like the last few agents that came and went in this office) then you won't wait 6 months and you will move on to another job.
Sep 20, 2006 10:58 AM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

Ken, You are so right, our industry is not respected. We need to apply standards here.  Every other industry has standards, ISO standards.   Why not Realtors?

It's really time for a change, soon before it's too late.

Sep 20, 2006 11:00 AM
Alexander Harb
Knights Investing - Mesquite, TX
Dallas, Texas Real Estate Investing

Wow...an agent cam eto show an upscale home in short shorts and a skimpy top...geeze...ya wonder what is gonna happen next......

I personally wear a golf shirt and nice slacks to work...... casual but NOT unprofessional.....

Sep 20, 2006 11:04 AM
Eric Bouler
Gardner Realtors, Licensed in La. - New Orleans, LA
Listening to your Needs

Kristal, what do you have in mine? The brokers have to see a more professional model as good for them. Too many just want bodies. Maybe if they the brokers had to pay a fee for each agent.

Sep 20, 2006 11:13 AM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
I don't know about the attire.......some of the most unscrupulous Realtors in Miami wear suits.  I do agree with applying standards.  It takes almost no education to become a Realtor.  I also agree with Geordie about waiting at least 6 months to re-take a failed exam, and if you fail it 3 times, no license should be given.
Sep 20, 2006 11:20 AM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

The body shops aren't working.  We have offices here in the Denver metro area where there are more people assigned to one broker than one could possibly remember.  The sad thing is the agents don't know any better.  Since they are used to no supervision they don't know what to expect.

Having untrained, unsupervised agents is not good for the pubic.  Nor is it good for the agents.  How can you be a success when no one is there to tell you if you are doing it right or wrong?

 As far as standards are concerned, I believe we need additional education and serious continuing ed combined with accountable benchmarking of experience and proficiency.

Someone on AR called it apprenticing... Not a bad term.  Real estate practices and procedures are more than book learning.  It's a process of proficiency gained from actual experience in the trenches.

Reality of happening?  Not likely, not as long as the NRT's of the world subscribe to body shops and the revolving door policy.  They make huge profits on charging the revolving door folks for training and goodies, while they are there and on their way out.

In a perfect world we would see kids in High School aspiring to major in real estate in college.  These kids would be replacing the old dogs of real estate (like me) who have been holding down the fort for the past quarter century while it goes through the biggest metamorphosis known, the Internet.

(I'm on the floor expecting incoming......)

Sep 20, 2006 11:26 AM
Professor X
NONE - Ludington, MI

Real Estate is self policing in most cases, so a bigger question is why do the brokers and boards allow this to happen?

I know the answer but I'm not sure I want to sully my reputation by repeating it here.

Sep 21, 2006 02:25 AM
Karen Hurst
RICOASTALLIVING.COM - Warwick, RI
Rhode Island Waterfront!

I think I am the one that used the term "apprentice" along with internship in a previous blog. There was also another blog lthe other day regarding attire.

I have to agree that attire is important in promoting a good image. So is Common Courtesy, Willingness to go the distance in every transaction, and a commitment to Real Estate.

I do think that this market lately evolving will bring the Real Estate business back in a good way, to weed out the good from the bad, not necessarily the newbies from the oldies.

Also, there has been a major outcry for more education and "on the street" learning, that hopefull the NAR will take up the challenge and get it pushed through. We all need to take a stand and get the Real Estate Profession back on Track as a respected profession.

Sep 21, 2006 06:38 AM
Dave Rosenmarkle
Highland Realty, Inc - Fairfax, VA
33 years of providing fully satisfying service!
This is not so easy. I have seen Realtors in 3-piece suits in 95 degree weather who were total jerks and who could never begin to apporoximate cordial professionalism. Butt hanging out and tank top does give me pause. There is a balance, but I would rather work with someone who is comfortably casual and proficient than someone who is dressed for success and trying to undermine our industry through unethical and sloppy business practices.
Sep 21, 2006 07:33 AM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

Education is one thing, but standards are another.  When a third party relo company calls a Realtor, they don't know what standard of service the Realtor will be prepared to give them. Relo companies (just an example) call a new broker would like to know there is a "standard" of service and competence that they can count on being The Same.

I guess another example is McDonalds.  You go get a burger anywhere in the world and it is the same.  This should be true for doing BPO's, CMA's right on down the line for all the daily tasks we do.  These standards should be the same across state lines.  (Oh boy now we'll get into State's Rights etc.)

Our industry is very lax.  CE credit classes are taught to the lowest common denominator and THEY usually aren't listening!

Dress codes (or the lack thereof) have more to do with common sense than standards.    When we show up to list a home and get paid more than most people make in a month or two, or three, we should be dressed professionally.  If we aren't, we are insulting the people we are wanting to hire us.

Just my 2 cents spoken from high up on my soapbox...

Sep 21, 2006 10:12 AM
Robert Whitelaw
Whitelaw & Sons Real Estate Services - Morgan Hill, CA
Broker, CEO, Realtor , ePro

The world of real estate often falls under the heading of "Sad But True". This is a good example of that.

 Unfortunately, I suspect this industry will always be overburdened with folks who should not be involved. Those of us who do approach our career as a professional need to realize that our job is as much about protecting our clients interests in general, but to also protect them from incompetent real estate agents.

Sep 21, 2006 09:17 PM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

I don't think more education and National standards will make REALTORS more liked or respected as a profession.

Lawyers are not liked as much as REALTORS and they certainly have high educational barriers to become an attorney. The LSATs, Law school, The Bar Exam, -not very easy. There are ones that can save your life and ones that are useless. Same with Realtors. same with Doctors. Same with Accountants. Stock brokers etc.

As long as my clients like and have respect for me and appreciate my value and service and knowledge - I don't really care what they think of the profession as a whole.

Sep 22, 2006 02:11 AM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Kristal,

I would have agreed with you about kids majoring in real estate in college replacing the old dogs until I just read an article last night about  How high -end brokers got to the top.

It  says that Real estate is one of the few careers left where seniority pays. It is difficult for someone to enter real estate right out of college because they don't have any contacts. It talks about leveraging contacts from life, previous careers, schools your kids attended etc etc.

http://www.therealdeal.net/issues/SEPTEMBER_2006/1157054571.php

Sep 22, 2006 03:09 AM
Kristal Kraft
Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO
Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

Yes life experience counts for a lots.

 I don't agree with your comment, obviously since I posted the opposite view point. Attorney's have a bad rap because they are involved at low points in our lives when we need them. It is their job to be hated! As Realtors we have so few standards that we can't even go from one area to another & be sure we are speaking the same language. I know I couldn't come to NYC to sell and I bet you would be confused or Denver!

Starting with advanced education beyond the licensing would be a start. Developing standards that would be relevant anywhere would increase our value, esteem and worth.

Wow now you've got 4 cents from me.

Sep 22, 2006 03:32 AM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Your 4 cents is good. Your point about attorney's is true. Everyone hates them but always wants the most rutheless one on their side. Some kind of national standards is a good idea.

We don't really have an advanced education problem here. Most agents are highly educated many have MBA's and also law degrees. I would say that 99% of agents at my firm have at least a college education and the same applies to most major firms here. The dumb unprofessional ones don't last very long.

The Brokerages all have training: agent Boot Camp, Fast Start, Floyd Wickman sweat hogs etc. - but here lies the problem. All the training is about getting listings, listings, listings, how to sell sell sell, never about ethics or the law or the nuances of the local market or dealing ethically with other brokers.

My five cents.

 

Sep 22, 2006 04:55 AM