More and more Atlanta real estate agents have taken up full time employment these days in a 9-5 job to pay the bills. I cannot blame anyone for doing so, but many of these now part time Atlanta real estate agents are now totally inaccessible to their clients during their working hours. You cannot have your cake and eat it too! That means buyers are going around calling up full time agents hoping we will open doors and show them homes. That is abuse of the worse kind. A gallon of gas is still over $3.50 a gallon, and the time spent with less than forthcoming buyers cannot be regained.
Brokers reciprocity has opened a floodgate of calls from neglected buyers that want to see something immediately, but do not want our real estate services. They already have an Atlanta real estate agent, but flood the lines and emails looking for free information and details about listed properties that our not our own. It is a unethical for their agents not to be doing the work that they will get paid for by putting the onus on others to do it for them. A recent story from a friend of mine shared and even crazier twist. A buyer called asking to see several properties, and mentioned their agent worked full time and was not able to do so. They mentioned they were in town on their buy trip and were staying at a hotel in town...and could the agent pick them up and show them the homes? They actually mentioned, they wanted someone only to open doors! When you mention they will need to provide a pre-approval letter, a copy of their drivers license, and sign a buyers agency agreement identifying the homes that you will show them...the would be buyers get really abusive and hang up. You have to stop and ask yourself, what are they thinking?
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They are thinking that we do nothing until their call comes through :)
I will never understand why consumers choose to work with agents who are unaccessible and unable to help! I'm seeing it a bit in my market as well. I've long since changed my position on agents working full-time jobs, IF and ONLY if they are still able to provide 100% quality service. (which is pretty impossible to do w/ a 9-5 job)
A lot of agent have gotten 2nd jobs down here in Miami also.I like to stress to a buyer I am a Full time Realtor and they Deserve nothing less. Times are hard on Realtors in South Florida and to many full timers are barely hanging on. I can not / will not show property if a buyer is already working with someone, that is the FIRST question I ask!
Jim
It is amazing how abused we get for not promising the buyer a "Rebate" of 1.5 % (more or less) or because we are Full-Time. I had the same thing happen today , actually twice.
The first buyer said his agent showed him 1 or 2 houses one mth ago and now the agent isn't available until after 7:00 PM. With no electricity in an REO it is kinda of hard to see 1/2 the houses on the list.
Buyer number two was told by their 'Buyers Agent" that he does not show Short Sales or REO's and if they wanted either one of those properties he could not help them.
My first response is when you are serious and are ready to buy then I can meet with you in my office first, bring your pre-approval letter and then we will talk about "looking" at houses.
I'm having enough trouble keeping the deals together with motivated Buyers & Sellers to play any games with "Lookie Lou's"
They should have gotten mad at their agent for not providing the service they expect and deserve. Or gotten mad at themselves for choosing to work with an agent that clearly could not or would not service the basic needs of the home buying process.
They want a free ride. It does not happen to me anymore but has happened. Agents just need to ask questions and you will get answers or you do not show.
We had this happen a few weeks ago. My latest was the mother of the buyer who wanted to see the home and made an appointment with me to see the house. The daughter was buying it through another broker. Once I found out, I told her she would have to use her daughters agent for access. I thought it was a waste of my time.
It is amazing the reputation agents have. The fact that we are independent business owners seems to be lost on most consumers. And I think that is our fault. The NAR and other organization don't paint us as the professionals we are!
This is comical. Buyers have no respect for us because they don't believe we bring anything to a transaction. TOTOH, they work with an agent who doesn't even provide minimal service.
Many consumers wouldn't know a good agent if they ran over one.
Renee Burrows - Las Vegas NV Real Estate (Nevada Realty Solutions) It is almost as bad as the out of town folks that you never even talked to before that call and say "We're here at the hotel!" "Come pick us up!"
Maple Valley WA Broker/Owner Colleen Fischesser 425-432-5400 (RE/MAX Select Real Estate) It has gotten so bad here in Atlanta recently that agents are putting in the "Office Eyes Only' If I show your client my listing, your commission is reduced to 1%.
Darin Haughie (Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell, Inc. (EWM)) It is amazing how many persons will actually lie directly to your face, and after showing them homes, they break down and tell you they have an agent that is working a full time job. I know one agent that told them to get out of the car in the middle of nowhere when they found out that the couple that she had shown for days had an agent.
Laura Gray (RE/MAX Realty Group) No rebated here. That is also the other scam in Atlanta. There is a discount company that tells buyers they can get a rebate if they view no more than 5 homes with hem. They tell them to call a very experienced agent, not to sign buyer's agency, and when they identify the home to call them to write the contract. They tell the buyers just not to return the calls of the agent! Is that sick and unethical?
Craig W. Barrett - Hughesville MD Real Estate (RE/MAX 100) Yes but they vent on us. We recently received a phone call for a buyer looking in another part of town and referred it out. The agent we referred it to was told they had an agent but they were busy, and they did not want the services of an agent. For the time being they wanted to only talk to the listing agents. Well it wasn't our listing, and they hounded us to open the doors after they said they did not want our services, they had an agent, did not want another agent, and still wanted us to open the doors. What the...?
Eric Bouler (Prudential Gardner) That is the correct way to do it!
Leslie Stewart - Realtor ®, CRS, eCertified (Prudential Real Estate Professionals) It is almost as if some folks have no shame whatsoever!
Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services (RE/MAX Allegiance #1 RE/MAX Company in the World) I think many in our profession do it to themselves. The agents that have no negotiation skills whatsoever want to just reduce commissions or rebate money back. It starts right in our own offices and many brokers turn their backs on shoddy behavior.
I think everyone is going crazy in this market. Buyers not only expect you to be on demand 24 7 but you make appointments check with both parties to confirm the time only to find out one of them is not going to show up. Buyers really think we owe them everything and in turn do not show the respect that is expected from us agents. I don't like wasting time and especially that of other agents. They are making crazy low ball offers and think this is common practice due to the market conditions. We have to make the offer because that's what we agreed to when we signed our papers and the sellers agents have to present the offer no matter how ridiculous we feel and lately that is almost every day. No matter what you suggest they just don't seem to listen. I am working my butt off, covering expenses, running here and there making sure everything is right, with little reward right now as I am sure we all are. Unfortunately this means us agents as professionals are going to have stick together and understand each others position and try to be more tolerant of each other. Mind you I am referring to the agents who are doing thier very best. I think we all will be saying "remember when" looking back on these times. Now lets raise our glasses and toast each other for the great jobs we are doing.
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Real Estate I totally agree. We recently received a phone call from a person that wanted to sell a home that was way overpriced. They hired an agent they never seen because they would receive a rebate of the commission. They received approximately 4K in rebates, and over paid for the home 35K. The agent never showed up for inspection or closing because they worked a full time job! Oh the best part? The buyers agent never told them the home was on the market a full year and a half and paid full price, and no closing costs! We could not help the would be sellers at all!
Lisa Glowacki I agree. Years ago if an agent in my area I another company called us and said I am really jammed up, I have a set of buyers that I want to show your home to, but I have other obligations...could you show them for me? We always did, and sold many homes because of it. It is called a professional courtesy! The difference today is that most brokers do not share the unwritten rules, and too many are trying to reach their goals by being deceptive and less that forthcoming.
I sent some business to a young man who washes houses. He asked me about listings. I mentioned one to him that sounded like what he needed. He drove by it and wrote an offer through his "agent". The agent told him he couldn't buy it through anyone but him because he had a buyer's rep signed. I don't know why that agent hadn't told him about the house! LOL
At least I didn't burn any gas.
The first question I ask a caller is if they are working with another agent. If they say "Yes, but ...." I tell them that they have to call their agent first. No options.
It's not that I don't want to help them, but it's unfair to their agent, it's unfair to me, and it's unfair to the client to have too many fingers in the pie.
Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) That is very common, and over the years has happened a few times to us also.
I can even imagine what they were thinking by immediately disrespecting you. Did they think you were going to be their tour guide?
Carol Smith, ReMax Preferred, REALTOR®, Toledo, OH (www.calltoledohome.com) They best way I have found to find out if a buyer is working wiht an agent is to catch the buyer off gaurd. Say this, "Before I forget, what did you say your agents name was?" If they have an agent it will slip out!
Debbie Small, CRS, GRI (Long & Foster Realtors) I think many persons are just very selfish and self centered. We give excellent service and advice to our own clients.
Jim!
...I was under the impression that ALL Realtors worked...at least close to real estate!;-]
The transparent nature of the marketplace makes it even more important for Realtors to be educating home buyers about each step in the homebuying process.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steve
Obeoman
Obeoman Steven Stearns (www.obeo.com) Sad to say, many should not give up their day jobs, but if they cannot service their real estate jobs and clients - it would be better for all if they leave the business. I will not do the work for them.