When and why do real estate agents ghost a client? (RE agent, Realtor)

[carnelian]

Renting or buying a low end home or apartment in a competitive area--why would agents send out a few listings that turn out unsatisfactory unwanted, talk to the client (me) promise to send more vacancies...and disappear, and say that nothing is available. I don't believe it. If I can find vacancies, so can they. So they are going through the motions? They made a minimal effort and have clients with bigger pockets?
Of course, agents are not needed for rentals and sometimes not for sales, legally.
Are agents fickle or is it just me?

[dontaskwhy]

Sometimes, if an agent thinks they are not getting anything productive working with a client it can happen. I am not suggesting that doing so is ethical, but as a former Realtor I understand how it can happen. If there is a personality conflict that can also explain it. There are many reasons why it can happen, just offering some suggestions why.

[Chas863]

Originally Posted by carnelian

Renting or buying a low end home or apartment in a competitive area--why would agents send out a few listings that turn out unsatisfactory unwanted, talk to the client (me) promise to send more vacancies...and disappear, and say that nothing is available. I don't believe it. If I can find vacancies, so can they. So they are going through the motions? They made a minimal effort and have clients with bigger pockets?
Of course, agents are not needed for rentals and sometimes not for sales, legally.
Are agents fickle or is it just me?

Real estate agents are independent contractors. As such, they need to assure that their time is spent productively. They can't waste endless hours attempting to educate a "tire kicker". It appears that the agent you encountered sized you up as a tire kicker who wasn't worth his/her time.

Now if you would want to guarantee the agent that you would pay them say $75 per hour for their time spent showing you properties, then perhaps they might be a bit more receptive to spending time with you. Otherwise, it appears that they decided, for whatever reason, that you didn't show much hope for them to make any money anytime in the near future.

If this seems harsh or rude to you, ask yourself this question: Would you go to work for an employer and spend a week of your time if the employer told you up front that at the end of the week, they may or may not pay you anything for your work efforts?

[TeamLynn]

Have you been preapproved for a loan yet?
When I tell clients that is the first step, even before you look at homes and then you keep wanting to look at homes, then that is a red flag for me.
I don't want to waste your time or mine....and I don't want to sound like a broken record, begging you to go get preapproved.
If you don't value your time, then you won't value mine....and that's 1/2 of what we are selling is our time and the other 1/2 is our expertise.
While I work a lot of rentals, most agents don't. Often I go negative on rentals as they pay so little....it doesn't pay for the gas...also rental clients are notoriously not loyal. I've spent a couple of full days sometimes showing out of town clients the city and houses, only for them to find a place on their own and leave me out of the transaction. Not even the courtesy to provide a gas card or maybe a dinner gift card for the one I missed with my family while showing you the city.

[carnelian]

I am renting-- but I was pre approved for a loan with high credit score. An excellent record. I am not a "tire kicker".
Real estate agents looking for quick easy money drop me after 2 weeks. They dont want to work for it.. All I ask is to keep searching within my criteria, answer my questions in email in a very competitive market for renters/buyers. So far only one agent met me to look at a property and she was very eager to drive away. I am pessimistic because my searches turn up nothing worthwhile, touch and go, but agents want me to be optimistic, cheerful. I can't fake it. they find any excuse to ghost me. Excluding townhouses? That's enough. Got a pet? Discouraged. It's nothing personal--they never meet me. If they say they will look for me, it is half-hearted, half-a-- meagre attempt. I would need to compensate them. Surely, they live very comfortably in affluent suburbs, compared to my pleasant hovel.
One agent complained so much about driving outside her area (god forbid) that I gave her $10. and she still yelled at me, lost her cool, sarcastic, snarky.
I thought agents bought clients lunch. So you're saying its the reverse? IMO they are not trying to make clients "dream come true". They are looking to make their own dream come true--of big money.

[Brandon Hoffman]

You are trying to rent or buy? I don't have time to help a renter find a place to rent, but even when I did have the time, the compensation is so low it wasn't worth it. I used to tell renters They'd have to pay a $500 nonrefundandable retainer up front and that would cover up 5 showings. No renter ever took me up on it.

Ghosting isn't cool, but an agents time is worth something. They need to feel like they'll be fairly compensated for working with you. The busier the agent, the less likely they'll have time to take on a low income/time consuming client. Sometimes a newer agent will work harder for it because they need business. If that's what you end up with, just make sure they are well trained and have a team or support system to help them if needed.

[1insider]

Originally Posted by carnelian

I am renting--

Real estate agents looking for quick easy money drop me after 2 weeks.

More than two weeks to make a few hundred dollars isn't quick easy money. How long have you been looking and how many houses have you seen?

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by carnelian

I am renting-- but I was pre approved for a loan with high credit score. An excellent record. I am not a "tire kicker".
Real estate agents looking for quick easy money drop me after 2 weeks. They dont want to work for it.. All I ask is to keep searching within my criteria, answer my questions in email in a very competitive market for renters/buyers. So far only one agent met me to look at a property and she was very eager to drive away. I am pessimistic because my searches turn up nothing worthwhile, touch and go, but agents want me to be optimistic, cheerful. I can't fake it. they find any excuse to ghost me. Excluding townhouses? That's enough. Got a pet? Discouraged. It's nothing personal--they never meet me. If they say they will look for me, it is half-hearted, half-a-- meagre attempt. I would need to compensate them. Surely, they live very comfortably in affluent suburbs, compared to my pleasant hovel.
One agent complained so much about driving outside her area (god forbid) that I gave her $10. and she still yelled at me, lost her cool, sarcastic, snarky.
I thought agents bought clients lunch. So you're saying its the reverse? IMO they are not trying to make clients "dream come true". They are looking to make their own dream come true--of big money.

My last two rentals would have paid me $100 for bringing a tenant.
"...would have..." if the property managers hadn't stiffed me.
And, 100 bucks isn't worth fighting over.

You are completely out of touch with reality if you think I should have bought lunch after working for free.
Or, if you think I should drive 20 miles across town to show rentals, buy lunch, and work for free.

"Big money?" I guess we have different parameters regarding wealth.
But, I wouldn't "ghost" you. I would just tell you to find someone else.

[Hollytree]

Originally Posted by carnelian

Renting or buying a low end home or apartment in a competitive area--why would agents send out a few listings that turn out unsatisfactory unwanted, talk to the client (me) promise to send more vacancies...and disappear, and say that nothing is available. I don't believe it. If I can find vacancies, so can they. So they are going through the motions? They made a minimal effort and have clients with bigger pockets?
Of course, agents are not needed for rentals and sometimes not for sales, legally.
Are agents fickle or is it just me?

RE agents work on commission. You sound like you won't represent much of a commission.

Keep looking on your own. So much information now is publicly available.

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by carnelian

I am renting-- but I was pre approved for a loan with high credit score. An excellent record. I am not a "tire kicker".

Rentals today pay almost nothing in this area. I don't work with tenants and spend all my time when I won't get paid.
I'll send them a list and tell them to contact the listing area.

Did you know in many large cities the Tenant PAYS the agent for their time. Try this in NYC and see what happens.

Better question is why do Buyers Ghost agents never to be seen again after they've spent weeks and months helping them out?