It never ceases to amaze me that the Homebuyers I have run into lately just do not understand that buying a home is serious business and requires someone assisting them that looks out for there best interests.

We remember in our training that for the longest time until recently on the galactic time line, there waas no such thing as a buyer's agent ; that only the sales agent selling a home existed.  The buyers were on their own. Then laws came up about disclosure and the buyer's agent was born.

I dont think much has changed really...in a buyer's mind.

Lately this is what has happened in my realm:

Had a buyer come through my open house three weeks ago and they wanted to write an offer on another neighboring house I showed them that day.  They were ecstatic that the home was perfect and they even measured where their furniture would go.  THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEIR LISTING AGENT WAS NOT ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE AND SHE DID NOT LIKE HIS "TOO GOOD FOR THEM" ATTITUDE.

At the contract signing they stalled because they she started to think about the tax liability of a property switch despite the fact my research showed that they, because of her age could retain her property tax. They then wanted to rely on the tax position of their listing agent, despite the fact that this agent was not licensed to dispense tax advice ( I am a tax preaparer too with a CTEC license). Some checking determined that the office listing agent would not even have my offer considered (it was 13% off of list price).

In the end they wanted to only work with their agent only 24 hours later.

A week later I found them a property in the same area within their means and these buyers were offended that I was still going out of my way trying to help them,despite they had bad vibes with their listing agent.

More recently a brother/sister were going to buy a duplex to live in together. I had been working with the brother for 5 years on and off.  I met with them on Saturday and wanted them to sign an exclusive representation agreement.  The brother was ok but sister claimed I had not been in touch with her ( I was never able to get the sister on the phone but I could always follow up with the brother.) The sister said she was talking to another Realtor and so they agreed to meet and interview her. 

As of today, brother called me and was shocked that other Realtor said I was not doing my job and subsequently supposedly she was in contract on a home (wonder what "shiny" thing she was told ie "flash a shiny object and they will be attracted"). As it is, the brother is going to work with me to find him his own home.

Homebuyers just dont get it: Many times their home buying success is a product of their own dedication. Not what any one agent finds them...but it is just because they are in the right place at the right time.

They forget that there is alot of diligence and that is why we agents get our 2 or 3 % or whatever...not because we turn keys.

Well everyone.

I recently engaged a discussion on Linked In about flaky REO agents and some of it was pretty heated...you know agents pointing fingers at one another...so I have reproduced some of my thoughts here because they were revelant and I beleive propel us agents (none of us are flaky agents here!) to a higher level.

...THE DISCUSSION STARTED LIKE THIS:

More REO Listing Agent Lies, BS & Laziness!

I have consistently given credit to REO Listing Agents for earning their lofty position. Now the other side of the coin! "Homes listed in the MLS that show active are active" Lie! Unreachable and lazy REO Listing agents have the rest of us running around in circles and taking their word only to find out an offer has been accepted. How about the geniuses that put only a combo box on the home and don't answer their phones? And don't most REO listing agents give their clients the best chance to buy the home? Even if it calls for (nod and wink) exchanging information about other offers?

What do you think?

Tony Lewis RE/MAX of Valencia, Ca. www.TonyLewis tonyglewis@yahoo.com 661-702-4720

AND I RESPONDED IN THE COURSE OF THE DISCUSSION:

Well I always enjoy these heated discussions and time for me to weigh in as a buyer's agent:
Price your listing correctly...if it sells more than 103% of list you did't price it correctly and it deceives my buyers...they get frustrated.
Price it with the notion that an FHA buyer wants to buy it...that means closing costs too...offer a cash discount or something like that.
Please keep the bugs out of it and I mean roaches...this looks bad and it reflects on me too.
Yes...you MUST know if the condo is FHA approved...the health of the association, etc...you want to sell it right?
While you get 40- agents calling you on it...I have one buyer that easily gets frustrated when we put in an offer and never get an official rejection. They think its my fault and want to use another agent...just think of that!
Don't require cross preapproval...by the time your LO gets with my client...the property is gone anyway...(see above). All that exists anymore are direct lenders.
Please learn something about the property you list...all 100 of them!
Answer your phone or email rapidly... my buyer wants to know....if you need to have a contact person listed for this.
Yes, I want to know how many lenders you have and who is the bank...it lets me know what the process will be like.
Put a Supra Box on...always...combo locks and me do not get along always.

There it is...apply this to be a listing agent and you have it.
Be QSC certified... I am and clients know I am quality.
Asset managers...if you are reading this...this is just a glimpse of the superior service some of us agents perform to. Maybe we didn't take you class or sell lots of listings but what you get is dedication!

the discussion went on and I concluded with some more info:

Christine, I guess life is different in Texas. Based on that concluding commentary about LOSING money on a listing, I wonder why anyone would want to manage it? I would think that in any case about being party to a contract...you are representing the interests of the seller (investor or AM) and at least out here I have run into a few that run their operation like a machine in a factory and I do not think that has changed anything...and yes I imagine the AM's are just like any other seller...I have had them dispute my BPO a time or two before (why do they need my opinion if they think they know better anyway?)
Among the more glorious things I have noted in my REO travels,is that one agent uses a message board: upon offer submission, he gives a logon and password and we can view a message board that has commentary about the process at any given time...never a need to call.
Another uses something called RapidLInk that gives us the code to any of her listings...we just register once on her website and after our info is verified, we can type in the listing address and get the code asap!...again no phoning or texting! I would never report someone to their AM because I feel that at one time justice will serve itself acccording to one's merits.
I sometimes too, Christine would like not to be a buyer's agent since we are glorified tour guides at times and I would rather have a professional realtionship with A person. Yet AM's always ask " how many properties you have listed?" Apparently selling them doesn't count and that is part of my frustration. For the record Chrsitine,I am sure you are one of the good ones that actually do what you are supposed to do as I imagine it is a struggle to just 5 REO' to list consistently.

In summation we can tell this:
Communication is paramount between agents on both sides of a transaction.
Don't bother the other agent for obvious information.
Seek feedback about your listing
Be diligent even as a buyer's agent when in escrow (real life: had an investor/agent tell me he appreciated how diligent I was and was more than willing to advise me of his current and upcoming inventory and have priority on open houses..looks forward to my next offer!)
Can anyone add something?

YES CAN ANYONE HERE ADD SOMETHING?