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I don't know what possessed me to work primarily as a buyers agent but must be crazy. Listen to this one...a man signed up on my site months ago. I sent the usual welcome email, info email etc....,he signed up for listing alerts from my site which are automatically sent but never responded to any emails I sent. This is common as you know. So last week he emails me and says he is a friend of someone I know here (first time hearing this) and he will be in town this week with his wife. He wanted to know if I'm free Wed. (tomorrow) to show them sub-divisions, there's a ton of them here. I say yes and ask a few questions. He says they are not buying until spring of next year and have friends that want to buy also. So far sounding ok. The next night around 9pm his wife calls and gives me a long list of criteria, tells me they have already been here looking and want to narrow it down to just a few neighborhoods. I spend the whole next day searching neighborhoods, including about seven she sent me to find areas that fit her list (long list). I had to call every neighborhood to ask questions because more than half the time here the listings agents have incorrect or missing info.. I did a lot of work but ok, still no problem. I emailed them all the info. I gathered in hopes of them reading them and together we narrow the search so when they get here we go only to places they would really be interested in. Then I get an email the next day with an explanation of how they are not qualified yet but will be by spring and their friends that are supposed to be also buying are not coming until spring. So now I'm not thrilled because not only am I doing all this work in good faith they will buy but also they will be able to buy. Duh! I know but being we have mutual friends I still work on it. Then I ask about my emails, did they read them and work on it? no they didn't but mention even another neighborhood for me to look in to. Ok, so everyday I'm working on this and not working my other job I actually get paid for assuming they will buy eventually but that's the choice I made. Today I'm mapping everything making final appointments etc...taking several hours. The wife calls and says her son is now interested in a condo but they don't know the mls # or much of anything just the development. I do the searches and figure out it's the lowest price one at this resort. It's a short sale (figures) and it's too late to make the appointment for tomorrow but I didnt find this out until after we hang up. So during the conversation she mentions some things we had talked about but the thing is, we never had those conversations, ah ha! I realize she had those conversations with another agent or agents. I say, we never talked about that. she says oh it's probably one of the agents I'm interviewing tomorrow! I almost fell off my chair. so I say, you are interviewing agents after we go out looking tomorrow? She says yes, this is the last house I want to buy and I want to make sure I have the best person helping me. I couldnt even say anything i was so in shock. She said oh but we are LETTING you take us out because Linda thought we might like you. So she is LETTING me take her out, like she is doing me a favor. She doesn't realize I am doing her a huge favor? Really? I actually almost felt sick after we hung up and I almost called her back several times but haven't. I feel like a door mat right now and meanwhile I would do anything, above and beyond and meanwhile she is treating me like her personal tour guide. Most agents, (around here anyway) wouldnt even show houses to someone that's not pre-qualified and w/o a buyers agreement. I was doing this in good faith and she is interviewing agents but having me drive her around all day. I'm sick.
I don't know what possessed me to work primarily as a buyers agent but must be crazy. Listen to this one...a man signed up on my site months ago. I sent the usual welcome email, info email etc....,he signed up for listing alerts from my site which are automatically sent but never responded to any emails I sent. This is common as you know. So last week he emails me and says he is a friend of someone I know here (first time hearing this) and he will be in town this week with his wife. He wanted to know if I'm free Wed. (tomorrow) to show them sub-divisions, there's a ton of them here. I say yes and ask a few questions. He says they are not buying until spring of next year and have friends that want to buy also. So far sounding ok. The next night around 9pm his wife calls and gives me a long list of criteria, tells me they have already been here looking and want to narrow it down to just a few neighborhoods. I spend the whole next day searching neighborhoods, including about seven she sent me to find areas that fit her list (long list). I had to call every neighborhood to ask questions because more than half the time here the listings agents have incorrect or missing info.. I did a lot of work but ok, still no problem. I emailed them all the info. I gathered in hopes of them reading them and together we narrow the search so when they get here we go only to places they would really be interested in. Then I get an email the next day with an explanation of how they are not qualified yet but will be by spring and their friends that are supposed to be also buying are not coming until spring. So now I'm not thrilled because not only am I doing all this work in good faith they will buy but also they will be able to buy. Duh! I know but being we have mutual friends I still work on it. Then I ask about my emails, did they read them and work on it? no they didn't but mention even another neighborhood for me to look in to. Ok, so everyday I'm working on this and not working my other job I actually get paid for assuming they will buy eventually but that's the choice I made. Today I'm mapping everything making final appointments etc...taking several hours. The wife calls and says her son is now interested in a condo but they don't know the mls # or much of anything just the development. I do the searches and figure out it's the lowest price one at this resort. It's a short sale (figures) and it's too late to make the appointment for tomorrow but I didnt find this out until after we hang up. So during the conversation she mentions some things we had talked about but the thing is, we never had those conversations, ah ha! I realize she had those conversations with another agent or agents. I say, we never talked about that. she says oh it's probably one of the agents I'm interviewing tomorrow! I almost fell off my chair. so I say, you are interviewing agents after we go out looking tomorrow? She says yes, this is the last house I want to buy and I want to make sure I have the best person helping me. I couldnt even say anything i was so in shock. She said oh but we are LETTING you take us out because Linda thought we might like you. So she is LETTING me take her out, like she is doing me a favor. She doesn't realize I am doing her a huge favor? Really? I actually almost felt sick after we hung up and I almost called her back several times but haven't. I feel like a door mat right now and meanwhile I would do anything, above and beyond and meanwhile she is treating me like her personal tour guide. Most agents, (around here anyway) wouldnt even show houses to someone that's not pre-qualified and w/o a buyers agreement. I was doing this in good faith and she is interviewing agents but having me drive her around all day. I'm sick.
I think you have a very good reason to call and cancel! You have a fever --- feel the flu coming on --- don't want to expose them to your germs!
Perhaps one of the other agents she is planning to interview might be able to show her a few places.
Sounds to me like someone who will look at a thousand houses and find something wrong with each of them. I would just tell her you do not think the two of you would be a good fit.
Ahhh, the Joys of selling Real Estate. I had one this summer that after I spent about 2 weeks with called their Relo and requested a new agent cause I was not showing them the right homes. They wanted to see $250-300k homes and liked none of them. The agent who replaced me took them to a Builder I had introduced them to and they bought a $700k home.
No wonder they didn't like the $300k homes ! Because it was a Relocation Client there was not much I could do. That sale cost me about $25k when you figure in the Builders bonus. The agent who took over showed probably less then 5 homes and spent less then 20 hours since I had laid all the groundwork and narrowed their selections.
Take that as a learning experience. Unfortunately, the best lessons are normally expensive. You didn't ask the right questions and you did too much work without any commitments from them. You can still earn their potential business, but before I put them in the car I'd sit down and interview them and see why they aren't qualified and what's being done about it. There is nothing wrong with turning them down if you don't like what's going on. I've done it on a few occasions and been glad I did.
Take that as a learning experience. Unfortunately, the best lessons are normally expensive. You didn't ask the right questions and you did too much work without any commitments from them. You can still earn their potential business, but before I put them in the car I'd sit down and interview them and see why they aren't qualified and what's being done about it. There is nothing wrong with turning them down if you don't like what's going on. I've done it on a few occasions and been glad I did.
I have done loads of legwork for clients over the phone, BUT we talk for a long time before I do that. Essentially I do my buyer interview over the phone for relocation folks who can't meet in person. Then we meet for coffee before we head out for the day so I can be 100% sure we are on the same page.
If this were me, I would have mentioned a buyer agency agreement in our phone conversation which would have triggered the "interviewing agents" issue. I will show people homes while they are interviewing agents because I think that is an important part of the process for deciding whom to choose. I max out at 4 though. 4 homes, take me or leave me.
I understand your irritation, but think about all the buyers on here that ask about crazy things their buyer agents say. These buyers are taking the time to interview several agents so at least they are taking the agency relationship seriously. I feel bad that you did all this previewing and such before hand without a solid idea of what you were getting into, but honestly...that is your job to try and ferret out these situations. So go out and WOW them. Make it a no brainer to choose you because you are THAT GOOD.
Ahhh, the Joys of selling Real Estate. I had one this summer that after I spent about 2 weeks with called their Relo and requested a new agent cause I was not showing them the right homes. They wanted to see $250-300k homes and liked none of them. The agent who replaced me took them to a Builder I had introduced them to and they bought a $700k home.
No wonder they didn't like the $300k homes ! Because it was a Relocation Client there was not much I could do. That sale cost me about $25k when you figure in the Builders bonus. The agent who took over showed probably less then 5 homes and spent less then 20 hours since I had laid all the groundwork and narrowed their selections.
Errrrrrr !
I try not to think to those "dark days" when I was actually trying to make a living by showing folks houses that they said were "at the top of their range" and then finding out weeks later that they bought new house for many times more than that...
By the time I hooked up with lenders that were hawking the same crazy ARMs and such to the buyers that were hooked by the whole line of "newer is cheaper" pitch I had my fill...
I suppose the same less than honest agents are now trolling for folks they can hook with some short sale or other out lying possibility...
Realistically real estate agents operate on a fairly "retail" intensive model and while it bothers me that "WalMart" does a lot more volume than "Nordstroms" I still think that enough good people do want good service and a full explanation of what they are buying so that one need not resort to merely "running the check out lane" if you do qualify the buyers that you choose to work with...
1. Buyers are liars! Something another Agent told me years ago. Until a buyer feels they can trust you, they don't always tell you the absolute truth. And it does seem that these folks are being less than honest. So...you could always do what another poster said...call and cancel. Or...
2. You can be the best Agent you can be. Take them out, show them what they want to see. Gain their trust. Perhaps they'll see that YOU are the best Agent and this Linda was right. Perhaps they'll cancel their other "interviews" and agree that they want you to help them when they are ready to buy.
This "interviewing" seems to be a new thing. I've had a few buyers in the last year, ask to interview me. I don't mind it. I prefer to be the FIRST AGENT they interview!!!
Thx for the replies. First I want to say I was very angry when I posted so I just needed to vent to people that get it. I did take them out, mainly because I don't back out of plans I make with people and also it was a mutual friend. Things went well, she is VERY particular but we have all dealt with that. This I would say is the most extreme and add to it we are talking about a possible sale that won't happen until next year with possible closing time in over a year. They will probably go with pre-construction which is great for them but as you know I can work on this for the next year and have to wait a year to get paid. She interviewed me with a written list of questions before we left and I never had someone do that before. It was fine, I'm always honest and my answers I think are what most people would be looking for in a buyers agent. She asked if I could provide her with names and numbers of the last six clients I had so she can call them. I think that's a little extreme and not sure I want to ask clients to speak on my behalf. On the other hand I believe they would say good things, it's just a bit much. We spent the whole day together and she said several times she is going to have me help them but did not give me a signed agreement. I have found that when a long term relationship is involved and someone is this, ummm questionable, it almost never works out. A year or months go by of work and no sale, no paycheck. Oh but us Realtors make so much money! Anyway, I'll think positive and see how it goes. I know everyone has stories like this and worse. In fact I have worst stories but I guess when she said she will let me take her out but she is interviewing other people it really shocked me. I know I should have asked for the pre-qual and the buyers agreement ahead but this is a vacation area with most buyers coming from out of state. Won't mention what states but they can be very defensive and non-committal so you have to be careful what you say. Some agents say, too bad they have to follow these rules but a lot of these people will feel they are being pushed even when they are not and then you have just turned them off. The other thing is they are only here a couple days so you only have a short amount of time to develop a face to face relationship, show them property and hope for a sale. It's not like I can meet with them several times and work on the relationship. Very different then selling in a regular non vacation/retirement area.
1. Buyers are liars! Something another Agent told me years ago. Until a buyer feels they can trust you, they don't always tell you the absolute truth. And it does seem that these folks are being less than honest. So...you could always do what another poster said...call and cancel. Or...
2. You can be the best Agent you can be. Take them out, show them what they want to see. Gain their trust. Perhaps they'll see that YOU are the best Agent and this Linda was right. Perhaps they'll cancel their other "interviews" and agree that they want you to help them when they are ready to buy.
This "interviewing" seems to be a new thing. I've had a few buyers in the last year, ask to interview me. I don't mind it. I prefer to be the FIRST AGENT they interview!!!
Vicki
Vicki
I don't mind being interviewed either but I do mind if out of three being interviewed I'm the only one spending days doing work for them and taking them all day to see properties. Doesn't seem to be fair. I'm over it now. I think I'll have a drink, LOL.
I have done loads of legwork for clients over the phone, BUT we talk for a long time before I do that. Essentially I do my buyer interview over the phone for relocation folks who can't meet in person. Then we meet for coffee before we head out for the day so I can be 100% sure we are on the same page.
If this were me, I would have mentioned a buyer agency agreement in our phone conversation which would have triggered the "interviewing agents" issue. I will show people homes while they are interviewing agents because I think that is an important part of the process for deciding whom to choose. I max out at 4 though. 4 homes, take me or leave me.
I understand your irritation, but think about all the buyers on here that ask about crazy things their buyer agents say. These buyers are taking the time to interview several agents so at least they are taking the agency relationship seriously. I feel bad that you did all this previewing and such before hand without a solid idea of what you were getting into, but honestly...that is your job to try and ferret out these situations. So go out and WOW them. Make it a no brainer to choose you because you are THAT GOOD.
I hear what you're saying but with some properties needing 24 hour notice for appointments and most people coming to town sometimes with only one free day, it's hard to meet for coffee and go from there. We did talk on the phone but you know some of these people spring info on you after you've done a bunch of work. They are not always honest right away. I just had another guy come to town, I was working with for months. Many conversations, said he is interested in buying while he's here. I take him and his wife out and she says (while he was outside) "this is a nice property but we first have to sell two properties so it will be awhile". Now this is after he told me they don't have to sell to buy and was looking to buy quickly. They go home, obviously w/o buying and I email a few times listings, don't hear back. So I call him the other day to see whats up and he says, oh we're in no rush it will be two years before we do anything. I don't like to say buyers are liars (as they say) but they do! Two days ago I had a woman I've been helping for over a year (buying under $100,000 and hour from me) tells me they decided to rent first for a yr or two before they buy. So basically, I work for free most of the time.
As far as the buyers agreement in this case, I didn't push it on the phone because as you know you can feel people out and tell who to say what to and when. meaning some will get irritated if they feel any pressure whats so ever. You might say then don't work with those but the problem here is this is the majority. I would have no clients at all if I cut them all out.
No one has ever wanted to interview me after I helped them so much already by phone and email. Now when I list a house I expect to be interviewed, it's different. I don't mind being interviewed at all, in fact I'm very comfortable and always do good in an interview. Like I said before, it's not fair that I do all this work and the other two being interviewed are not doing anything but having a conversation.
There are so many bad agents that I can see why people are turned off. In fact I called two agents when I was moving here that never returned my calls. Then I got a buyers agent that did a bad job and I fired her because I was in another state doing more research than she was sending me. Now that I am a Realtor, especially working with buyers I would say more often than not the listings agents have missing or incorrect info. on their listings, making my job harder. This is my biggest aggravation with this job. It kills me that all they do is list the property, stick it on the MLS (wrong with bad pics) and then I do all the work to sell it. The worst part is they are doing a disservice to their clients but their clients don't even know it!
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Exactly why I don't do this full time any more...
questionable, it almost never works out. A year or months go by of work and no sale, no paycheck. Oh but us Realtors make so much money! Anyway, I'll think positive and see how it goes. I know everyone has stories like this and worse. In fact I have worst stories but I guess when she said she will let me take her out but she is interviewing other people it really shocked me. I know I should have asked for the pre-qual and the buyers agreement ahead but this is a vacation area with most buyers coming from out of state. Won't mention what states but they can be very defensive and non-committal so you have to be careful what you say. Some agents say, too bad they have to follow these rules but a lot of these people will feel they are being pushed even when they are not and then you have just turned them off. The other thing is they are only here a couple days so you only have a short amount of time to develop a face to face relationship, show them property and hope for a sale. It's not like I can meet with them several times and work on the relationship. Very different then selling in a regular non vacation/retirement area.
