I have been reading some Blogs lately and will ask permission to re-post or quote from a few here once in a while with due credit given to the Blog and Author/Editor of the article. I am down on some of the things going on in the Real Estate Industry lately and may get some hate mail when I heat up the fire, but some things just need to be said.

  I had a home seller call me just today telling me how he hated his Realtor, how she was fat and did nothing for him...by the way, I am fat too and he had actually signed a listing agreement with me but canceled it to go with the other Agent since his wife and the Agent were from the same ethnic background. Ok, that is cool but now he is calling me. All I can say about that is I cannot not ethically talk with this fellow and told him so. I told him to call his Agent and tell her the things he is telling me and get things resolved. Later I was reading online about some Bad Realtors, or so it was reported by a very mad home buyer on a Blog. I wonder if that Realtor knows he was "slimed" and if he cares enough to correct any poor behavior that may have led to the irate client. Yesterday I was talking with a Broker friend of mine who has been trying to get me to partner up with him and his office, he has turned in a Letter of Resignation to the local Board of Realtors after 21 years of being a faithful member. That is going to be another discussion. Back to the reports of Bad Real Estate Agents and/or Realtors.

  Not all Rear Estate Agents are equal, some are good and some are bad and a few are really bad. Generally, when we hear of an Agent being “Bad” ….it comes down to communication. Some Agents just don’t get it. They NEED to honestly tell their clients how bad the market is for Sellers before they list a home or property For Sale, and use the Sellers Net Proceeds sheet to show the seller what is real and what is not, the seller will find out real soon anyway. I tell Agents all the time "DO NOT leave a bad impression in the minds of your clients because you wanted to tell them what they wanted to hear, and later they feel as though you were weak at the very least and perhaps a liar."

  Also, Agents need to pick up the phone and call their client weekly at a minimum and go over what their strategy is to help their client to get their home sold. Generally what most new Listing Clients will receive from many Listing Agents is:

1.  A post with a sign all about the Agent and their Agency.
2. A flyer-box out front with flyers in color, if they are lucky, and often the flyers are in black and white or not even there at all,( empty boxes kill relationships and loose deals).
3. Also, a listing in their local MLS. Most have poor quality photos and info.
4. That is basically 95% of the time "it". Its true 20% of Agents do 80% of the work.

  Some of the really bad Agents will and have done things that are frankly against the law, or unethical at best. Most of these bad Agents walk a thin line and a very few use outright fraud. When caught they can get big fines, loose their License to do business, get sued and even do jail time. It happens in all walks of life of course. A few of the things a bad Agent may tell you is that your property is worth “more” than it really is, because all they care about is that all important Listing, and they figure that when it does not sell in a couple weeks they can bring you a story and get you to drop your price to where it should have been in the first place. The problem mainly is that you may have lost that one buyer for your client, who was interested in “that neighborhood” and they bought another home nearby due to a more competitive price.

  How many real buyers are actually looking to buy in your clients neighborhood and how many other Real Estate Signs do you see in your clients area? There is a lot of listings on the market right now and lots of competition. Some Agents tell other Agents things like… “Whoever has the most listings wins!” That is GARBAGE I say! I say that whoever provides a fair honest service with integrity and can look themselves in the mirror each morning with dignity and self respect has already won. Semper Fi.

  Brokers mainly provide a desk and place to work, but more times than not they provide a place to hang an Agents License. Most Agents then work out of their homes, which is ok and most of us do just that…. but in the end the Broker is always responsible for their Agents actions and behavior. Oh yes, we will talk about how commissions effect sales in the end, in another article. I have to find out first how much trouble I will get in by talking about fees and commissions.

  What 95% of the Licensed Agent rely on is that the other 4,000 (est) Agents in their area will actually see the MLS Listing and bring a buyer. It is so rare for a Listing Agent to actually have a buyer "in their pocket"... all ready and waiting for your house to hit the market. It rarely happens that way. The reality is from all accounts I have read and studied is that 95% of homes DO SELL via the MLS and a Licensed Agent or "Buyers Agent" who does have a buyer that they are working with.  Its just NOT the Agent who lists your home normally.., and if it is your Agent who brings a buyer that’s ok, but they need to be extra careful as to who they represent. They are acting as a Dual Agent. Are they looking out for “Your Best Interest”…or their other client, "the buyers Interest" in the end? Yeah, its like that.

  Tip: everything is negotiable, including the fee you pay to list your home, but use caution, trust me and pay more for the Agent who actually sells your home, and maybe a bit less to the Listing Agent if all you are getting is a sign/post/flyers and MLS Listing. Split it up. Pay more to your Listing Agent if they can show or prove to you what they are spending on advertising.

  I have a lot more to say and will post more info, tips and advice on this NewsLetter, or is it a Blog, soon. The Free Press can be a great tool. Feel free to Contact Me with any comments or questions you may have.

 Editor:
-Don Leske II / Licensed RE Agent - Associate Broker & Webmaster
 (253) 241-6695
 www.HomesandProperties.com