Be careful when selecting a realtor to represent your home.

[fuzzybabybunny]

I work with them all the time and I'm consistently amazed by how many simple mistakes they make. The VAST majority of them can't figure out internet marketing if their life depended on it and the vast majority of them don't read. You know, like legal contracts, instructions, simple emails, etc.

The following happens with alarming regularity, as in every single day.

Common email threads (I need to add code to error out when certain form fields are not filled):

#1

Me: Thanks for contacting us! You can place an order and view my prices here (link to prices and order form, which are the same webpage).

Them: Thank you. Can you tell me your prices?

#2

Me: Thanks for contacting us! You can place an order and view my prices here (link to prices and order form, which are the same webpage).

Them: Thank you. I'll take package #1. How much extra is package #2? (package #2 is listed under package #1).

#3

Me: Thanks for contacting us! You can place an order and view my prices here (link to prices and order form, which are the same webpage).

Them: I would like to place an order for (gives all the order details, including credit card info, but neglects to give info like the address of the house we need to service...)

#4

Them: Thank you for the photos. How do I open a zip file? Where did my photos go after I downloaded them?

#5

Them: How do I put this listing on the MLS? (The MLS is the database that ALL realtors put their listings on. It is a fundamental part of their core job.) It's how your house gets listed.

#6

Me: Thanks for contacting us! You can place an order and view my prices here (link to prices and order form, which are the same webpage).

Them: Thank you.

Me: (sends them the invoice)

Them: Why is it $150? I thought it was $75! Can you make it $75? (there is no price of $75 for anything on my price sheet).

#7

Them: (Places an order through the order form. Form arrives with both City and Zip Code in the City field, nothing for the street address.) OR they only fill in the street address. No city, no zip, no state. Thanks.

 

[Crusty]

People are stupid, it's not specific to being a Realtor.

This is the reason why many FAQs on sites are filled with such inane questions.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I've heard that realtors don't really get you the best price for your house too. They don't even try to sell your property the same way they would sell theirs. When selling their own houses realtors will hold out much longer for the best price. They also have code made up of common real estate advertisement buzz words to let each other know approximately what to tell their buyers to bid for the fastest sales. Make no mistake, fast sales ARE what realtors are always going for, not top dollar.

Edit: Not that this has anything whatsoever to do with the OP.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

People are stupid, it's not specific to being a Realtor.

This is the reason why many FAQs on sites are filled with such inane questions.

Just an FYI. This is especially critical because a Realtor is a person that has been tasked to sell probably the most expensive asset that you own in life.

You want to select a Realtor carefully.

Unfortunately, a lot of them treat your asset like a cheap Craigslist For Sale ad (seriously, there are Realtors who take camera phone pics of your house, a lot of the photos that show nothing but a single wall and a window because the lens isn't wide enough, and then they post it on Craigslist).

 

[surfsatwerk]

You just described anyone who has ever done business with a customer.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I've heard that realtors don't really get you the best price for your house too. They don't even try to sell your property the same way they would sell theirs. When selling their own houses realtors will hold out much longer for the best price. They also have code made up of common real estate advertisement buzz words to let each other know approximately what to tell their buyers to bid for the fastest sales. Make no mistake, fast sales ARE what realtors are always going for, not top dollar.

Edit: Not that this has anything whatsoever to do with the OP.

It has to do with the math, the commissions. An extra $10,000 in the selling price is a LOT to you, but to the agent who gets a commission of 3%, it's only an extra $300. Most won't work that hard to get that extra $300. They'd rather sell and move on to the other listing.

Fast sales are key because most of them have put their own money on the line to advertise your home. If your home doesn't sell or sells slowly, that's money out of their pocket or lost. Since agents have their own money on the line (usually), they go one of two ways:

1. They invest as LITTLE as possible in advertising your home. That way they keep their risk low. And of course this sucks for you. These are Realtors that you want to avoid.

2. The GOOD ones know that with proper investment in advertising and with their own skills and reading of the market, they will sell the home and recoup their costs. And this is good for you. These ones generally put the time in to learn the systems, tools, and various forms of internet marketing and data gathering because, hey, they have a lot of their own money on the line.

 

[Midwayman]

It has to do with the math, the commissions. An extra $10,000 in the selling price is a LOT to you, but to the agent who gets a commission of 3%, it's only an extra $300. Most won't work that hard to get that extra $300. They'd rather sell and move on to the other listing.

Which is why you want one with a contract that expressly calls for fiduciary duty to you. Last time I put up a home for sale I wanted to but a clause in the contract that if it sold above a certain amount that I'd give them a much higher commission on that amount. I was told it was illegal. (wtf?)

But yes, most real estate agents don't give a crap about getting you the best price as a seller, or you the best price as a buyer. They want the deal done and to move on to the next sale. Its kind of funny when you hear them put down discount brokers or models like redfin online they are always talking about how you'll never get the best price without their negotiation skills or knowledge.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Which is why you want one with a contract that expressly calls for fiduciary duty to you. Last time I put up a home for sale I wanted to but a clause in the contract that if it sold above a certain amount that I'd give them a much higher commission on that amount. I was told it was illegal. (wtf?)

But yes, most real estate agents don't give a crap about getting you the best price as a seller, or you the best price as a buyer. They want the deal done and to move on to the next sale. Its kind of funny when you hear them put down discount brokers or models like redfin online they are always talking about how you'll never get the best price without their negotiation skills or knowledge.

Any explanation why that is illegal? Are you not allowed to set incentives for the people that you hire to work for you?

 

[Midwayman]

Any explanation why that is illegal? Are you not allowed to set incentives for the people that you hire to work for you?

I wish I could tell you. Seems more likely it was BS 'cause they didn't want to do it. Lots of people seem to like to tell you stuff is legal when its really policy or they just don't want to bother.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Any explanation why that is illegal? Are you not allowed to set incentives for the people that you hire to work for you?

There's a certain cap for commission I believe. (Least in TX) You just gotta find a realtor that gives a crap. I agree there are some that are total absolute garbage. (The realtor of the house we're trying to buy now is) Ours has been nothing short of outstanding...but then again, the market right now is absolutely on fire.

 

[Veevester]

#5

Them: How do I put this listing on the MLS? (The MLS is the database that ALL realtors put their listings on. It is a fundamental part of their core job.) It's how your house gets listed.

Facepalm!!!

I'm a REALTOR, and in some ways I absolutely agree (of course I'm one of the good ones!) but I get so frustrated seeing the work of others and their listings. Some of the agents can't be bothered to take pictures, or they put them in the MLS sideways. They use the wrong zip codes, send you offers that want to prorate the fuel in the tank when the home has natural gas. They don't put the correct dollar amount of taxes. I looked at one home recently where they were $3,000 under on the taxes. It seemed low to me, so I just looked it up. Took me 1 minute to get the correct number. There are good ones, but a lot of them are lazy and don't pay attention to detail.

 

[BoomerD]

Just an FYI. This is especially critical because a Realtor is a person that has been tasked to sell probably the most expensive asset that you own in life.

You want to select a Realtor carefully.

Unfortunately, a lot of them treat your asset like a cheap Craigslist For Sale ad (seriously, there are Realtors who take camera phone pics of your house, a lot of the photos that show nothing but a single wall and a window because the lens isn't wide enough, and then they post it on Craigslist).

We've been looking here in western Washington. I'm constantly amazed at how many realtors only have cell phone pics of the properties they're trying to sell...often, very fuzzy cell phone pics.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Just an FYI. This is especially critical because a Realtor is a person that has been tasked to sell probably the most expensive asset that you own in life.

You want to select a Realtor carefully.

Unfortunately, a lot of them treat your asset like a cheap Craigslist For Sale ad (seriously, there are Realtors who take camera phone pics of your house, a lot of the photos that show nothing but a single wall and a window because the lens isn't wide enough, and then they post it on Craigslist).

You should see some of the so called "professional" photos I've seen on the MLS. One listing had been taken with a fish eye lens and then used a tool to straighten out the edges but you could tell it was still completely distorted and misrepresented the room. The "photographer" clearly had a 1.6x camera and rather than buy a full frame camera used a fish eye lense and adjusted it in PS.

By the way, did you make this thread specifically to bash your clients? Good move!

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Facepalm!!!

I'm a REALTOR, and in some ways I absolutely agree (of course I'm one of the good ones!) but I get so frustrated seeing the work of others and their listings. Some of the agents can't be bothered to take pictures, or they put them in the MLS sideways. They use the wrong zip codes, send you offers that want to prorate the fuel in the tank when the home has natural gas. They don't put the correct dollar amount of taxes. I looked at one home recently where they were $3,000 under on the taxes. It seemed low to me, so I just looked it up. Took me 1 minute to get the correct number. There are good ones, but a lot of them are lazy and don't pay attention to detail.

We've been looking here in western Washington. I'm constantly amazed at how many realtors only have cell phone pics of the properties they're trying to sell...often, very fuzzy cell phone pics.

You should see some of the so called "professional" photos I've seen on the MLS. One listing had been taken with a fish eye lens and then used a tool to straighten out the edges but you could tell it was still completely distorted and misrepresented the room. The "photographer" clearly had a 1.6x camera and rather than buy a full frame camera used a fish eye lense and adjusted it in PS.

By the way, did you make this thread specifically to bash your clients? Good move!

Trust me, I know and have seen the photos that Realtors use to market their clients' most valuable assets. I'm in the business of real estate photography and I'm always dismayed by the results I see online. I'm even more dismayed by what I see behind the scenes, the stuff that homeowners don't see, like how clueless their agents are in conducting their business. Marketing is a double edged sword. Simply having marketing isn't enough. Good marketing will get you to where you want to go. Bad marketing will drive you backwards and off a cliff.

 

[zerocool84]

When in doubt, refer to Clerks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kz7_g5cU6w&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Spungo]

. Some of the agents can't be bothered to take pictures, or they put them in the MLS sideways. They use the wrong zip codes

I like to window shop on MLS sites and it's disturbing how many of them don't say where a house is located. Luckily you can type zip codes into Google Earth and it will show where that is. How do they expect to sell the house when they don't even say what area it's in?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Trust me, I know and have seen the photos that Realtors use to market their clients' most valuable assets. I'm in the business of real estate photography and I'm always dismayed by the results I see online. I'm even more dismayed by what I see behind the scenes, the stuff that homeowners don't see, like how clueless their agents are in conducting their business. Marketing is a double edged sword. Simply having marketing isn't enough. Good marketing will get you to where you want to go. Bad marketing will drive you backwards and off a cliff.

My wife is a Realtor and has her broker's license. She has been making a living as a Real Estate agent for 14 years and has been in property management/real estate for over 20 years. She has worked for agents in Rancho Santa Fe, worked for big name property management firms like CB Commercial but she has been working for herself for many years now and been successful at it even in the last 6 years. She works hard and she knows her trade.

It kind of pisses me off when I see people bad mouthing Realtors but then I have to realize that they probably don't know shit themselves.

 

[yuchai]

My wife is a Realtor and has her broker's license. She has been making a living as a Real Estate agent for 14 years and has been in property management/real estate for over 20 years. She has worked for agents in Rancho Santa Fe, worked for big name property management firms like CB Commercial but she has been working for herself for many years now and been successful at it even in the last 6 years. She works hard and she knows her trade.

It kind of pisses me off when I see people bad mouthing Realtors but then I have to realize that they probably don't know shit themselves.

I'll take your word on it that your wife is a great realtor. Problem is that she's in the minority. I recently bought a house and the OP is not far off the mark when it comes to most realtors that I met.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Just an FYI. This is especially critical because a Realtor is a person that has been tasked to sell probably the most expensive asset that you own in life.

You want to select a Realtor carefully.

Unfortunately, a lot of them treat your asset like a cheap Craigslist For Sale ad (seriously, there are Realtors who take camera phone pics of your house, a lot of the photos that show nothing but a single wall and a window because the lens isn't wide enough, and then they post it on Craigslist).

But isn't it part of the seller to say WTF is this, looks like shit?

 

[Ken g6]

Me: (sends them the invoice)

Them: Why is it $150? I thought it was $75! Can you make it $75? (there is no price of $75 for anything on my price sheet).

Realtors negotiate. It's what they do.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

My wife is a Realtor and has her broker's license. She has been making a living as a Real Estate agent for 14 years and has been in property management/real estate for over 20 years. She has worked for agents in Rancho Santa Fe, worked for big name property management firms like CB Commercial but she has been working for herself for many years now and been successful at it even in the last 6 years. She works hard and she knows her trade.

It kind of pisses me off when I see people bad mouthing Realtors but then I have to realize that they probably don't know shit themselves.

Sorry, I work with hundreds of them a year. I know my shit. There are good ones. But a LOT of bad ones. I've even fired a few for having bad ethics.

 

[QueBert]

I have quite a few realtor clients I do computer work for. One couple are in the top 5% for Remax in the USA and they take pictures with an ooooold Kodak digital camera, like 2mp old. And this camera was shit when it came out, it's not like it was ever a good one. They gotta be making a million plus a month. I can only imagine if they use a camera that shitty they aren't going to put much money into other areas for selling your home.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

But isn't it part of the seller to say WTF is this, looks like shit?

It is, but a lot of sellers don't know much about the market themselves. They are entrusting their good fortune to their agents, who are supposedly the experts.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Realtors negotiate. It's what they do.

This was just a case of not reading. I don't budge anyway. I just show them the price sheet again. If that's the last time they use me, that's fine. They can find a lower quality vender who only charges $75 on their own time. I'm not going to compete in the photography slum wars.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I have quite a few realtor clients I do computer work for. One couple are in the top 5% for Remax in the USA and they take pictures with an ooooold Kodak digital camera, like 2mp old. And this camera was shit when it came out, it's not like it was ever a good one. They gotta be making a million plus a month. I can only imagine if they use a camera that shitty they aren't going to put much money into other areas for selling your home.

You have to realize the the top percentage is based on how much $$$ in volume they sold that year. It has nothing to do with how high they sold the home for ie. the metric that home sellers actually care about. You can be in the top 1% selling small townhouses like a assembly line. I can see that being OK if their clients were prolific house flippers who make money on volume, but to the average home seller they only have that one house of their's to sell, and they need to maximize the price on it.