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I am a Realtor in FL, and I hear some things from customers about prior real estate dealings. I am curious, why do people stay in a working situation if you are unhappy with them. And if some many realtors are doing things wrong, how come they are still in business. So I want to know what the public finds wrong with Realtors.
They don't answer their phones or do not return calls. The reason we are stuck with this horrible agent/agency is because they've included a clause where we'd have to pay a huge fee if we want to get out of contract. If we ever sell our house it's not because of them it is inspite of them. But they will reap what they sow somewhere down the line as they are the WORST!!
I am a Realtor in FL, and I hear some things from customers about prior real estate dealings. I am curious, why do people stay in a working situation if you are unhappy with them. And if some many realtors are doing things wrong, how come they are still in business. So I want to know what the public finds wrong with Realtors.
Since the internet and MLS the only business most realtors are in is the listing business. They just want as many lines in the water and hope one sells. They don't have to go out there an beat the bushes to find a buyer the buyers come to them, hopefully. The home owner thinks you are out there selling their house but beyond the MLS and maybe an open house or two, you actually do nothing to sell their house. Even most of the MLS ad's are cookie cutter. Read a certain agents ad's and they all look the same except for a few details.
I once had a business listed with a Century 21 guy. He told me how many times he had advertised it and got no results. When I asked to see the ad's you know what they were? A three line ad in the Miami herald that said, "We have businesses for sale in the south Florida area," and a phone number. I told him I wanted to end the contract because he hadn't done anything to try to sell it and I would try to sell it myself. He told me if I sold it I would have to pay a commission. After a return trip with some business associates he was more then happy to end the contract.
House4Sale,
Your right, I have seen fellow agents ignore calls because they did not want to face there customers. But why would you sign a contract that causes you to pay a high fee to exit out. Not everyone does that, as a matter of fact, if you want to control some of the cost, tell the agent up front that you want to see the adds they will run. Also, put an addendum in the contract that states that if you do not get a response to marketing with-in a certain time period, you can exit out of the contract with no cost to you. By the way, the agent is not in charge of the listing contract, that is the Broker, if you want to get out of a contract, that is the person in charge of the listing agreement. If a customer is not happy with me, I let them out of the agreement with not cost, except my marketing. Which I give them copies. But I am glad for your info, I would like to weed out the bad and hope to wake up agents as to how to properly manage the sale of a sellers home. If you ignore them, then how are you supposed to resolve the problem.
I was unhappy with the service I was getting from my realor so I called the broker in charge at his office and told him I wanted to be released from the contract because I felt I not being "served" properly by my realtor. I got out of the contract last night and signed with a new realtor today. If you feel that they are not holding up their end of the bargain you are entitled to be released from the contract
I think the first thing to keep in mind is that for the majority of people, they are only going to buy/sell a house a handful of times in their life, while a realtor is doing it every day (or at least they'd like to be ).
So, when the questions are 'well, why did you agree to this or that?' 'why did you continue working with a particular realtor for so long if you were unhappy?', it's because most of the sellers are trying to sort through it all, it is all so new to them.
Here's what I'd like out of a realtor - from the initial interview:
Real Comps:
Do your homework on MY house...you have my address, look up the details, or ask me the necessary questions on the phone before we meet. If you show up with comps that are nothing like my house, you look like you didn't do your homework...this is a bad start.
Commission:
Be willing to negotiate, be flexible, be creative. If you try to stick to your guns with 6%, I will cross you off my list right there.
Marketing Plan:
I need to see a solid marketing plan...details, details, details. I know you'll advertise, but where? Show me some examples of very recent ads - print, internet - I want to see it all. What else will you do? Agent open house? tell me all and show me PROOF - not just words - I want to see recent examples. I'm putting a lot of faith in your plan. I want you to hit the ground running once we list and I want you to hit it hard.
Professionalism:
I don't want to see you market yourself on the internet or anywhere telling everyone about your cute little dog or your weekend hobbies - I don't care about these things - I want you to appear professional when my house is associated with you.
Perks:
Throw 'em in! Can you offer a homeowner's warranty to the buyer of my home? What does it cost you - $75? Throw it in. Can you offer me a few rooms of home staging gratis, or at least one key room? Tell me if you can, this might give you the edge over the other interviewees.
Flyers:
OMG! Do any realtors ever check to see if the house has run out of flyers?? Why are they always empty??
Follow Up:
I want weekly reports at a minimum...every 3 days or so would be better...if you want to call me every day (or email me), I'm cool with that too. I'm thinking about it every day.....are you?
That's precisely it. Who knows all this stuff going in. But boy, I do know now.
I had another agent read our contrct and it is iron clad. There's no way out unless we can prove the whole list of things she and he's not doing. As for the broker he's none existent and the man WE thought we were getting is also gone. He doesn't even return our calls. He's too damn busy building floats, starring in parades, going on numerous vacations and smiling for the camera so he can see his damn face in the paper. He puts an inexperienced little girl out in front to take the hits, questions and the heat. Shame on him. He is NO man.
We are almost at contract's end and I have been interviewing different agents and we have someone in the wings. She actually answers her phone and has a clue. In the meantime, would you believe we are running our own ads and doing E.T. possible to sell our new home. We will. We will.
You know I feel extremely lucky with the woman we found...I just started making phone calls and the ones who didn't care much to make an effort got nothing from me, the one we worked with, really worked with us. She was a wonderful person, over time became a friend. After 6 years we are still in contact in a friendly manner...great lady.
If anyone is in the Orlando area and need a hard working, friendly, well informed real estate person, I would be happy to pass along her name.
I am so sorry you had such a bad dealing. I don't know what State you are in, but I would go to the Real Estate Board with your complaints. Also, we are a state regulated by the Dept Of Business and Profession, which do not take kindly to Realtors not acting in a legal and ethical way. I think, just like the Medical profession, if you are not happy, you need to take action. That is the only way to weed out poor business practices. I am upset that the public has such a poor impression, but if by making people aware that the power is in there hands to change the system, may this profession can be saved. I do not think internet sales are the only answer, maybe better educating the Realtors and the public. Just my opinion.
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Let me at this one...
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