I Hate You, I Love You…
…real estate agents that is. It’s a funny old game real estate and in my 14 years in the Gladstone industry it has always amused and confused me, this love hate relationship the public have with us salespeople, and how we can go from hero to zero or vice versa, in the blink of an eye. The frustrating thing is that there is one single solution to 99% of all complaints, concerns, fears and perceptions held of agents anywhere, and that solution is this – COMMUNICATION. And that is from both sides of the coin, agents and the public. Did you know that the number one complaint against our industry is “lack of communication”, and a close second is probably “being hassled by agents”? Now I’m not going to get all self-righteous and say that it’s incorrect, but like any industry or business complaint, it’s the unfortunate nature of society to complain and shout it from the roof tops, before we praise and let it be heard. It’s true though, there are agents out there who seem to consistently have trouble answering the phone, returning calls and emails or keeping in touch with their clients and customers. Joe Public soon works out who they are. There are also agents who are like a dog with a stinking bone and just won’t let it go with people’s numbers and emails. Now far be it from me, a real estate agent of all people, to speak up on behalf of my industry colleagues who don’t fall into the previous category, but Joe Public can be just as guilty day in , day out as well.
If you’re a potential buyer or seller out there right now, or have been in the past, ask yourself if this has ever applied to you? You’ve given a fake name, phone number, address or email address to an agent at an open home? You’ve inspected a property with an agent and told them what you thought they wanted to hear or expressed an interest in the property, with absolutely no intention of buying the property or were in a position to? You then refused to answer or return phone calls, emails or messages from the agent – especially after you “absolutely had to see the property, were definitely going to buy it and could only inspect it between 2.45pm and 3.07pm on a Thursday so could you drop everything and show us?” Had a market appraisal completed on your property, told the agent you were really impressed with them and wanted to sell your property with them but “just wanted the night to think about it”, before calling the agent who negotiated their fee down or told you a higher price so you would list it with them, or did you just not bother to call the agent at all? I could go on and on but then it sounds like a whinge and those of us with broad shoulders, and have been around for a while, know how to combat a lot of these disappointing tactics, or simply don’t get caught wasting time with these people again.
My point is, if you communicate honestly how YOU want your relationship and contact with the agents you’re dealing with to look, you will find your experience with buying or selling a property a lot smoother and I would think, quite a pleasant and fruitful experience. Believe it or not, we don’t want to waste time calling (or hassling as were told) you after these inspections, if you don’t want to be contacted. We don’t want to spend hours following you up on behalf of our sellers because we’ve told them you indicated you’ve shortlisted the property and need a day or two to think about it but really have no interest, have found something else or have changed your mind. If you’re still saving your deposit and just started looking, tell us and we’ll help. If you tell us you’re just looking and not ready to buy and then miss out on your dream home because the agent didn’t let you know, that’s out of our control. On the other side, if you want our help, we’re ready to help, not hassle. Just tell us how you want to be communicated with and life will be easier and more beneficial for both of us. And of course, if you’re not getting the communication in the way you asked, the solution is simple – seek out the agents you feel you can build a working relationship with and tell them exactly what you want from them. After all, it doesn’t have to be a love/hate relationship but there can be a whole lot of like between us. Happy home selling and buying.
Shane McLeod is a 14 year Gladstone real estate agent and the RE/MAX Gladstone franchise owner.