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"This is Fruitless", said the New Agent...

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC NC# 218097

All of a sudden I've realized that I've been in real estate for a good while and I don't actually remember being a really green agent for very long.  I'm sure I made mistakes and was awkward for a while with searching, qualifying, etc but I really hope I was never rude to another agent!

 

Brand new agent called me the other day to tell me that her "client" had driven by two of my real estate signs and was interested in seeing the listings. Great, I thought.  "How can I help you?", I asked.  She replied she hadn't been able to figure out which listings they were.  All her client could tell her was roughly where they were.  That's fine...turns out I have two listings of sizeable vacant land in that area.  I was driving during this conversation and said just search the MLS by agent and look at my listings.  She said she didn't know how to do that. Hmmm.

 

I explained over the phone how to do the search and what the sellers' names were.  Later that evening I get another call and she still couldn't figure out the search.  She'd been searching under the agent field for the sellers' names.  Doesn't work that way.  I asked if she'd been in her office and couldn't her BIC help her?  She told me she'd gone to her BIC but that was a waste of time. (Nice comment about someone who'd given her a place to hang her shiny new license).  I asked if she'd been able to attend a new agent orientation yet and she told me she'd been meaning to. Okay.

 

I tried again to help her figure out how to do the search and explained she had mistaken seller names for agent names.  She asked if I couldn't just email her the listings and I said that of course I could but it would be a little while before I could stop what I was doing to do that.  Her response?  "This is fruitless".  Oh man.  She missed Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" big time.  I'm pretty sure the person wanting to see the properties weren't "clients", probably "prospects".  

 

Hopefully the training she needs will materialize soon.  This is exactly why most MLS groups offer orientation and why BICs absolutely should have supervision over Provisional Brokers.  This new agent is still not ready to be good for the public and could possibly put herself in danger by not vetting the people she'll be going out to vacant land with.

 

What does "fruitless" mean anyway?  Is she saying I am without fruit?  

 

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Show All Comments Sort:
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

You're the one with the fruit (the listings) and she's the hungry one who can't get at them. So you're not the fruitless one.

She does need MLS training. The myriad of ways we can search for properties is amazing.

Jun 14, 2019 03:58 AM
Peter den Boer
Atlanta Communities - Woodstock, GA
MBA,GRI, Associate Broker, Realtor

This is why I believe new agents should be required to work with a mentor for the first months of their business...

Jun 14, 2019 06:20 AM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good afternoon Mona. Sometimes you can't win for trying. I was never rude either. Stay strong.

Jun 14, 2019 09:38 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Mona, she definitely missed the "you need other agents" class in the orientation she was intending to take someday. I don't mind green agents, but be humble because you don't know anything. 

Jun 14, 2019 06:17 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Mona:

Hopefully she will get the assistance, training (e.g., using the MLS) , and mentoring she needs, AND has a change of attitude. No doubt it's a challenge starting out when you know so little but there are people there to help.

Jeff

Jun 14, 2019 07:43 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

I expect she feels her career will never bear fruit.

  1. 1.
    failing to achieve the desired results; unproductive or useless.
    "his fruitless attempts to publish poetry"
    synonyms: futile, vain, in vain, to no avail, to no effect, idle; More
    pointless, useless, worthless, needless, wasted, hollow;
    ineffectual, ineffective, inefficacious;
    unproductive, unrewarding, profitless, unsuccessful, unavailing, barren, for naught;
    abortive;
    archaicbootless
    "the search proved fruitless"
    antonyms: fruitful, productive
  2. 2.
    (of a tree or plant) not producing fruit.
Jun 14, 2019 10:02 PM
Mary Hutchison, SRES, ABR
Weichert Realtors, Welch and Company - Kansas City, MO
Experienced Agent in Kansas City Metro area

I'm wondering if this agent was a young person whose parents did everything for her--the 'helicopter' or 'snowplow' parent.  Will she succeed in real estate?  Doesn't sound like she's very motivated or has a professional attitude. We all started as beginners, and Im always willing to help out a rookie--who shows initiative and professionalism.

Jun 15, 2019 09:41 AM
Mona Gersky
MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC - Sylva, NC
GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.

Thank you everyone.  I am sincerely hoping she learns some people skills soon.  Life is much easier with them.

Jun 16, 2019 08:18 PM
Denise LeBreux
Re/Max Real Estate Center - North Attleboro, MA
I love working with BUYERS!

Makes a great case for joining a team as a new agent. I’m not sure where I’d be if I hadn’t.

Jun 17, 2019 06:49 AM