The Demise of the Real Estate Agent
The consumer calls the number given for customer service and expects to get a voice on the other end. However, this is a lost attribute and is one of the most often heard complaints about big companies. “I can get tech support but I will be talking to someone in India,” or maybe “It took me pushing 7 buttons to eventually get a person on the line and then they told me they were not the right person.”
Well, in no other business like the real estate business is a voice expected and needed on the other end of the line. Sadly, this is disappearing because of the development of the supper agent. In a quick disclaimer, yes I am angry and bitter but with reason. The only real estate market occurring right now is the REO market. This market is sourced from lenders or servicing companies that pick agents and then dole out the listings based on a criteria that is unknown to most if not all. It seems that they get infatuated with certain agents and just dump too many listings on them. Of course, as an agent it is almost impossible to say no and even harder to recommend that they be given to another agent. This is creating what I call the “Super Agent.” This is not a good thing. I have called about listings and actually been told by the listing office that I would not get the listing agent on the phone. I was appalled.
Now I will offer that the advent of the cell phone and the blackberry has made communication too easy. But we as agents have to adapt to that. It is a fact of life and if you are too swamped to answer your phone or return messages, maybe, just maybe it is time to say no or to bring more agents into your inner circle. If we cannot receive calls from clients or inquiring agents then what good are we? Our business, in normal times, is about talking with people. These are not normal times, but neither was 2005 and I think some of the same mistakes are going to be made again.
One of the biggest mistakes lurking is the one of greed. These super agents will not pass on listings or bring other agents into the fold because of good old fashioned greed. They do not see that there is enough to go around and what you give is what you get. There are agents that will make a lot of money in this down market and believe they are the best thing to hit Mother Earth.
I just hope the consumer gets a voice on the line before we are replaced by an electronic device. Real estate is a people oriented business by design and we have to cater to that!
Well, in no other business like the real estate business is a voice expected and needed on the other end of the line. Sadly, this is disappearing because of the development of the supper agent. In a quick disclaimer, yes I am angry and bitter but with reason. The only real estate market occurring right now is the REO market. This market is sourced from lenders or servicing companies that pick agents and then dole out the listings based on a criteria that is unknown to most if not all. It seems that they get infatuated with certain agents and just dump too many listings on them. Of course, as an agent it is almost impossible to say no and even harder to recommend that they be given to another agent. This is creating what I call the “Super Agent.” This is not a good thing. I have called about listings and actually been told by the listing office that I would not get the listing agent on the phone. I was appalled.
Now I will offer that the advent of the cell phone and the blackberry has made communication too easy. But we as agents have to adapt to that. It is a fact of life and if you are too swamped to answer your phone or return messages, maybe, just maybe it is time to say no or to bring more agents into your inner circle. If we cannot receive calls from clients or inquiring agents then what good are we? Our business, in normal times, is about talking with people. These are not normal times, but neither was 2005 and I think some of the same mistakes are going to be made again.
One of the biggest mistakes lurking is the one of greed. These super agents will not pass on listings or bring other agents into the fold because of good old fashioned greed. They do not see that there is enough to go around and what you give is what you get. There are agents that will make a lot of money in this down market and believe they are the best thing to hit Mother Earth.
I just hope the consumer gets a voice on the line before we are replaced by an electronic device. Real estate is a people oriented business by design and we have to cater to that!
posted by Terry Schonert at 5:44 AM
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