Not your typical 9 to 5 job!

I just tell the other agent (or the seller) the time that I'm going to come by the house...and if it's a PROBLEM to call me back. Then I go show the home.

In my area, most homes are listed with well organized firms that have a centralized showing service. Showing can be set up without waiting for the realtor. It takes the busiest person out of the loop, and allows business to flow. As someone who does more listing of properties than showing of properties, I can appreciate the fact that I don't have to keep up with who's showing one of the 8 properites I have. I just get a report in e-mail, and a Website to log into when I have the time. It's a lot better for time management, on both sides of the fence. When I am showing property, I usually schedule the properties with a centalized service first, and anything else last.  Having a showing service helps to buyers agents in your listings.

Yopur blog touches home. When the market gets tough the marginally ethical folks move to the dark side.

Boy could I tell you some stories, but let's look at the positive side.... if agents like that were not out there, you wouldn't be able to outshine them like you do. It only makes us look better doing a great job because some don't do that for their clients.

It happens to often....and I agree with you so long as you are not one of those agents who call a hour or less from when you need to show the property.  We as agents should scheldule well in advance.

I like Diane's comment.  So true.  We have had similar problems.  When I don't get a call back from the listing broker within 24 hours, I leave another message and then talk to the front desk of their office, wait 4 more hours and then call their designated broker.  Its amaxing how quickly the showing gets set up at that point.  Otherwise their neglect goes unchecked and often unnoticed.

I used to gripe with the same but my phone & appointment volume has increased dramatically.  I have appointments booked for every day through next Sunday (not this Sunday, but next.)  My business has grown so fast that I have not come up with a viable solution yet to the problem of answering my phone at all costs.

I now have the problem of agents and leads leaving me phone messages while they are driving and information like one or two of their numbers gets cut off because they go through a bad spot.  One weekend last month I had to ditch 10 voice mails because of that. 

We all have experienced something similar in this business! Let it go and move on! Someone commented about the somewhat ethical agents moving to the dark side, I couldn't agree more!

Have a successful day!

Al has the right idea here! 
Leave a message that you "will be there at such and such a time and if it's going to be a problem, call me back"  I find this works like a charm every time!

Luckily in our area we have Centralized Showing Services where in most instances we schedule the showings through them and don't have to rely on the selling agent. I don't know why the other agents aren't cooperating with you. How unprofessional.

Hi Evelyn,

I am wondering if you are running into a lot of agents that have taken 9-5 jobs and are doing real estate part time. It is annoying for sure.

What annoys me is when I set up the showing, the property is supposedly Active and lockbox Vacant, and then it turns out it is actually under contract but they forgot to mark it as such or there is not lockbox, or the key doesn't work. Ouch.

Niki