Of course we are all competing for the relatively few listings and buyers that are out there. Though I say "relatively few" in total numbers there are lots of homes for sale and willing buyers. The chance of having to go head-to-head with a fellow agent is pretty slim. So why don't we more openly share our informaton?
First of all, I'm a new agent. I've been at it for under a year. I am not shy and I have imposed myself on many of the more experienced agents in my office. Of course I try to be aware of how busy everyone is and I hope I don't waste too much of my colleague's valuable time. On the other hand, the questions I ask are ones that I was not able to find a relativley simple solution to. Before bothereing a fellow agent I always search my company's website, call the help desk and go out to sites like realtor.com and the NAR website. I always let my colleagues know how appreciative I am for their effports. Whether it's a cup of coffee or a sandwich that I'll offer to buy I like to offer somethng in return fo their kindness. Though it sometime4s sounds self-serving, when appropriate I offer to sit an open house for them.
I have to say that I would not have reached over 4 million in gross sales without the help and advice of my colleagues. Though I am new, I try my very best to be helpful to the newer agents that come to me for advice. I don't see how I will hurt myself by making my newer colleagues better agents. The overwhelming number of questions that I've had and that other agents have to me with have to do with "gray area" issues. My thought is that if we Realtors want to uphold the highest ethical standards then we should be vocal in our support for teaching the newest agents the difference in right and wrong.
Here's an example - a new agent was close to signing his first listing. He found out that the upgrades to the home were done to the county code but no permits were ordered or recieved. He asked what his obligation was to the seller. I told him what he didn't want to hear whch was that since he knew, he had to advise the seller to get the permits. Of course that sent panic through the agent but I then took another half hour or so to discuss strategies for how to present this idea in such a way that the seller was most likely to take it well and get the job done. Bottom line-the seller is getting permits, the agent got the listing and there are no worries with this sale. More importanty, somewhere down the road this seller will have the opportunity to point out that his Realtor-who could have given "shady" advise - gave good advise and it all turned out for the best.
So why not help? You don't have to give away your "farming secrets" but you can tell a new agent why farming is important to you. Likewise, you can;t force another agent to "do the right thing" but by sharing your experience you can coax a situation in which a fencesitter will be more inclined to do the ethical thing. Thatwill benefit all Real Estate professionals. By working cooperatively we elevate the status of our profession and in the process give all realtors a better name. I'm a big fan of woking cooperatively.
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