REA telling me porkies

[skater]

all agents are shifty as with varying degrees...anything to make a buck so please don't patronize people...

This is a terribly naive and arrogant viewpoint.

Are there bad Agents? Absolutely! But you know what? There are plenty that are honest hardworking people, just doing the best they can for their clients. Do they always do the right thing? No! The same as you and I, they make mistakes. There are also some very good Agents.

Just like every occupation, you have good, bad and the vast majority are mediocre. Mediocrity is not a crime.

it's not necessary and quite nasty to call all agents bottom of the barrell scum. They are simply doing a job, and any buyer who doesn't do their own homework is a fool, and should not blame the agent. The agent works for the vendor, not the buyer.

Yep!

 

[wylie]

A lot of agents love to get listings from referrals. They often do this by keeping in touch with sellers and treating them well. Even becoming 'friends'.

Do you think he'd be doing this stuff from the goodness of his heart? Hellooooo!!!

How is that different from any other business?

A good business lives and breathes on referals and good service. Being a "proactive" agent doesn't mean selling your soul. It means being helpful and friendly. If an agent only cultivates potential clients without having his/her heart in it, don't you think people would see through it?

Would you be fooled? If not, are you that more intuitive than anyone else?

Everyone has a reason for cultivating friends, customers, teachers, clients. Agents are no different, but that doesn't make them any worse for doing what is expected in a service industry.

I know for a fact that my mother lost two sales through recognising that her buyers were better off with the house from another agency. I also know that nearly ten years after she resigned, she was still getting calls from past sellers and buyers who wanted her to sell a house or look for a house for them.

My mother never made "friends" with buyers or sellers, but by heck she had their respect.

I know there are dodgy agents out there, but I don't for a moment believe they are "mostly rotten".

 

[csc2]

This is a terribly naive and arrogant viewpoint.

Are there bad Agents? Absolutely! But you know what? There are plenty that are honest hardworking people, just doing the best they can for their clients. Do they always do the right thing? No! The same as you and I, they make mistakes. There are also some very good Agents.

Just like every occupation, you have good, bad and the vast majority are mediocre. Mediocrity is not a crime.



Yep!

lol...pull out the violins please!

My opinion differs vastly compared to yours and that is fine..

I've purchased 30 plus properties over the years, dealt with many agents so i feel I can speak my mind clearly on this issue.....there is no such thing as an upfront honest agent!

Ignorance??? No, just street smart when any agent is involved in any deal....If you wish to place your hard earned cash into the hands of any agent thats your business.

Best of luck with relying on an agent and an industry that is full of holes...

I'll say it again...if a property is not exclusive then do a search and go direct.............absolutely nothing wrong with that...its exactly what the agents does to other agents to obtain listings....

 

[ironscythe]

A lot of agents love to get listings from referrals. They often do this by keeping in touch with sellers and treating them well. Even becoming 'friends'.

Do you think he'd be doing this stuff from the goodness of his heart? Hellooooo!!!

maybe not.... but atleast he does care to go above and beyond his call of duty to take the extra effort.
Also you sometimes know when a person is genuinely trying to help you as opposed to someone who`s just licking his lips at the thought of signing up an amateur first home buyer with the act now or lose it attitude.

When i was doing Uni i was working in Sales and saw firsthand the trainings, the feelers and the objection handling stuff these people go through. But when i was out there i worked on the Mantra that the Customer should always win. no wonder i reaped in thousands while those morons kept practicing their pitches and gobbled bottles of red bull to keep themselves in a high energy state with few results.

In the end when it comes to Sales you might know all the tricks but its how honest and empathetic you are. If you can put yourself in your clients shoes and work to whats best for them sooner than later ud need to hire someone to answer your phone.

 

[JamesGG]

there is no such thing as an upfront honest agent!

There was a time once when I would get somewhat offended by blanket insults such as those in this thread and let fly, a la Lil_Skater , leaving you in no doubt as to what I thought about your narrow-mindedness. Fortunately for my own peace of mind, as much as anything, I have grown up and moved on since then.

I no longer work as an agent. But, I will say that even now, my perception differs from yours.

There is (or at least, was) a saying in the real estate industry; "perception is reality". Perhaps, your reality of only ever dealing with crooked agents is, at least in part, due to your perception that no other kind exists?

 

[skater]

I've purchased 30 plus properties over the years, dealt with many agents so i feel I can speak my mind clearly on this issue.....there is no such thing as an upfront honest agent!

.

Only 30? And that makes you an expert? Please........

 

[Dazz]

Only 30? And that makes you an expert? Please........

Now now ladies.....zippers up and rulers away please.

 

[evand]

Its not a RE saying, its just a general saying that is used a lot in marketing.

And i'd like to say he shares his 'perception' with about 95% of the public. So there something going on out there.

nb: RE agents are at the bottom of just about every honesty, integrity and truthfulness industry survey i have ever seen. Its mostly a battle with used car dealers fro bottom spot.

Gotta be something going on there.

There is (or at least, was) a saying in the real estate industry; "perception is reality". Perhaps, your reality of only ever dealing with crooked agents is, at least in part, due to your perception that no other kind exists?

 

[skater]

Now now ladies.....zippers up and rulers away please.

Ah, but you misread me Dazz. I'm not comparing anything. I have no intention of attempting to big note myself by mentioning the number of properties that I have, or that I have purchased in the past, although there are quite a few. I am just saying that doing something 30 times (no matter what it is that you are doing) hardly makes one an expert.

Has this poster met ALL the Agents in the Country? I gather not. I would also suspect that he has not met all in the capital city that he hails from. So, if this is the case, how on earth can he make a sweeping statement like he has, with any sort of credability?

 

[evand]

The difference is its common for businesses/professionals to make it common knowledge they want referrals.

Not suck up and know they will get a referral as a great friendly, hard working agent.

That's the only motive in this scenario. Beside that, why would they care if sellers/buyers existed? KACHING!!! $$$

How is that different from any other business?

A good business lives and breathes on referals and good service. Being a "proactive" agent doesn't mean selling your soul. It means being helpful and friendly. If an agent only cultivates potential clients without having his/her heart in it, don't you think people would see through it?

Would you be fooled? If not, are you that more intuitive than anyone else?

Everyone has a reason for cultivating friends, customers, teachers, clients. Agents are no different, but that doesn't make them any worse for doing what is expected in a service industry.

I know for a fact that my mother lost two sales through recognising that her buyers were better off with the house from another agency. I also know that nearly ten years after she resigned, she was still getting calls from past sellers and buyers who wanted her to sell a house or look for a house for them.

My mother never made "friends" with buyers or sellers, but by heck she had their respect.

I know there are dodgy agents out there, but I don't for a moment believe they are "mostly rotten".

 

[evand]

This is motivated by the opportunity to make more money. What else?

maybe not.... but atleast he does care to go above and beyond his call of duty to take the extra effort.

 

[Luv2Travel]

I am just saying that doing something 30 times (no matter what it is that you are doing) hardly makes one an expert.

But I suspect it makes him the unluckiest person to have 30/30 "scumbag" agents. I have only purchased 4 times and I have a 50% success rate of agents I've been happy with.

Due to his strong push of ethics and honesty, I also suspect that when/if he sells he says to the agent "if someone asks if any nearby development is going to take place over the next year or so, please feel free to be totally honest with them; there's a block of housing commission flats going in next door this year, a new freeway by the back door next year, and by the way let them know the house is full of termites and even though it's a huge block of land there are council restrictions that won't pass any subdivision - so tell them no need to do any homework".

 

[skater]

Due to his strong push of ethics and honesty, I also suspect that when/if he sells he says to the agent "if someone asks if any nearby development is going to take place over the next year or so, please feel free to be totally honest with them; there's a block of housing commission flats going in next door this year, a new freeway by the back door next year, and by the way let them know the house is full of termites and even though it's a huge block of land there are council restrictions that won't pass any subdivision - so tell them no need to do any homework".

Hahaha I nearly fell of my chair.

 

[andrew_de_a]

No ones answered by question.... is it OK for buyers to lie?

 

[cu@thetop]

No ones answered by question.... is it OK for buyers to lie?

If those pesky agents didn't ask so many prying questions the buyers wouldn't have to.

Lionel Hutz (when running a real estate agency) :

Now Marge.. there is "the truth" and "the truth"!

First home buyers are not running a business regulated by the Trade Practices Act- so yes they can lie if they want.

Winston's approach is a good one I think.

 

[andrew_de_a]

A tad hypocritical me thinks

 

[skater]

No ones answered by question.... is it OK for buyers to lie?

Buyers lie, Vendors lie and Agents lie.

Whether is is OK or not is besides the point. We all lie, some more than others. Even honest people are guilty of stretching the truth at times.

 

[wylie]

I feel quite sure that those who think all, or even most, agents are lying, hypocritical bottom scrapers would insist on revealing every little problem with the house they are about to list . That way, the agent can tell all potential purchasers about the termites, rising damp and toxic dump about to be built next door . Because they hate dishonesty and the agent should be upfront and honest in all dealings.

I also feel quite sure that those who expect to find only bad apples probably draw that type to them. Perhaps agents have no respect for some people who enter into a deal or conversation with someone who clearly has little trust in them. Agents can read body language and possibly react accordingly. A bit like a child who is expected to by naughty often lives up to that expectation.

All I know I'd that of the dozens of agents I have dealt with, very few were dodgy. Most were up front.

 

[jezza]

OK so we all agree that both the agents and the buyers lie, I am sure many of out there who have much greater experience would know by now, if there is a place to buy you know which agents to go to as you know which ones are easier to read and get more information out of. Likewise if your selling a place, those scummy agent that seem to lie all the time and yet get the best price for there vendors will be the first door you knock on. Its all relative to the situation, as this site involves many people wanting to buy and improve there portfolio you are on the side of the ledger that involves wanting more information and if you think the REA is just going to give it to you without doing any homework then good luck.

I bet if there was a topic " How much above your asking price did you get". Everyone would say there fantastic figure, no one would comment that there REA lied there guts off and suckered someone into paying $100k more than we wanted

Jezza

 

[Dazz]

I bet if there was a topic " How much above your asking price did you get"

....what would really frazzle their banana would be to not give them an asking price, and then not answer their questions as well.....then the Buyers would really be in that - "no one's holding my hand, no-one's telling me anything, you guys are so mean and nasty to me" zone it'd do their head in.

Some children, despite being in their 30's and even 40's and 50's, never quite grasp the concept of standing on their own two feet.