11.24.2014

Hiring An Agent? Here's One Personality Trait To Avoid....

Let me predicate this by saying I love what I do. Yes...I'm aware that sometimes Real Estate Brokers get held in the same level of esteem as used car salesman but that's actually the beauty of it all. If you're honest, willing to work your tail off, caring and you're slightly sharper than a dull nail you can be very successful in real estate. The challenge is that SO MANY of those actually in the business lack one or more of those qualities. They're too quick to want a sale and too slow to advise their clients to pull the plug if danger lurks. In other words if you treat people with the highest level of respect you will earn people's trust and respect. There's another, more subtle type of personality that seems to be more and more prevalent lately that is in it's own way a huge detriment for people buying and selling homes and how they're represented. It involves a certain complex of the little man in the picture of this post and all he represents. There are brokers for whom winning is far more important that ANYTHING else. They are so hell bent on proving to their clients, to the other negotiating party, to themselves that they are far superior in every way that it often becomes far more important than the actual needs of the client. The challenge for you as a person whom that type is representing is that you don't always know they're sabotaging your goals with their inferiority complex. I have an agent whom I'm dealing with right now who has come with offers to three of my listings over two years. On each one he has adopted the position to his buyer that every property was overpriced by at least 50% and then urged his professional athlete client to draw a line in the sand based on that number and go no further. As as result his buyer has bought nothing for two years and missed out on a bank forced sale (a very new property) that was built for almost double what was being asked for it. The home was roughly worth 70% of what it cost to build but the agent would hear nothing of offering more than 50%. The home was one of the more remarkable at the price point that I've ever seen. It sold for 58% of the build cost with the eventual future buyer getting a great deal and a great home but agent X's ego and his client are still trudging up side walks and offering a low dollar on everything. Here's the bottom line for consumers. Hiring someone to represent you is a critical decision. Make sure it's someone who puts your needs ahead of their desire to prove themselves right or you may be in for a long, bumpy ride.
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