I feel like this is becoming a familiar refrain with me. When did listing agents stop caring about other agents? Do they realize that when this foreclosure market changes - and it will, because all markets are cyclical - that they will have to work with other agents again?
I have been showing houses this week to a nice couple looking in Waldorf. We looked at 8 houses, 4 were listed by the same agent. My buyers highlighted 2 that they really liked and wanted to find out any available information on. They were listed by this agent (we'll call him Agent X). I put a call in to Agent X and left a message on Thursday evening. I got an automatic feedback request from him and I filled it out indicating the buyers were considering an offer. I got an instant email with the rules and conditions for the offer. This is an indication that someone reads the emails.
My buyers are very excited and called me to find out if I had found out anything. They especially want to know if there are any offers currently on the table. I put in a call and an email on Friday. No response.
I have another buyer that I took out yesterday in Fort Washington. She wanted to look at one house that we had seen in the past, also listed by Agent X. We looked at it in the morning and then she called me in the afternoon and asked if we could look at it again with her aunt so I took her in again. She's really excited and let me know this morning that she wants to make an offer. I call up the listing in the MLS to do the paperwork and it says "Contract". Contract date is February 27 - as in Friday. If this agent had changed the status immediately in the MLS and with the showing service I would not have wasted my buyer's time and gotten her hopes up. So now I have to call her to tell her it was never available for us yesterday. Also, if he had just returned my call or email I would have asked about this listing as well because I knew she had really liked it.
The first buyers and I are still waiting for a response about the 2 listings they are interested in.
When did this profession stop being about courtesy and respect? I know you only represent your bank client but don't you owe my buyer some courtesy? Without my buyer the bank won't get the listing sold. Why have we gotten so far away from working together to get the job done well?
Donations made to charity with every successful closing!
Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh
EOP Real Estate, LLC
www.staceybaugh.com
staceyannbaugh@gmail.com
240-481-3565 (C)
202-789-2848(O)
FINALLY! A DOCTOR WHO MAKES HOUSE-CALLS!
Stacey-Ann: I am sorry you are dealing with an agent who seems to have lost his desire to "help" people. I hope he or she snaps out of it. Good luck with your buyers. They are lucky to have you.
Sounds like the agent is 1) out of town and not able to receive calls and had no one covering his business 2) something is wrong like the agent has had a medical situation of family member issue 3) Does not run his business like a business and just flat out is lazy. I hope you connect and there is some really good explanation. Good luck!
Agent X must be doing something right to get the listings. There maybe a logical explaination. Otherwise welllll ........
Well, my frustrations are too long to list here, I am going to write a post on that! Thanks for the inspiration! Or should I say raising my blood pressure?
Stacey-Ann, it seems to be a problem I've read a lot about, I do feel sorry for the buyers who get their hopes up, and then get let down, too. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Agent Xs out there :-(
It looks like it is time to call the broker - and find out if there is something serious going on with Agent X - If not, then I think the broker would want to know this agent is not doing their job -- I am sure the broker would like to see some sales go through in this slow market!
Stacey-Ann is right! In my area listings are starting to say up front "do not contact listing agent, your call will not be returned, MLS is accurate" A few agents, including me....have an automated email account set up for each listing which I update daily with the status and any needed terms. But I always answer my phone and return my calls.
Stacy ohhhh don't get me started on these REO listing agents. They act like they have a monopoly on their market and just throw the "as-is" phrase at you. Then they simply say no information and no warranties. They never update the listings when they get contracts. I don't know how many times I have showed a listing and then when I call about making an offer I get "oh that one just went under contract" yes days ago.
Unfortunately, I've found it's not only with REOs that calls aren't beingn returned in a timely fashion (or at all) or that MLS isn't being updated as it should be. Seems to be an ongoing occurrence with certain agents. I just keep telling myself what goes around comes around. Good luck to you and your buyers!
This has always been one of the main issues we have had with other agents. Seems that so one wants to use the phone anymore, although every single one of us has a cell phone. I'm really sorry that your clients is being affected by this other agent, but I hope that you find the right property soon!
Tina - Thanks so much. She was so disappointed
Connie - we can eliminate #s 1&2, I guess that leaves #3
Mark - I'll let you know if I get a good explanation.
Pat - I'll be looking for your blog
Mary - There are way more Agent Xs than there should be
Joan - That's an interesting point
Karen - i've seen that too, how can you tell me not to call you? What automated email service do you use?
Larry - I feel you!!!
Peggy - Hopefully it will come back to them in the end
Jim & Maria - Thanks so much. I do hope she finds something soo because she is feeling very discouraged
I would suggest a broker to broker (or office manager) call to highlight this problem so that it won't happen in the future.
Stacey- I like the point you made about the market changing eventually and agents having to work with one another again. If agent X would consider the big picture the attitude may be a little different. Good luck with your buyers.
Rich - I think that's a good idea
Rebecca - Thanks. Hopefully we can find them something this weekend
Defending "REO Lisitng Agents" Stacey, my real estate partner and I list bank owned properties everyday, it is our bread and butter... we never take it for granted and always help the buyers agent, in some cases probably more than we should... we live in a small area so I try to be kind & professional becouse some day I will need help from that other agent who is calling me!! If the REO Agent X is soooo busy he/she can't answer the phone they should consider a partnership or an assistant.
Stacey-Ann. I am getting used to this also. Personally I don't think many of these "worthless" people will be around once the carcasses of the current market are not in need of flesh picking. Good riddance.
Stacey-Ann My suggestion is to prepare an offer and submit it. When dealing with REO I have found the agents are taking on way more properties than they should and are not getting the help they need to service them. If they have bank owned properties in addition to regular listed properties they are not servicing them either. If you don't hear back as an acknowledgment in 24 hours have your Broker call the Broker for this agent and see if that gets a response.Assume that there are other offers and present your best offer now before the others win out while you wait.
Karol - He actually works in a partnership
Ellie - I hope you are right
Paddy - That's actually what I advised the client to do
Stacey-Ann, it sounds like this agent was one of those mega-REO listing agents! I've run into a few of them, some are too busy to answer their phone.... Go figure...
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Regina P. Brown
Regina - He is one of those mega listing agents. If you are that busy then its time to hire an assistant.
Stacy-Ann I am going through the same thing as you. The REO agents will not call you back and you never even know if your offer was submitted. I have an offer with one right now and she has yet to call me back after I left several messages. It is now 9 days since I took the offer to her office. She text messaged me once to say she had the offer after I called several times leaving a message asking if she got it. I cannot tell her broker because she is the broker.
I can go on and on with other REO agents who act just like her. Ethics and professionalism have gone out the window with most of REO listing agents I have tried to work a deal with. I have put these agents on my "do not show their property list" but instead I am now going to document the behavior and report it to my Real Estate Commission as I am fed up with it. There is just no excuse for it.