A study was done a few years back, where surveyors asked people if they had ever thought about working in the real estate field, 98% of the people surveyed said “yes”. I guess everyone thinks our job is easy or something.
I can assure you, being an agent is not easy. Honestly, any job where you deal with the mass public is not easy. People are hard to please, especially when it comes to buying a HUGE asset like a home.
It’s not that people are mean (in most cases) it’s that much like any other job, the general public has no idea what’s really going on behind the scenes. To the public, we agents stick a sign in the yard, enter some data into the MLS and then collect a $10,000+ check.
That couldn’t be further from the truth for those of us who treat this like a career. All CE, BS and MSA aside, we have a lot going on with each transaction. We deal with vendors, negotiations, repairs, marketing and vendors. Did I mention vendors? Because they aren’t always easy to deal with.
We agents live on commission. That means we must answer our phone, show homes and make offers in order to eventually collect a check. That being said, we look at every phone call, every sign call and every website entry as someone we can use our skills to help get into the home of their dreams.
That’s not always the case for the person on the other end of the deal. Most consumers will hit 6 websites and enter their information. That means there is, on average, six of us chasing each lead. The consumer thinks we exist in abundance. So they take advantage of us, unkonwingly (in most cases)
“…I didn’t want to bother my agent”
It’s Saturday morning and the phone rings. You pick it up and there’s someone on the line that wants to look at one of your listings. You go through the normal song and dance to get their information. When you ask “Do you have an agent you are currently working with?” they say “Yes but they are busy, I don’t want to bother them”
As crazy as it sounds, this happens a lot. It’s like consumers want you to work for free, so they can pay their sister in law, who just got her license 2 weeks ago, a commission to stop bothering them.
“Yes I’m already working with someone but…”
What’s even worse is when they try and convince you that you should still show them the house after they tell you they have an agent. They say clever phrases like “if you show it to me, I might buy it” Really? Tell me more….
Due to our code of ethics, there is a fine line between stepping on another Agent’s toes and violating the code. The consumer has no idea how all of this works, but you can count on them to always dangle the proverbial “I might buy it” carrot in front of you.
“Zillow says our home is worth waaaay more than that”
That moment you tell them what your CMA amounts to and they compare your estimate to a zestimate. “But zillow said…” can be one of the most frustrating phrases to hear as an Agent. You have to validate yourself as a licensed expert who works in the area, against a website designed to capture leads. Go figure.
It’s not that we hate zillow, it’s actually good to get our listings out, but man it causes a lot of confusion we have to clear up, with our clients, on a daily basis.
“I saw a website that said they sell properties for a flat fee”
On paper, namely a HUD, it looks like we make a killing on each property we sell. The public has no idea how much MLS dues, lock boxes, Supra keys, CCS, Realtor Dues, CE and marketing dollars we spend on a monthly basis. Being an Agent is not cheap.
I didn’t even mention commission splits and desk fees. The list goes on forever and every day someone new is trying to sell us something. For a lot of us, the second we get our checks, it goes right back into our business. Selling millions of dollars in assets a year, ain’t cheap.
“it’s a ridiculously low offer but see if they will take it”
Don’t you hate insulting other Agents by giving them a ridiculously low offer? It’s really a waste of time for all parties involved, but there’s always that one buyer who thinks they can roll the dice on getting a deal. They say “you never know until you ask” trust me, we know.
I’m not talking a lowball offer a few thousand under list price, I’m talking a $100k offer on a $200k home because “it’s been on the market forever” By sending a ludacris offer to another agent, who by law, is supposed to protect the interest of their clients, is just insulting. We don’t like it when it’s done to us…
These five things may be the most dreaded phrases uttered by prospects but there are 100s of phrases we love to hear. Such as “I love this house” “Thank you for getting me my dream home” “You sold our home for more than we expected” and most importantly “Here’s a referral”
Next time you get one of these phrases thrown at you, send them to this article for future reference. The more you know…. 🙂
