I Am So “explicative” Over It!
I am sick of agent calling me to ask, “Will your property 666 Money Pitt Ln, you know, the one with busted pipes, will that go FHA?”
I am so flabbergasted at the question that I can’t figure out a creative yet, flagrant way to respond without coming off hostile or sarcastic.
When I am not sick of these agents calling me with these kinds of questions, I am tired of having to deal with agents who are too lazy to do their own research or at least, have a working knowledge of your profession. If you are going to be an agent, work with buyers, you might want to have some kind of knowledge of lending products….just saying.
So, in other words, I am sick and tired of these lazy agents….I am. I have been in this business for 9 years, my 10 year anniversary comes up this September and in that 10 years, I can honestly say I have only met a handful of agents who seem to get it. It’s truly sad that our industry is comprised of so many who don’t see our industry as a profession….filled with professionals.
For goodness sake people, what other profession can you tell me that helps consumers make the biggest financial decision of their lives? Now….when you come up with some of those professions, stop and ask yourself, do those professional industries have the same amount of nincompoops in their profession?
Maybe I am just venting…maybe I have just leapt off the wall of reason, two feet into pure insanity but, I am just so done with idiot agents. I am…..I am over it.
Another example, last week, I had an agent ask me, “What should I tell my client?” I almost flipped out. I really almost had a Jeff Lewis flipping out moment. It took everything in my strength not to go off on this agent. I took about 3 seconds, centered myself, and replied, “You tell them the truth, exactly what happened.” She just couldn’t come to terms with it….”the truth”…she said, I said, “Yes”….and her reply was, “I could lose her as a client.” At this point, I wasn’t able to contain myself so, I just got quiet…didn’t say a word….an awkward silence fell on the phone call and after about 8 seconds or so, she just hung up on me.
Our profession is filled with less than professional people. Somewhere down the line, we got caught up and have somehow confused the definitions of Professional and Professionalism. What I mean is, some people think it’s not professional to tell another agent to do the right thing. In both these situations above, I got calls from Managing Broker who thought they were being nice to call me and tell me their agent wasn’t happy with me or that I cost them business. …..ooohh….Let’s just say, don’t call me to complain about me when the just of your complaint is, “Well, maybe you could have been nicer”.
I am not in the business of being nice. As a colleague, I will provide you professional service, I will provide you with quality customer service and that includes telling you when you are wrong. That include telling you, plainly, simply, without ambiguity what needs to happen. If that hurts your feelings, if the truth causes you some compulsion to cry or run to your Broker with a complaint…..well, go and talk with Judge Judy or Gordon Ramsay and see what they would say.
Now, at times….I will admit, my patience is thin and the day has been long and hard so, I can be less than my chipper, over the top friendly self however, I will go out of my way to help you. People who know me, know this to be true…I will help you but, I can’t fix stupid.
So….what do you need to know about me.
I can’t fix stupid: If you are suppose to know something as a professional…..you better know it.
I can’t work with liars: If I smell a lie….I will find it and in and…yes, I will be pissed so, don’t expect any empathy from me.
I will not do your job: If I am not your Broker, don’t expect me to do your job. If I am your Broker, I hired you because; you know how to do your job.
Be accountable: Don’t be afraid of accountability, you won’t grow and become a better person without it.
Keep open to learning: None of us know it all, even I learn new stuff every day but, if you shut down to learning, if you shut your mind down to instruction, I have no time for you.
Agents / Realtors, let’s be professionals, let’s hold each other accountable, let’s stop doing others jobs and create an environment of honest discussion, free flow of ideas and most importantly, an environment where don’t have to worry about hurting feelings when truth is spoken. Sometimes the truth hurts…it just does.
Comments
Jesus,
You have only been in the business 10 years, I have been active since 1973 (over 40 years), and can honestly tell you some horror stories. Its not only agents, but brokers also. I recently had an offer presented to me on an expensive listing, it was so poorly construed that I called the agent to tell him to ask his broker to help him prepare the offer again and correctly; his answer: it was the broker who wrote it up. After talking to the broker, I simply told him that I would write up the offer for him, did so, and the transaction was successfully completed, but unfortunately, I had to guide both the agent and his broker on the follow ups that were required.
How do these people get licensed in the first place?
So I'm a long time silent observer on this website and have never posted over the years but this one hit a chord with me. Cheers for telling the hard truth. My favorite response is to push the lazy agents back to the source for an answer. "I'd be happy to submit that fha offer on the house with the broken pipes and (insert other issues here) to the seller but they require a letter from the buyer's lender/underwriter in WRITING saying they are willing to commit to loan money on a house that does not have working plumbing at closing. If you can't provide that then the seller will not consider your buyer's offer and your buyer is not qualified to buy this house. (It should be noted my average sales price is between $50k and $60k and these agents are calling me with these questions on $10k-$40k listings. This strategy teaches them to TALK to the lender for answers and not waste your time.... These are the same agents that don't seem to get it that you ask the title company for title work and the hud not the listing broker.
Bravo!!!
Well, humans need a good breeding program. We are a sad species. Its easy to tell the politicians here. Thats admirable and they are correct about 'giving the benefit of the doubt' and always look for a silver lining, etc etc but ya just become tired of dealing with IDIOTS. I started in 1980 and until 4 years ago ran multiple real estate and mortgage offices. Ive trained hundreds. 1st thing I tell them is not to come through my door if they want to sit around being chair warmers and slurping coffee while considering themselves next to God for holding a real estate license. Anyone can get a license. In public forums Ive said that most people get a license because they have NO OTHER marketable skills. Im tired of real estate agents trying to get me to move a value up or down by giving me their 'great comps', which are 500 gla different, 3 levels instead of ranch, built in 1914 instead of the subjects 2005, etc. What really irks me is when the BPO company review staff, usually out of the country, call and say something like "Your value is $150,000 and the last BPO was $225,000---why?
Ive actually responded with "Because the last agent was stupid and shouldnt even have a license." Thought Id get kicked off but they ended up giving me Freddie approved status. Im tired of 'stupid' and dont mind calling people out on it. Irascible in my old age.
Yes, they should know. This is pretty basic stuff, but I'd rather they call me than to just send in an FHA offer. I've had that happen more times than I can count. I've had many situations where I tell both the selling agent and the asset manager the property won't go FHA and neither listen.
A recent example I had a $114K FHA offer and a $107K cash. I told the agent this can't go FHA and told the asset manager the same and said take the cash offer. The appraisal came back with a list of issues. The buyer's agent tells me I have to get repair estimates for her client. I encouraged her to terminate and ask for EM back. She won't so I told her you get the estimates. Closing date passes with no estimates, extension request or any word from buyer's side. I put back into active status, sell to a cash investor (for 100K) and send buyer's a termination agreement, with EM to the seller. The buyer's agent calls in a fit and she has the buyer's file a complaint against me with the local board. The asset manager agreed to give back the EM (not worth fighting over it) in exchange for them dropping the frivolous complaint.
I too dislike the lazy agents but I dislike more the lazy and dumb agent that thinks they know and won't ask. I also dislike the asset managers that don't have enough faith in our knowledge as professionals to listen and cost us more work and grief because of it.
Haaaa Haaa! Stupid agents and Fannie Mae's move to Equator are what i hate!
Actually, I had a good laugh because I too tire of it. I changed my voicemail to explain the if the MLS says ACTIVE that the house is AVAILABLE and that I will not return calls with requests to know if we have multiple offers (not approved by my client and not in their best interest). So....they listen to my voicemail and now they TEXT the question right afterward. I'm like...I know you heard that voicemail, I have caller ID.....
We even ADD the remarks it won't go FHA, don't have FHA checked as a financing option (we will say rehab, 203K only in our comments) and we STILL get FHA offers. And, you know....I STILL have to enter that offer and make SURE the asset manager see my remarks regarding the financing won't work. Ahhh....it's Friday...
As a Qualifying Broker, I have managed 68 agents, led them to water (96% did not drink) and saw them steal, lie and cheat me out of thousands of dollars (yes, when you terminate the listing with my client and then move it to your new office...that is most likely a COE issue) and I that's why now I don't own a franchise, manage agents and make more money that I ever did. It doesn't take much to become a licensee and then sell houses, sadly.
Sure, you are venting but also starting a good discussion. An FHA203K streamline loan might be an option if no structural repairs are involved and appliances and carpeting can be included. You or your seller may not want to encourage rehab financing as it requires buyer's prompt involvement in the process. The best way to deflect stupid inquiries and financing that is not in seller's best interest is to simply state in listing what will or won't be considered. Will the seller fix the pipes? Can this this conversation lead to a benefit to my client? I started in real estate in 1970. I have a patient temperament. I believe you handled it professionally. I still learn every day.
That's why I'm here. That and to share.
Hey Don,
I agree with your reply however, I want to be clear about my post. My gripe isn't with new agents who need help, my gripe is with the agent who calls me.....as the listing agent and says, "Hey, that property you have with busted pipes, with that go FHA?" My point is, the showing agent knew it had busted pipes, specifically mentioned it in their call to me and still asked if the property would go FHA. To put a finer tip on my point, if you are a buyer agent, working with buyers, know a property has damage but, instead of educating yourself to your buyer's loan product, you contact the listing agent to ask.....really?
In other words, it's an agent who is too lazy to do their job, know their buyer's loan product, speak with the buyer's lender and when the read in the MLS, "Home has busted pipes".......a good agent shouldn't have to ask, will that go FHA to the listing agent. A good agent who didn't know, would call their buyer's lender and ask, will a home with busted pipes go FHA? A great agent wouldn't have even had to ask because when they say their buyer was getting a FHA loan, they would have educated themselves to the loan products requirement in an effort to provide exceptional customer service to their buyer and educate them that a home with busted pipes wouldn't qualify for a FHA loan however, let's check with your lender and see if the have any rehab loans you may qualify for if you really like the home.
In my opinion, it's not about me educating the lazy agent, it's the lazy agent getting off their rear end and doing an exceptional job for their client without having to rely on others who do not represent their client in the transaction.
Educating Home Buyers, Sellers, Agents is part of the Business we are in. I believe in sharing knowledge with Agents that have questions. Remember when you first started your Real Estate Career? Think about where you are now. I'm sure you have gained more knowledge as you became more experienced.
A Professional Real Estate Agent, helps those around them perform better. Give advise to those who are in need. It may Lead to more Business.
If my seller allows it, I will state explicitly that a property is in condition for cash or rehab loans only. I, too, do not tolerate stupid in this business but I try really hard not to find out by covering available loan types up front in the MLS. I also take a yearly class on rehab loans and direct such stupid to loan officers that are very deep into these loan programs.
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