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My lead agent told me today that he is bringing a showing agent onto our team (it's just the two of us). They have to be licensed, but do not get to work buyers on their own. Basically all they do is hold open houses to obtain buyer leads for an hourly rate, and show homes when he and I get too swamped.
Is anyone on here strictly a showing agent? If so, how are you compensated for your time? Also, why did you not choose to become an independent agent or member of a team?
I've never heard of a "showing agent" but I guess you can call someone anything you like. It doesn't seem like much of a "team", though, if you were "told" this was happening.
My lead agent brought me on as a buyer's agent. Although we are a "real estate team", according to our brokerage, it is a normal boss / employee relationship. This girl literally is being brought on just to show homes and do open houses for an hourly rate.
I have never heard of the term "showing agent" either. But we did have agents in my firm that I would offer the following to if they hold an open house for me when I got too busy or had multiple listings open all at the same time:
1. They could keep any leads that they generated from the open house.
2. Or I would just pay them a flat fee of $100 for a three hour open house.
What I hear that the "showing agent" will do is basically a licensed assistant that is paid on a hourly basis. Our assistant is licensed too. Who is paying her?
The buyer's feelings about being passed off is my concern as well. A bubbly and engaging showing agent will make them feel at ease, and comfortable. Then once they build a trust in that person, they get brought into the office and there is a stranger in a suit sitting in front of them who is completely foreign to them.
My understanding about the agreement between the lead agent and the showing agent is that she is not allowed to actually preform the transaction herself. So they could feel tricked and forced into working with me.
Is the lead agent also the broker? Are you working at a small 2 person brokerage right now or a larger one?
Let me ask, how many buyers are you working with right now? Is this something really necessary? Were you involved in this decision or did the lead agent make the decision on his or her own?
How many closings would you est. this lead agent had last year own their own?
Sorry for the questions, but I have some red flags...
We actually work for a large corporate broker. He is the lead agent of our two person team (he handles all the listings, I work buyers). He does not have his broker's license. Right now its really slow, I am working with only 3 buyers, but working my butt off lead generating for more. I was not at all involved in the decision to bring on the showing agent, I am not involved in any of the decisions. Production wise, he does about 12-14 million a year. Its hard to estimate how many actual closings he has done, since the price points are all over the board.
Our market is modestly priced, 60% of the homes on the market are sub 200k.
Location: Mokelumne Hill, CA & El Pescadero, BCS MX.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jameshardin
The buyer's feelings about being passed off is my concern as well. A bubbly and engaging showing agent will make them feel at ease, and comfortable. Then once they build a trust in that person, they get brought into the office and there is a stranger in a suit sitting in front of them who is completely foreign to them.
Sounds like timeshare sales. Glitter showing, hardball closers in the bullpen. Yuck.
I have never thought of that comparison.... very poignant
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