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Does it mean anything to you?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408

What do we call the image of the industry, when we are talking about real estate? There is a stereotype of a real estate agent…Many are not really happy with that…In general, it is not flattering. When we know a person better, we know that there are great people, who sell cars, as well as there are honest and diligent people working in government offices, and that there are good real estate agents, I am darn serious, there are…

I imagine that these clichés are different for different people. Here are a couple of clichés that I have when I think of Real Estate professionals.

1.    I do not take seriously part time real estate agents. Of course, I know that there are situations that warrant it. For example, when you are just starting. Stick to a job until you start breaking the ice, and until you are absolutely sure that you love even with all crazy buyers and unbearable Sellers… But in general, I stay away for part timers, unless they are only on referral base…

2.    And second would be that I stay away from real estate agents involved in Multi-Level Marketing. For me it is a sign of failure as agent, the sign that in our industry, where the income is still pretty much defined by us, the need to make money in MLM is a bad sign.

I feel that these agents are treating potential customers just as source of income. Sell her/him something. If not a house, than Legal Aid, or some great skin care products, and/or try to get them sign after you in yet another great pyramid. MLMs have been here for some time now, and not willing to understand, that to make the amount of money so happily offered to you “with no effort on your side”, you would have to steal the nukes from Ahmadinejad and then threaten the world population to sign or die.

 

I understand that often it is a sign of desperation, and I am not to throw stones, we all live in glass houses… I ran into a few word blog,  and it then referred me to the agent’s previous post about a Social Networking site, which is in essence an MLM, I already felt like in a pyramid. It offers “creative Realtors” the chance to make easy money with no stress.

It is nice to think that the agent is so concerned with the wellbeing of agents and brokers, but isn’t he using AR to build the pyramid down?…

 

I always thought that “creative Realtors” can make it in Real Estate.

Am I fighting the windmills? No…I would not object to MLM, if it was done through AR advertising opportunities. That would be fair and honest. You pay for it, and happy creative Realtors either sign or not.

 

Brokers, would you hire agents, who has samples of stuff in the trunk and turns every conversation with a client into an opportunity to sign somebody under them building the Pyramid, which should surpass The Great Pyramid of Giza?

 

Does it mean anything to you? 

William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Jon, I agree with your thoughts on this and as you mention we all in live in houses, many of them glass. With so much to learn squeezed in to making a living, I can not conceive of being distracted by some other enterprise. I live my career and would never chose to leave it, minimize it or in any other way to take my eye off the ball.

Jul 30, 2010 07:06 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA - Eureka, CA
Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA

Hi Jon, Excellent thoughts, once again you have provided an excellent post!

Jul 30, 2010 11:26 PM
Lois Davies
Century 21 Birchwood Realty, Inc. - Cape Coral, FL
Cape Coral & SW Florida

Hi Jon, very interesting post.  I agree with you concerning the image of the RE agents, it's unfortunate.  Being a full time agent I also try to stay away from part timers.  When I need information on a property I don't want to wait for the agent to get out of work before I get a call back; I have to wait long enough with some of the full time agents.  And I agree with your MLM assessment.  If I were a customer I would want a proficient professional RE agent to help me; that's not the image you get with an agent who has their fingers in several businesses. Unfortunatley Jon, in this economy some agents have decide to MLM rather than put their licenses on a Referral basis. Hopefully later this year when the MLS dues come up, agents who are not committed will nor re-sign up.  Less dedicated agents, better image for us.   

Jul 31, 2010 12:58 AM
Charles Edwards Bentonville
Coldwell Banker Harris McHaney & Faucette 479-253-3796 - Bentonville, AR
AR REALTOR, Bentonville Real Estate Agent and Broker

Yes it matters to me. Let's bring the business up! I agree we can make it in real estate without 'hawking' other wares to our buyers and sellers. I do not want to hear about agents selling all kinds of other goods and services while on the job.

Just my opinion.

Jul 31, 2010 01:30 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Todd & Devona - Never seen one. Looking at myself, it is not a job, it is a life, and how can you do it part time?

A part time RE agent, who is fuul time hair stylist... And then you have to do everything as she is at work, so showing to her clients is on you, preparing documents, if you want it fast, is on you...

She is still a referal agent, who pretend to be in Real Estate and want 50% commission rather than a referral fee for... referral work

Jul 31, 2010 03:11 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

William - "I live my career"... part time real estate is part time life. It is at best a survival mode

Jul 31, 2010 03:12 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Thank you, Dan

Jul 31, 2010 03:13 AM
Mike Saunders
Retired - Athens, GA

Jon - I have found part time agents, and full time agents, about equally responsive. Some get back to me right away, some, well, I am still waiting for return calls from last year,k being full time agent does not equate with conscientious. (No, I am not a part time agent). As for the MLM stuff, doesn't bother me one way or the other.

Jul 31, 2010 03:26 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Lois - That's what I think. But I see some well-known agents getting into the MLS. For me it is a matter of reputation.

MLM and Lottery are sign of desperation, and that what I would be avoiding in Real Estate.

It is an attempt to improve your life outside of the profession that proved to be one of the most rewarding, so if this is not the sign of trouble, what is?

Jul 31, 2010 03:45 AM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Jon...I d have to agree for the most part.  Selling stuff to clinets other than your profesional sevices is a bad image for our profession.  Although, I do like this type of agent.  I have gotten several clients over the years because of the way they operate!

Jul 31, 2010 05:11 AM
Ann Allen Hoover
RE/MAX Advantage South - Hoover, AL
CDPE SRES ASP e-PRO Realtor - Homes for Sale - AL

There is one agent in my office that has a full time job which pays him very well (he has great benefits that are hard to walk away from), and he is a successful part-time agent too.  He does seem to be the exception.

Jul 31, 2010 05:13 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Charles - I am making assumptions based on my preception and my experience. A axi driver having a real estate license? No way. I would  not even want him to give me someone's card, I just would not trust it.

And it would be different if the attorney would favourabley mention someone. But that's me

Jul 31, 2010 06:04 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Mike, I think to be good in this business, you can't be doing anything else. Even when we do not "work", it is sitting in the head, and if you are doing more than one thing, that intensity is less.

Jul 31, 2010 06:07 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

William - obviously, if there wouldl not be a market for agents doing MLMs, there would be no agents doing MLMs.

 

Jul 31, 2010 06:09 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Ann - if there were no exceptions, there would be no rules (LOL)

Jul 31, 2010 06:15 AM
Leslie Ebersole
Swanepoel T3 Group - Saint Charles, IL
I help brokers build businesses they love.

Jon, I hope this isn't too dumb a question but what is Multi-Level Marketing? All I can think of is Red Fin which has contacted our agents in our area asking if we will sign up to take business. (We can't). Or am I on the wrong track?

Jul 31, 2010 09:16 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Leslie - wow, you should be living in a great part of the country, where you are not bombarded by MLMs?

Here we get offers to start making great money selling Legal Aid, Herbalife products (not sure if they are still in business), Mona Vie, Mary Kay, Amway, and so many others. All come with the promise of income that I have never seen, and over 99% of others (according to the statistics available) never made

Check this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multi-level_marketing_companies  

 

Jul 31, 2010 09:27 AM
Mike Saunders
Retired - Athens, GA

John - I just finished contact with "full time" agents, took 6 hours to get a return phone call, only to find out that the property is under contract and has been for a couple of weeks. Of course, you can't tell by the MLS listing.

Jul 31, 2010 11:58 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Mike- I practically do not see part timers here. I guess there are few where you are, so you, like everyone else, has more exposure to FT agents, and they sometime, often times, always (choose what is appropriate or all of the above) can be not great...

Jul 31, 2010 02:11 PM
Leslie Ebersole
Swanepoel T3 Group - Saint Charles, IL
I help brokers build businesses they love.

Jon, I was confused. If you take out the Craiglist junk, I am rarely contacted by anyone who wants me to sell anything but their over-priced house. It must be because I am unhealthy, uninterested in fashion, and generally not very personable. ;-)

Thanks for clearing me up on the lingo!

PS: I fixed the menu thing....thanks for pointing it out.

Aug 01, 2010 03:28 PM