Does Experience Really Matter?
I Didn’t Used To Think So, Now I Do
When I first got into the real estate industry, many of the resources available to train new agents revolved around touting the benefits you provide to a potential clients. For agents with experience, this was easier than it was for new agents. New agents focused on the benefits to working with the broker, ie. Coldwell Banker for instance, and what they provide. (which isn’t much honestly lol)
When looking around the office, I didn’t want to put myself out there like other agents. It didn’t appeal to me in the least as it seemed self serving without providing an ethical basis for their existence. The proverbial “self licking ice cream cone”.
Obviously, this isn’t always the case but it, unfortunately, is the case too much of the time.
This was ultimately the reason why I decided to get my brokers license and go out on my own.
In my most recent sale, it was clear that the agent on the other side was inexperienced. Rather than railing against it like I’ve done in the past, I just decided to do the work and get it done.
Being the listing agent allowed me to advise the seller to construct the commission according the amount of work to be done so that I wasn’t doing more work without being justly compensated for it.
Agreement? What Agreement?
Once an agreement is reached, it’s supposed to be adhered to. That’s why it’s there. The agreement doesn’t take into account the agent going on more than one vacation during the transaction and structuring the inspections around those vacations.
This is what happened in my last sale.
As such, the property inspections for her buyer were scheduled virtually on top of the contingency release for discovery which is 17 days. There were literally no
inspections scheduled for the first 10 days of the agreement period. This doesn’t serve the buyers interest in the least. What if something had come up with the house that meant the buyers had to cancel and find another? If that had happened, much time had been wasted and their kids would not have gotten into school on time.
Even though I offered to facilitate access to the house to get it done, I wasn’t taken up on my offer. While I tried to be accommodating and suggested she extend the inspection period out just a few days, she submitted a week extension which just wasn’t at all appropriate.
The seller was trying to get their life in order and make their own plans to move and get settled. Being hung out to dry for 21 days on inspections on a 30 day close just wasn’t acceptable.
In the end, I did facilitate the inspections. I met with her buyers, great folks, let the pest and home inspectors into the house then when it closed, I met the buyers at the house and made sure they got the keys and garage door openers to move in. Oh, she came to the house during the initial showing and met them for the final walk through, that was it. That took maybe 2 hours of her time with travel from near Sacramento.
I spoke to the lender her buyers used and the title company, both said they hadn’t heard from her at all in the last 2 weeks of the transaction. The buyer had to call and make an appointment to sign loan docs on their own. I’ve never let that happen.
It’s tough to be in a business when as soon as you tell someone what you do, most don’t trust you without the benefit of a doubt. While it’s tough side of this business, I understand and accept it.
It’s agents like this that perpetuate that stigma.
Ok enough ranting!
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