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Lazy Agents? A Rant...

By Scott Alpaugh

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Classic Group

October 08, 2006 09:02 AM

How do you handle lazy agents?

Got a call this morning that's become all too common of late. An agent called about one of my active listings and stated that she had clients that were interested but wanted me to show them the home because she was "too busy" to take them out. Now, since I have an obligation to my sellers, I reluctantly agreed and met the her clients at the property. After showing them the home, I asked how many homes they'd seen with their agent. I was shocked that they said the last 4 homes they'd seen, their agent arranged the listing agent or the home owners to gain the "buyers" access.

This ticked me off and after determining that these "buyers" weren't even "A" buyers and were just trying to see if they could find something "that they might be interested in next Spring." I went back to my office and did a little research on their agent and found that she has one active listing and has closed two other deals in the past 10 months. What could possibly have her "too busy" to take these clients out? Probably the fact that they're not ready, williing, or able buyers.

I'm so temtpted to give this agent a call back and offer her a piece of my mind, but I hate burning bridges... How would the rest of you have handled this??? Maybe I should've pitched her "clients." C'est la vie...

Have a Productive Day,

Scott

Comments(14)

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Linda Davis

RE/MAX Home Team - Gales Ferry, CT

I would smile and think..."this is my competition". YAHOO!

Oct 08, 2006 09:05 AM

Pete Willner

Broker Direct Real Estate - Murrieta, CA

The bridge has to be built before it can be burned. She was offering a "poor" bridge from what I see and if it were me.........I wouldn't want to cross that bridge any time in the near future anyways.

Pete Willner
Who Will? Pete Will!

Broker Direct Real Estate
www.PeteWill.com

Oct 08, 2006 09:25 AM

"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.

President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

"Scott"

C'est La Vie...And Adios Amigos...NEXT!

That is how I would handle that. I would also call the other Agent and politely remind her...You are a professinal...And I would go into the defintion of Co-Broking with her and I would do it nicely. As you said...Not a good idea to burn bridges!

Read This "Realtor Friendly Realtor" I wrote it...And I can tell you will like it.

TLW "The Lovely Wife"...Kum La Ka Lakka...ROAR!

Oct 08, 2006 09:27 AM

Michele Connors

The Overton Group, LLC Pitt & Carteret County - Greenville, NC

Your Eastern North Carolina Realtor

I would ask the agent if she 1. has a signed BA agreement and 2. an alternate time her buyers would want to see the home with her.

If NO to either i would possibly take the buyer, I would be inclined to think this buyer isnt too impressed with her at this point and if I am professional and explain my role ( like not representing them because their absent agent is suppose to do the showings) I think she may learn a big lesson that needs to be made- with the market as it is right now it isnt quite the time to take a buyer for granted.

Oct 08, 2006 09:36 AM

Bryant Tutas

Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL

Selling Florida one home at a time

I received one of these yesterday by E-mail. I just politely responded that I too was busy and could she ask another Realtor in her office to accomodate her buyers. She has now scheduled tp show my listing tomorrow. I find that if you suggest they find a Realtor in their office to assist they will miraculously find the time. Why? The Realtor in their offcie is going to charge them a referal fee. Works everytime.

BTW if the Buyer was seriously interested their Realtor would not be asking you to show them the property. So just don't do it. You are not letting your Seller down.

Oct 08, 2006 09:55 AM

Pete Willner

Broker Direct Real Estate - Murrieta, CA

Excellent advise Bryant.

Pete Willner
Who Will? Pete Will!

Broker Direct Real Estate
www.PeteWill.com

Oct 08, 2006 10:03 AM

Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS

RE/MAX Shoreline - Portsmouth, NH

Buying or Selling? Ann & Jim are the local experts

I believe as the listing agent I would tell the lazy agent I was charging a showing fee out of the 'selling' agents end of the commission and fax her a memo to that effect with a copy to the broker.

We have agents in my office that have over a hundred listings at one time, manage tons of buyers, and still find time to do what they're getting paid for. Of course they have assistants and staff but they also have time.

Frankly I'm not too excited to having any bridges with such a low producing agent anyway.

Oct 08, 2006 10:04 AM

Bob Pavey

RE/MAX Hometown - Aventura, FL

CRS

I have buyers show up and tell me there agent had a flat tire and couldn't make it I found out later that he was showing other buyers he made the mistake when we spoke

Oct 08, 2006 10:54 AM

Jeff Belonger

Social Media - Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc - Cherry Hill, NJ

The FHA Expert - FHA Loans - FHA mortgages - USDA loans - VA Loans

LOL.... damn.... Scott, forget about the bridges, because like someone said, there is no bridge here and there will never be a bridge with that realtor.

Life is funny.... I can't make a judgment on what type of person you are Scott....but if you are like myself, which you sound like you are..... we seem to help people no matter what. And there are people out there that just don't care.

Hey, I am in the mortgage business and I don't like burning bridges.... right now, I have 3 different lenders that have given me their clients, because they can't do the deal. To make a long story short, I had a lender give me a client about 2 yrs ago, because they REALIZED 4 weeks into the transaction that they couldn't lend in that state.... lol But seriously.... I made a agreement to pay them a certain referral fee. But when it was all said and done with, I never did. I had to redo the whole loan again.... from scratch and coolect all the documents. They had ban statements in the file from 2 months AGO. This client had a BK of 3 yrs prior and there were no bankrupcty papers in the file. So much more and the clients didn't care for this lender. After that closing, the clients referred me to her brother who was promised a loan 7 months before construction was finished. The lender couldn't come through....I closed her brother. And now, I am doing the first clients refinance.

Sorry for the long story....but my point.... sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and take that risk.... you might have another agent mad at you.... but if they haven't really earned their clients respect or shown effort.... it doesn't take much to get them away and make some money. There are two sides to this.....and this is something that I don't practice.... but if I didn't do it, someone else would have.

Hey members....sorry that was long, but I wanted to share this with everyone and Scott.

Oct 08, 2006 12:10 PM

Brian Brady

Matthews Capital Markets - Tampa, FL

858-699-4590

Bryant gives you an excellent "gut check" for that Realtor. I wrote a post awhile back about lazy agents.

Oct 08, 2006 01:16 PM

Eric Bouler

Gardner Realtors, Licensed in La. - New Orleans, LA

Listening to your Needs

More than likely you won't see her or here from her again. Do not waste your time with her.

Oct 08, 2006 02:19 PM

Scott Alpaugh

RE/MAX Classic Group - Branchburg, NJ

Just a follow up.

Guess who I got a call from this morning and just finished a consultation with? YES, the "'lazy agent's" buyers.

We sat at my office for nearly an hour and went through my VIP Buyer Program, their finances, and their goals. We identified that they won't be ready to buy until March/April of 2007, but we also agreed to keep an eye on the market and they agreed to sign a 1 year exclusive Buyers' Agreement.

After we closed the deal, I asked them why they chose to call me back and "interview" me. They said that they appreciated that I met them and that I was the only Realtor that had done that and didn't complain or make comments about their "lazy agent" or try to tell them why I should be their Realtor. They felt that the professionalism that I demonstrated and the information about my VIP Program that I subtly included with the property information that I gave them made them realize that they had a choice and they wanted to work with a "professional."

Guess it pays off to bite your tongue. Now, I'm just waiting for the call from the "lazy agent" once she finds out she lost a client because of her failure to act as a professional.

Have a Productive Day,

Scott

Oct 09, 2006 08:50 AM

"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.

President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

"Scott"

The Good Guy Does Not Always Finish Last!

This is cool!

Continue to be a "Realtor Friendly Realtor"

I am happy for you. Yipee. A signed Buyers Agreement. :>

TLW "The Lovely Wife"...Kum La Ka Lakka...ROAR!

Oct 09, 2006 10:31 AM