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Poaching Clients

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Real Estate Agent with Bettina Clairmont

Recent comments from my clients made me listen up: other agents are out there to poach clients.

Generally I don't have a written buyers agency agreement with my clients, because my relationship with them is based on trust. Only sometimes it makes me feel a little uneasy.

Lately when my clients have been going to open houses they have been getting the same question: "Are you working with someone?" And when my clients then dutifully say that they have an agent in San Francisco, they figure that the conversation would end then. But no, it doesn't.

See, my clients are looking for property in Marin County, just north of San Francisco, where I am also a member of the local Association of Realtors. But somehow the other Realtors feel that I'm encroaching on their turf. They tell my clients that they should be using a "local" Realtor and that I would not be able to find them the right property.

When my clients asked "Why?" a very surprising response came back from a perplexed Realtor who obviously hadn't expected the questions: "Well, we use different forms here!"

 

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Candice Joyner
RE/MAX RIGHT WAY - Atoka, TN
I think I would have to call that agent and ask her if she can send you the forms needed in her area. Lets see what she says then!!!!!!!!!!!
May 29, 2007 12:05 PM
Chris Lengquist
Ad Astra Realty - Olathe, KS
Kansas City Real Estate Investing

Like ole Ronald Reagan said, "Trust.  But verify."

There will always be poachers.  And a good percentage of open houses will be sat by inexperienced agents eager for their first or second transaction.  So you have to prepare you clients.  Good topic.

May 29, 2007 12:16 PM
Esko Kiuru
Bethesda, MD

Bettina,

It's unfortunate, but it happens in the mortgage business, too. It just confuses potential customers and gives the industry a bad flavor, yet not much you can do about it. What happened to the ethics?

May 29, 2007 12:17 PM
Renee L. Norton
Birmingham, AL

Sounds like your clients were intelligent enough to know that you could handle the forms or at least to bring it up.  Now you can add that to the list of things to tell your buyers when you are "educating" them!

May 29, 2007 01:22 PM
Mark Lomas
Santa Barbara Real Estate - Santa Barbara, CA
Experience You Can Count On!

Welcome to the Internet based MLS and the wild wild west of Real Estate.  Now that the MLS is open to anyone Boards have no means of disciplining unethical behavior from not so wonderful realtor type people. As such, anything goes these days.  Poaching is just one example of some people will say and do anything for the business.  Good post, be careful, and only work with people you want to work with. All the best!

 Mark Lomas   www.marinrealestateblog.com    MDLomas@gmail.com    Coldwell Banker Marin County

Aug 07, 2007 03:22 AM
Gregory "NNN" Garver
NNN Brokers USA Commercial Real Estate - San Francisco, CA
(323) 696 1031, Net Lease Broker
There are several benefits to a local realtor, not to say that they should use one... but obviously there are some services they will be able to provide that you can't.
Oct 30, 2007 06:03 PM
Stefan Scholl
Buyer's Broker of Northern Michigan, LLC - Petoskey, MI
Northern Michigan Real Estate

Bettina,

I understand where you are coming from, but under the NAR COE, there is no such thing as poaching a client who is not under contract with another agent.  I would suggest you reconsider your policy of not requiring clients to sign a buyer agency agreement.  Your clients will respect you for your decision. 

Regards, 

Nov 09, 2007 03:02 PM