I totally get, after 16 years, that I am an "Odd Duck" when it comes to this topic. I truly have never gotten why agents seem to feel that Real Estate is an overly-competitive industry, relative to other fields of endeavor.
I rarely run into a competiton factor. So I'd like to suggest to those who do, that maybe they are creating that scenario somehow, as in "What you resist, persists." Maybe you invite the issue of competition into your discussion with consumers, more than I do. I'm not sure why I don't run into competition as often as others seem to, but maybe by starting a "thread" on this topic, I can help some others deal with "fear of competition". In many ways, those who dislike/fear the new alternative business models, do that because they feel somehow it will impact them, when that is not at all the case, as I see it anyway.
Where do you all run into competition? Seller calls me, for instance. Wants to talk to me about selling their house. I go to their house and talk about their house and how we (they and I) will sell their house. That's all. Where does the topic go to some "competition" issue? It doesn't for me. Are you, the agent, bringing the issue of "other agents" into the conversation you are having with the owner of the house? And if so, why are you doing that? If someone wants to talk to ten other agents before and after talking with me, that's their business and not mine. Usually they just hire me. Once in a blue moon they don't hire me and more often I say "Thanks but no thanks", but mostly we, the seller and I, just get cracking at the work to be done to get the house ready for sale. Where does this whole "competition" thing start and why?
Next example, buyer calls me and is considering hiring me as their Buyer's Agent. We meet and I decide if I want to work with them and they decide if they want to work with me. That usually takes one meeting, sometimes two. Once in a while I refuse to meet with them, but not very often. One last week wanted a complete list of every transaction I did this year including all of my clients' phone numbers! That was a "thanks but no thanks" and I cancelled our first meeting. But that is rare. If my "competitors" are willing to hand over all of their clients' phone numbers to a complete stranger at first contact...oh well!! No skin off my nose, as they say.
Once a client is my client...that's pretty much that. Had a guy call me Saturday morning on his way out to ski, wanted to buy something he saw up in Whatcom County. We talked for three minutes and I took care of it. There we go. Contract about signed around while he was off having fun. Where's my competitor there? I have clients call me from all over the place like that. We're in Florida and saw a... Hi, do you remember me, I want to sell now. I get calls like this all the time. How does a "competitor" make it into your conversation with people?
Again, I know I'm the odd duck on most issues regarding our industry...my thoughts on blogging included!! I'm the odd duck in that photo trying to figure out what everyone's squabbling about up on that log 
I'd love to hear from agents who think this is a competitive business. Is this just perception and fear? Or is it truly a reality in your every day life? And if it is your reality and not mine, why is that? Even when I'm training and coaching agents...we don't talk about "the competition". Rarely comes up. Is it insecurity? Is it just that I'm dense and SHOULD be talking about "the competition". I truly don't get all of the chatter about all of the competition. Hundreds of people buy homes every month, probably thousands every month. You only work with 2-5 in a month. Sounds like damned good odds to me? Where am I "off"on this?
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