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So, my first trip to the triangle area is over. Loved the whole area basically. The subs we looked at were The Park, Wescott (Loved this area) Haddon Hall, Sunset Ridge/Oaks, Brighton Forest, King's Ridge and a few others.
I didn't think finding a buyers agent would be so tough, though. My "original" agent up and retired (not a problem) and said another agent would be calling me to show me around on this trip. Well, we did not get along so well on the phone. His lack of empathy/compassion for those dealing with the reassignments really turned me off. He's a no go.
This one really shocked me. Two weeks before my trip, called another agent. We talked on the phone, she sent me a relo package, we talked the day before and the night of my arrival to the area. I gave her about 8 listings I was interested in seeing, mainly new builds but a couple of older homes. She said she would schedule appts and we agreed to meet in the lobby of my hotel the next morning.
One hour before our meet time, she calls and says she is sick and can't make it. I think she had no intention spending the time with us from the beginning. Otherwise she would have given me the appt times and asked that I list her as my agent at the sales office. I haven't heard from her since.
So...I try getting ahold of the sales office at The Park to set up a look see. Get ahold of a wonderful young agent who lives in the area and she agrees to meet with us, at our convenience, and spend as much time showing us around as necessary. We probably spent around three hours together and one of the listings was her own, which happens to be one of my favorites of the day. Hopefully (for us) it will still be around when we return for a second trip.
Although this wasn't a buying trip for me (which I explained to all the agents) she certainly was willing to invest the time in a potential buyer. She has my loyalty because of that.
She was also shocked and appalled, especially of the agent who bagged out at the last minute. It's not like we will be spending peanuts on a home - our range is $350-450.
Wow! I'm appalled on your behalf! That stinks! But glad you found a gem. We, too, found one and she has given so much of her time for us, even went to the design center to help us pick options. It makes a big difference having a good agent, doesn't it?
Sanere, venting is good - like a good enema! (sorry but i'm in GI). I am so sorry you had such a bad experience. I had just the opposite. My husband and I did quite a bit of research online before we left for our trip to NC. Apparently, due to the fact that I had signed on a certain website, my name and tel# became available to agents. An agent called us and was so warm and welcomng. We told him what we were looking for but did not know anything about each area. He told us to keep looking at the MLS and send him a list of homes we would like to see. We contacted him the evening we arrived and he met us in our hotel lobby at 9am the next day. Not only did he have appts, he had a list of properties he thought we might like. This agent spent most of the next 3 days showing us properties, the different areas/attractions etc. He was wonderful. He was our first "real contact" with NC and we were sold!
Sanere, venting is good - like a good enema! (sorry but i'm in GI). I am so sorry you had such a bad experience. I had just the opposite. My husband and I did quite a bit of research online before we left for our trip to NC. Apparently, due to the fact that I had signed on a certain website, my name and tel# became available to agents. An agent called us and was so warm and welcomng. We told him what we were looking for but did not know anything about each area. He told us to keep looking at the MLS and send him a list of homes we would like to see. We contacted him the evening we arrived and he met us in our hotel lobby at 9am the next day. Not only did he have appts, he had a list of properties he thought we might like. This agent spent most of the next 3 days showing us properties, the different areas/attractions etc. He was wonderful. He was our first "real contact" with NC and we were sold!
Good for you, yes! The above is the kind of agent I am accustomed to dealing with. This was a short trip for us time wise, but I know the last agent (the gem) will have no problem spending time with us on our next trip.
Amazingly there are way too many horror stories like that... The number one complaint of REALTORS is not returning calls/emails in a timely manner...if not at all. What is also hard is working on a cross sale with an agent that has the same apathetic work ethic. Glad you found a good one!
This one really shocked me. Two weeks before my trip, called another agent. We talked on the phone, she sent me a relo package, we talked the day before and the night of my arrival to the area. I gave her about 8 listings I was interested in seeing, mainly new builds but a couple of older homes. She said she would schedule appts and we agreed to meet in the lobby of my hotel the next morning.
One hour before our meet time, she calls and says she is sick and can't make it. I think she had no intention spending the time with us from the beginning. Otherwise she would have given me the appt times and asked that I list her as my agent at the sales office. I haven't heard from her since.
Let's say the agent was genuinely ill ... a horrendous case of the flu, perhaps. What should the agent have done? Should the agent have found another realtor to accompany Sanrene to the appointments? If so and if Sanrene had found a home s/he wanted to purchase that day, who would be Sanrene's agent? Who would earn the commision: the original, absent agent or the substitute agent?
Let's say the agent was genuinely ill ... a horrendous case of the flu, perhaps. What should the agent have done? Should the agent have found another realtor to accompany Sanrene to the appointments? If so and if Sanrene had found a home s/he wanted to purchase that day, who would be Sanrene's agent? Who would earn the commision: the original, absent agent or the substitute agent?
It depends...
The likely scenario would be the ill agent would have another agent from their office show them around that day (as a favor)....and that's it....but, if they wanted to write a contract that day...the two agents would come to an agreement to split commission. Technically the agent's firm earns the commission and it's up to the broker in charge how they split...or at least referee the agreement.
If the agent was in a small or one man firm, they would most likely refer the client out to another firm as a referral...let that firm have the client and just collect a small payment at closing.
Realistically, depending how ill the agent may be, one could agree to meet the following day...stuff happens and you have to work around it....*at least the agent called to say she was sick..that tells me she had every intention of helping, she wouldn't have made all the appointments and have done all of the legwork if the opposite.
Let's say the agent was genuinely ill ... a horrendous case of the flu, perhaps. What should the agent have done? Should the agent have found another realtor to accompany Sanrene to the appointments? If so and if Sanrene had found a home s/he wanted to purchase that day, who would be Sanrene's agent? Who would earn the commision: the original, absent agent or the substitute agent?
I'll answer that, if you don't mind.
I would have expected her to provide a substitute agent from her office (large, national agency). IF I had found a home that day (remember, not a buying trip) I would have assumed that would have been worked out between the agents, perhaps splitting the fee.
However, since she did not provide a referral agent, or present me with a list of appt times (that's why I sent her the listings the previous night) My opinion is that she did not make the appts and had no intention of showing me around that day.
She knew I wasn't going to be buying that day - would that make a difference to most agents?
She knew I wasn't going to be buying that day - would that make a difference to most agents?
It better not make a difference. Any good agent knows...and a lot of the agents that post here (I have met) are very good, that if you are not willing to work with clients for a period of time with the risk of them NEVER buying...you will never make a cent in this business. It's all about helping the client whether they are ready to buy or not. A good agent is not just waiting for that paycheck....they actually enjoy spending time with people and bragging about their city.
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