Home sales are slowing and prices are softening. In addition to the doom and gloom, real estate agents are often compared to car salespeople and are called lazy, sleazy and unethical. The bad news is, those are true statements for many in the industry. The good news is, there is a new generation of agents. Below is a brief phone conversation I had (the new generation) between me and a lovely agent (the old school fool) this morning.
- Me: Good morning. I have clients that are interested in your listing. I noticed you’ve been on the market for 4 days and are already taking offers on Thursday. Can I set up a time for us to see it together on Tuesday or Wednesday evening?
- Agent: No.
- Me: Ok, is there a better time for you? My clients work during the day and would like to come by after work before offers are due. They mentioned it was very crowded over the weekend and they’d like to get a second look without so many people in the house.
- Agent: We are open on Tuesday afternoon for 1.5 hours and we were open all weekend long. I don’t want to waste my time showing you this house, do you know if your clients will even like it?
- Me: Yes, they saw the house over the weekend and would like to see it again because they think they like it.
- Agent: Why do they want to see it again? We had 300 people here over the weekend and I’m expecting many offers.
- Me: That’s exactly why they would like to see it again. They are first time buyers and wouldn’t mind seeing the house for another 15 minutes, alone, before they put an offer in to purchase the place.
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- Agent: Sorry, I’m not showing it any more evenings this week.
- Me: Even though the house is empty and you’re only going to be on the market for 7 days, you’re not going to allow us to come back for a private showing?
- Agent: No.
- Me: Thank you for being so accommodating. Good luck with the offers.
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image above is NOT the agent that was on the phone. Image is just a cheesy real estate agent looking picture courtesy of rateyours.com
10 comments
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February 25, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Matt M.
If I were the seller I would be livid. For the agent’s sake I hope the seller never finds out. Why does a seller’s agents think that just because the market is hot for a property that they can shirk and not do their job? Sad.
February 25, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Farrah
Sounds like an agent I’m dealing with right now. I’ve called him at least 10 times because my clients were really interested in a loft he had listed but it’s a short sale and I wanted to find out exactly want they meant when they said that they had “good communication with the lender” in the confidential remarks on MLS. We also had a few other questions. The agent NEVER called me back and his assistant called me back about half the time. We still put in an offer but I’m really concerned about the lack of responsiveness.
February 25, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Jackson Robertson
First, great choice on the photo. Second, this agent should know that it is his fiduciary duty and in his clients’ best interest to get more people involved in bidding. He should be hung for anything less. Third, he’s probably got a client that wants to put in an offer. Last, he probably pronounces his job…”Realiter”
Jackass!
February 26, 2008 at 12:07 am
SENSE
I don’t know nothin bout real estate. But… I know that I need like 15 minutes alone in an apartment just to rent the damn thing… gotta know where i’m gonna put the tv and my artwork, etc… I would need a lot more time than that if I was going to buy the place.
February 26, 2008 at 4:16 am
Coach A
The seller will never find out - that is the travesty. This industry is as much about “who you know” as opposed to “what you know” - it’s so ass backward at times it’s painful. One of the reasons Garrett and I opened Home San Francisco was to offer an information based, honest approach towards slinging real estate. You can bet it Garrett was blue blood 3rd generation San Fran or the son of a successful SF Realtor he’d be able to show this house or would have the inside scoop. Time for a changing of the guard!!!!!
I’ve said it countless times - it’s no surprise to me that the average person thinks the average Realtor is unethical, dishonest and lazy — it’s true!
Here’s to you Super Agent - be thankful the So-Cal part of our biz partnership called ya and not the Jersey part or you’d be reading your first name on this blog.
February 26, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Susan Brady
Well, there’s an agent worth his/her salt! One open house, 1.5 hours open during the week, and expecting multiple offers in the first week. Certainly going the extra mile and earning that 3% commission.
Out of curiousity: I’m wondering why you cannot name the agent or the address of the listing. Too polite? Some code of honor?
How about a hint…..
February 26, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Garrett
oh susan, i can’t name any names. we’re all about good times and happy thoughts over here at SF Schtuff. truth be told, i’d love to mention the agents name, the property address and send a letter to the seller, but i’m not. hopefully folks looking for an agent will just understand that some are good, some are bad and some are just plain lazy and give me a buzz if they need any help. we’ll call out the situation (the good, bad, funny or ugly) so as to inform, but i’m not the ethics police, i’ll let the people decide….
February 28, 2008 at 11:02 am
Susan Brady
Ah, Garrett, you are much too kind. I applaud your restraint. Hopefully, in a market like this, the bad and the lazy will be weeded out, leaving the cream of the crop.
February 28, 2008 at 11:32 am
Along the Way… | Redfin San Francisco Sweet Digs
[...] Miscellaneous Bonus: I just want to point you in the direction of a blog post over at San Francisco Schtuff, which illustrated, to my horror, a conversation between agents. No names are listed, so we can’t steer you away from incompetence, but you should know that not all agents have your best interests at heart. Check out “Can We See The House Before Writing An Offer?“ [...]
February 28, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Red
Probably has a pocket buyer and wants both sides of the deal. This kind of Realtor% explains the MLS listings with no pictures or address…
The seller and any outside buyers all lose out.