I just read one of the most startling articles that I have read in a long time! 77% of agents treat real estate as a part time job. Taking your fiduciary duties of care, obedience, accountability, loyalty and disclosure to your client as a hobby, or something that you do when you have the time for it is shocking!!
One of the first questions that you should ask any agent that you are going to hire is, time "Is this your full time occupation?" Can you imagine if your surgeon was moonlighting as a bartender? How about if your lawyer, working on your big case, spent most of his day as a carpenter? Not that any of those professions carry any less importance, but if someone is being hired to work on your behalf, you should know if they are going to only have some time to offer you.
One of the hardest things in this job is trying to complete a transaction and not being able to reach an agent to find out when the appraisal will be, or what the inspection issues are, you get the idea. If someone is not going to be available on your behalf, you should know that up front. I hear agents with other jobs saying, in this market, it's hard to keep real estate as my only career. It's hard to make a living. But which came first? The lack of commitment or the difficulty in making sales? Hum...It makes me wonder??
By: Karin Stocknoff November 9, 2010. 
