When did teamwork become a bad thing?

Years ago it seemed real estate was a very different industry. Transactions usually had two agents, a loan officer and title person who all worked together to put deals together, the goal being happy buyers and sellers... a "win-win". Too often today's transactions do not feel that way.

Agents rip each other, often in public, lenders get blamed for everything, title companies and lenders argue over who does not have the paperwork ready, buyers and sellers are at odds... the lack of pleasantries and cooperation is killing deals right and left. What happened?

Is real estate simply following the bigger picture in the country. Whereas it used to be people said "i disagree with what you say, but I will die for your right to say it" we now live in a world where people want their right to speak, but want those that disagree shut up. Political anger, racial divides, fights over immigration, religion being shoved down our throats if we dare not believe what they do... the world around us has turned ugly... did our industry just follow suit.

One of my good friends who is an agent pointed something out to me... a loan officer just announced that they had switched companies, and had become a realtor. They are asking agents to refer clients to them for mortgages, while saying they will try to take business from the realtor community for themselves. Why would anyone support them as a loan officer now that they are competing as a realtor?

Talk to most people in the industry and all you hear are complaints. Everyone is mad at everyone. Is it any wonder why so many deals are falling apart. Sellers and buyers cannot be reasonable, and I think half the time the realtors involved are egging the conflict on, whereas in years past they were working to keep clients happy and put deals together.

Professionals do not act this way. They work together to create "win-win" scenarios where everyone involved is happy. The seller does not have to be miserable for the buyer to be happy... both sides can feel good about the transaction. We can be professional and rational at all times, we can work towards a common goal and we can be decent people. Teams get more done than individuals, so we can view each other as team members instead of individuals.

To those that I see who obviously are looking for fights instead of deals... get a clue or please go to a different career. It amazes me how aggressive and threatening some people are. Teamwork is a good thing... try and remember that for deals to close there are a lot of moving parts, and we can be part of the problem or the solution.