Where Have All the Professionals Gone? Real Estate Rant of the Day

Hi Lady! Miss seeing you , especially missed being with you all tonight. Jeff did a nice cover story. The pics were nice as well.

These issues you speak of are common down here.

I had an offer in (REO) and after a lot of work, another buyer beat out my Buyer. That is not my point here. It was so difficult getting the agent ( who not once in 5 days ever returned one of my calls. I did all the following up. No one return call or e-mail. ). His attitude is next! I didn't write a blog on this because had I, I might have told everyone what an -------- I was dealing with. And that wouldn't be nice. sigh with relief, maybe the next one will be better. Hope springs eternal

We all make mistakes and have moments of lack, but it's up to us to make sure our clients are happy and get to closing. 

If it takes us doing work on both sides then that's what it'll take.  We certainly don't like it, and it's in no way fair to us who take on this load, but it's the reality of things. 

I just love listings with NO pictures and have been on the market 90, 120, 180 days + and to top it off have remarks stating "Will Sell Fast" or "Will be gone by Christmas" and it's now June.  Huh???

Should we squeal on th other agent when we encounter such behavior?  Maybe we set the bar and hopefully lead that other agent by example.  either way, it's up to us to provide a higher level of service to our fellow agents and our clients.  Afterall...that's why we're in the top percentage of agents who get business, work it and are able to call real estate our career instead of a passing hobby. 

 

Reminds us all that we need to set the bar much higher, ensure agents meet or exceed that standard for renewal and hold others accountable for performance.

MB.

I believe you`re seeing a change in the guard.

Many "Old School" Realtors aren`t able to compete with the tech changes that have occurred in the past 5 years.

I'm a fairly new agent, and I have an informal mentor but not a structured training program or apprenticeship. I may need some hand-holding along the way, but I certainly do not intend to adopt the unprofessional habits descibed above. While the lack of training is unfortunate, a professional and dedicated newbie can learn good habits simply by being smart and working hard. Lazy people will exist anywhere, and will not succeed in the long run. It's a shame that they need to make life difficult for others while they flail and fail.

Marlene, great food for thought, it seems that this business gets more interesting all the time! Nice post and congratulations on the feature!

I think as "Realtors" we need to be held to the code of ethics that we are all supposed to be adhering to. Don't you think?

I'm a by-the-book kind of broker and that includes excellent customer service that carries over to the agents on the other side of my transactions. I just received a counter offer yesterday where the other side couldn't be bothered to sign anything! And you expect me to take you seriously??

Wish I had the answer, but I suspect it will come in the form of some of these lax agents falling out of the business.

Hi Marlene

It is sooo frustrating.... But I do think with the current market we will really see the cream rise to the top.

I worked with an agent about 4 yrs ago on a transaction and the process of getting details, etc. was a nightmare.  About a week ago he called me as his buyer had a couple of issues (yes, 4yrs later).  He needed this and that.  I was like ahhh, don't you or your broker have copy of the file(he has gone to 3 brokers since)?  So off to the garage I go and summarized his concerns which were not valid and all correct on our end. My thought was hmmm should have known that was coming since we had so many issues before. Then I get a call from the buyer who was told by the agent, that I wouldn't provide any documents (I am like, what I just summarized all of them and you know as he represented you in this transaction, he should have all copies, notes etc). Nonetheless she was satisfied but for a couple of days, I was so irritated....

Ok, I have to share this pic because when I opened up your post and saw yours and I giggled.

The real estate market over the last 8 years was like the California gold rush.  Record numbers took the real estate license test and joined real estate associations.  Whenever I have to pleasure of working with an agent that was in the business before then, I'm always impressed with them.

Marlene,

I share your feelings!  My real frustration comes from realizing how sellers and buyers choose their agents!  If they chose their doctors the same way they choose their agents (and maybe they do!) there would be a lot more sick people! 

I just closed a transaction with a Buyer's Agent who didn't know how to use WinForms ("this computer stuff is too hard for me!") and had never written a Counter Offer ("I hate this market, I never had to do a Counter Offer before!).  As an industry, we have allowed just about anyone to have a real estate license, so buyers and sellers think everyone who "is in real estate" is the same.  We all need to do a better job of educating the consumer that there is a difference!  The agent they choose can actually cost them thousands of dollars - in missed opportunities, poor negotiations, bad marketing, etc. 

You're right, having a property in MLS with no or only one picture is inexcusable.  And don't you love listings with one phrase or sentence in the public comments section?  What about the ones where there are misspelled words, or the name of the street is misspelled, etc., etc.  It is sad that in most cases the sellers don't even know there is a problem!

It is important that those of us with higher standards ask buyers and sellers to compare, and then give them a list of questions to ask before hiring their agent.

Valerie

So True...  Realtors should be forced to go to a mandatory training class on how to be a more professional Realtor...(Something deeper than the usual ethics class at the board) Passing a test and taking 2 correspondent courses does not prepare anyone for the "Real life" business of real estate. For every three bad agents I come across, I find one that wants to do things right.    

I came back to read the great comments I knew this one would get.  I had my broker write me a "dear Rose" email midnight Sunday to let me know the doors are closing and it didn't sound like we had much time to get used to the idea.  Business is bad and it is causing doors to close.  But my motto is "when God closes a door, he opens a window wider".