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I'm reading "21 things I wish my broker had told me", and I wonder how often this still happens.
One story mentions a newer agent going up against a veteran agent in a coveted neighborhood. Seller interviews newer agent and veteran agent. Veteran agent says newer agent has much much less experience. Seller chooses newer agent with this rationale-
"How is newer agent supposed to get experience if no one ever hires her?"
Reading that both pisses me off and makes me happy.
Pisses me off because the veteran thinks that being in the business for a couple decades automatically makes him the best candidate to sell this house.
Happy because there are some smart sellers out there who can see through the BS.
Looking around my area, I see that a newer agent can attract buyers and sell a house just as well as, or better than a veteran can. Many veterans here are just complacent.
Isn't the biggest goal to attract as many buyers as possible? Merely saying you have "more experience" doesn't tell me much.
That veteran agent would need a better argument to get me to hire him. Why don't you show me your materials and methods instead of boasting about how many years you've been in the business.
Do you, or anyone you know, ever poop on other agents this way?
I agree. Being new to the business, I hate it whenever I'm put down for the fact that I'm just getting started. I haven't really gotten much of that from many agents, though. I used to snarl while walking around my neighborhood (while I was taking my pre-licensing course) at someone's name that I kept seeing on for sale signs -- my competition. She and I work in the same office now and she is a huge name (nationally known) and I feel like I can't stand a chance next to her, and after hearing her talk at an office breakfast, I would love to work on her team!
But then I remember that I have big goals. I don't want to be on a team, I want to one day make a team. So I'm diving in and making the most of what I can right now. I have leads, mostly from my social circle. That'll one day be my experience. =)
I'm reading "21 things I wish my broker had told me", and I wonder how often this still happens.
One story mentions a newer agent going up against a veteran agent in a coveted neighborhood. Seller interviews newer agent and veteran agent. Veteran agent says newer agent has much much less experience. Seller chooses newer agent with this rationale-
"How is newer agent supposed to get experience if no one ever hires her?"
Reading that both pisses me off and makes me happy.
Pisses me off because the veteran thinks that being in the business for a couple decades automatically makes him the best candidate to sell this house.
Happy because there are some smart sellers out there who can see through the BS.
Looking around my area, I see that a newer agent can attract buyers and sell a house just as well as, or better than a veteran can. Many veterans here are just complacent.
Many veteran agents are complacent and they are stuck in their ways. I know tons of agents who can barely use email and are horrible when it comes to anything internet.
That being said . . . I've been at this almost a decade and in year one if I even knew half of what I know now I would have been a much better agent and done a much better job for my clients.
When I started, the irrational question from seasoned agents which always made me roll my eyes was, ".. so how long have you been doing real estate?" ... to which I would always reply " Long enough to know about your reputation ..." sometimes end with "and I see that you are still "practicing"...". That usually would shut them up. If it ever called for it, I would interrupt with, "I can be your best friend or your worst nightmare on this transaction, I want you to know that you are about to make a conscious decision how I am going to be. So which one do you want me to be?!?" I remember a mentor of mine once said to an agent, and I'll never forget this - "yeah, yeah, I hear what you're saying - but I just don't care .....". Priceless.
The song and pony dance glitzy listing appointment were always fun. When working as a listing agent, I explain to my sellers my attitude towards a transactions - that the offer is a potential lawsuit asking to be signed upon by all parties due to how it is written by the other side. I would often go on listing appointments with actual samples of 'real life' contracts I have received (with identifying info blacked out) and I would circle and highlight trivial mistakes and errors which created quagmires or potential legal problems if agreed and signed. These contracts often were from 'seasoned experienced' national company agents and I would remind them that they could very well be interviewing that very person who wrote this - do you want to take that chance?. That made people think and I would usually get the listing.
That being said . . . I've been at this almost a decade and in year one if I even knew half of what I know now I would have been a much better agent and done a much better job for my clients.
Care to share some of the things you wish you'd known as a rookie, as they pertain to the actual selling process of a home?
When I started, the irrational question from seasoned agents which always made me roll my eyes was, ".. so how long have you been doing real estate?" ... to which I would always reply " Long enough to know about your reputation ..." sometimes end with "and I see that you are still "practicing"...". That usually would shut them up. If it ever called for it, I would interrupt with, "I can be your best friend or your worst nightmare on this transaction, I want you to know that you are about to make a conscious decision how I am going to be. So which one do you want me to be?!?" I remember a mentor of mine once said to an agent, and I'll never forget this - "yeah, yeah, I hear what you're saying - but I just don't care .....". Priceless.
The song and pony dance glitzy listing appointment were always fun. When working as a listing agent, I explain to my sellers my attitude towards a transactions - that the offer is a potential lawsuit asking to be signed upon by all parties due to how it is written by the other side. I would often go on listing appointments with actual samples of 'real life' contracts I have received (with identifying info blacked out) and I would circle and highlight trivial mistakes and errors which created quagmires or potential legal problems if agreed and signed. These contracts often were from 'seasoned experienced' national company agents and I would remind them that they could very well be interviewing that very person who wrote this - do you want to take that chance?. That made people think and I would usually get the listing.
When I started, the irrational question from seasoned agents which always made me roll my eyes was, ".. so how long have you been doing real estate?" ... to which I would always reply " Long enough to know about your reputation ..." sometimes end with "and I see that you are still "practicing"...". That usually would shut them up.
Hmmm...did you ever stop to think that such a question may have just been an innocent conversation starter? Nice of you to have such an acid-tongued retort at the ready, though. It shows that you're prepared.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TarkaK9
If it ever called for it, I would interrupt with, "I can be your best friend or your worst nightmare on this transaction, I want you to know that you are about to make a conscious decision how I am going to be. So which one do you want me to be?!?"
When I started, the irrational question from seasoned agents which always made me roll my eyes was, ".. so how long have you been doing real estate?" ... to which I would always reply " Long enough to know about your reputation ..." sometimes end with "and I see that you are still "practicing"...". That usually would shut them up. If it ever called for it, I would interrupt with, "I can be your best friend or your worst nightmare on this transaction, I want you to know that you are about to make a conscious decision how I am going to be. So which one do you want me to be?!?" I remember a mentor of mine once said to an agent, and I'll never forget this - "yeah, yeah, I hear what you're saying - but I just don't care .....". Priceless.
The song and pony dance glitzy listing appointment were always fun. When working as a listing agent, I explain to my sellers my attitude towards a transactions - that the offer is a potential lawsuit asking to be signed upon by all parties due to how it is written by the other side. I would often go on listing appointments with actual samples of 'real life' contracts I have received (with identifying info blacked out) and I would circle and highlight trivial mistakes and errors which created quagmires or potential legal problems if agreed and signed. These contracts often were from 'seasoned experienced' national company agents and I would remind them that they could very well be interviewing that very person who wrote this - do you want to take that chance?. That made people think and I would usually get the listing.
I just disagree with this approach. It seems combative. I imagine you are an agent that many see coming and aren't excited about working with. I've always strived to be pleasant, easy to work with, so agents LIKE to see me bringing them an offer and want to work with me, which in the end benefits the client I AM WORKING FOR. You CAN accomplish this while still steadfastly protecting your client's interests. This is what many agents (especially newer agents) don't understand.
I want to have a good relationship with other agents in my market, and I do. No reason to get nasty, doesn't help my client at all. The best agent knows when to hold his/her temper, and not make it personal. That's a lot of agent's problems....they use "I" too much. Its not about YOU, its about YOUR CLIENT.
Best lesson I ever learned from my broker was that the other agent is not your competition, but becomes your COWORKER so a good working relationship is vital. Play nice in the sandbox. Why start this process off with snarky retort? Do you honestly think having two contentious agents in the transaction benefits your client in any way? Even if the other agent gets snarky, sometimes you just have to be the bigger person. Its called professionalism.
It sounds like you are an agent that simply doesn't highlight YOUR strengths, but has to continually bash other agents in the market to get clients. Again, doesn't help my client any to just point out how much other agents suck, and I have had clients who have chosen to work with me because I DIDN'T take the "low road" like some other competing agents do.
Being a Realtor really seems more about overfeeding your ego more than serving your clients from the response you posted above. Its also part of the reason the public has such a low opinion of us as an industry.
Last edited by LCTMadison; 04-14-2014 at 05:21 AM..
When someone is young and inexperienced, they simply don't know what they don't know (that applies to everything, not just real estate). Provided a new real estate agent has a good support system, though, with drive and determination--and a willingness to learn--they may be able to overcome a lack of experience. I certainly know more now than when I started (I can't imagine anyone who doesn't!). In a business where mistakes can be very costly, knowledge is key. But if an experienced agent is "complacent" or overwhelmed with other clients, those are factors to consider, too. Choose wisely.
Care to share some of the things you wish you'd known as a rookie, as they pertain to the actual selling process of a home?
I've sold more than one home to newbie buyers with a newbie agent who didn't get the septic inspected. Major oversight, and example of incompetence. And it's not my job to point out their job and/or make sure they do it, but I do feel bad for the buyer who didn't have better representation.
On seller side, plenty of Newbie listing agents with whom I've essentially had to work both sides of the deal, to the advantage of my buyer. Many Newbie listing agents are easy to infuence during inspection negotiations and they just go back and parrot the script I gave them to the sellers whereby an experience listing agent would just say "my seller isn't going to pay for that"
Quote:
Originally Posted by jackmichigan
When someone is young and inexperienced, they simply don't know what they don't know (that applies to everything, not just real estate). Provided a new real estate agent has a good support system, though, with drive and determination--and a willingness to learn--they may be able to overcome a lack of experience. I certainly know more now than when I started (I can't imagine anyone who doesn't!). In a business where mistakes can be very costly, knowledge is key. But if an experienced agent is "complacent" or overwhelmed with other clients, those are factors to consider, too. Choose wisely.
I agree with this. A mentor or actively engage Broker is essential. That's how the Broker->Agent structure was originally meant to be, and it's been lost over time. Only under such a sructure is it smart for a consumer to hire a rank newbie.
Quote:
Seller chooses newer agent with this rationale-
"How is newer agent supposed to get experience if no one ever hires her?"
Seller sounds like a stupid moron. It's not seller's job to provide training opportunities to new agents. She deserves whatever mistakes that decision might visit upon her. This is actually what allows incompetent and do-nothing agents to remain in the business and give the rest of us bad name - negligent hiring practices by consumers. People will spend 5 hours on the internet researching a new TV or Car, but this is how they decide which agent to use.
Steve
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