Real Estate Agents not professional anymore

When I look at Domain or other sites there usually is a photo of the Real Estate Agents.

I have found the older guys who have been in the game 20 plus years some even more much more professional and customer service orientated than the pieces of rubbish who are out to make a quick buck lately then run off to another industry once the Sales die down.

I always remember when I was a kid the Local Real Estate agent knocking on doors and being involved in Local Community Activities and was well known among locals etc.

Now we have rubbish particularly on the Central Coast of NSW ,.
I actually met a lovely man yesterday who has been a Real Estate Agent in Budgewoi BSW fir the past 30 years.
He remembers the slow times and still has OLD FASHION VALUES , those values now forgotten by the young real estate agents who in most times dont even return calls.
This man was dressed impeccably and had good manners.

Who can forget the recession of the early 90's when hundreds of houses were for sale and no one to buy.

I give you an example of LJ Hooker on the Central Coast and their real estate agents rubbish service.

Ring ring

Agent-- hello Aaron speaking
Me-- hi Aaron how are you?
agent- whose this ?
Me- this is DB , im interested in the property at number 4 smith street Gorokan
Agent-yeah well go look at it on Saturday ok, bye !

Then he hung up on me.
Is there not room for old fashion values anymore ?
This Real Estate boom wont last forever, it might be5 years it might be less or it could be 10 years but when another recession hits thats when customer service comes
back.
Sure at the moment they can treat us buyers as pigs because there getting a high turnover but there time will come, of course all the cowboys will then go back to their other jobs and let the real real estate agents come back.

 

Sounds like an agent I want to buy from

 

I remember looking at places in Cairns in 2010-2011, unemployment was officially about 12%, no one was buying, prices had dropped and absolutely no one was turning up at opens. You could smell the desperation from the agents and they were certainty attentive then.
I think a few of the younger agents who haven't been through bad times like the early 90s think that the sales gig is easy.
People have long memories and some of these agents who treat people like crap will be looking for another job at some point whenever the next sharp downturn occurs.

 

Why do they have to lease exspensive fancy cars same with auctioneers ? Is image that important to someone?

 

It IS important. Having employed a new agent, you want them loaded with debt so they have to go out, seek deals/sign on new vendors so that the agent is hungry to pay the lease commitments with the commissions that they will earn.

By making the agent keen to strike deals, they will go out and earn. If they don't have financial commitments and are on a wage there is little incentive for them to earn their keep.

 

So the jokes on them

 

When markets are hot there is no need to for an agent to put in any additional work.

Take comfort that times will get tough for those who are unprofessional.

Like I stated in another post, you need to gain rapport with the agents or they simply will never work with you.

 

Supply and deman

 

^ Obvious REA right there

 

Times have changed. These days it's all about getting the listing because houses sell themselves. Most people search online and if they like the house they'll come down and inspect it/put on an offer if they are pleased with it. Personally I'm not too concerned about the customer service I receive from an agent as long as I'm getting a good buy. If they are friendly that's just a bonus.
From an agent's point of view they also get more tyre kickers than a used car yard so in a busy market they probabaly don't have time to have a 10 minute phone chat or a coffee with each prospective purchaser.

 

My only mate in real estate tells me the numbers for his small inner city Brisbane set-up ,out of every 100 calls maybe 6% hit rate to settlement ,so that's 94 tyre kickers you have to deal with
most common for him interstate buyers who want the contract sent to them quickly ,then never seen again ,,the weekend see and never to be seen again who just want to look the way other people live..
But the standout ones that he will work with are the ones he tells me,the ones that qualify themselves within 45 seconds, just by the way they talk not the clothes they wear nor the old car
some drive,and in a market like Brisbane is about to trend into over the next 18 months you don't need high end sales skills,just one item a sole 16 week listing the rest just sells itself..

 

There are people spanning the full spectrum of competence, care and consideration in every industry.

Strong price growth and high sales volumes have helped the sub-par agents along the past couple of years but they'll be swept out to sea when the tide recedes.

 

It's not just me then. I've made a few online enquiries recently with Qld REAs (not Brisbane) and most just don't even reply. Considering the houses I was enquiring about have been on the market for a couple of months and are still having openings, I thought they might want to try and sell them. I would be pretty unimpressed if I found out that a REA I had entrusted to sell my property was just ignoring enquiries.

 

There’s a fair bit of truth in what’s being said here.

In some instances it is possible to catch someone at a bad time or during a particularly busy period which can translate itself to someone being short or not offering optimum customer service. That’s just life and not always deliberate.

A good real-estate agent doesn’t necessary have to have been in the industry for 30 years, but should be courteous, knowledgeable, reliable and genuinely interested in bringing two parties together to get everyone a good result.

I was buying in Brisbane in 2007 and the market was very hot with many properties selling for the asking price or beyond. I was looking at a unit for $299k and made an initial offer of $290k, which I felt was reasonable and a serious offer. When I presented the offer, the agent said to me “now come on, don’t be a silly boy!” I was in my early 30s at the time.

When the Brisbane market slowed, I noticed that particular agent exited the industry. To this day, I wouldn’t list a property for sale with that agency or use them to manage an investment property. They’re still in business, but hardly market leaders and certainly not getting my business. That’s my approach, suck it up and remember when I have a property for sale or looking for a PM which agencies weren't up to the job when I was a buyer.

 

The trials and tribulations of Darlo'

 

Doesmt every generation say that about the young generation whether it be sales agents, manners, ethics, morals etc. etc.

 

“The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.”

― Socrates

 

I don't care what business it is, could be selling Elephants toenails for all i care, this is simply NOT how you talk to customers. If you decide not to buy mate I would be telling the boss of that place that Aaron is the reason you are not buying.

 

@Dan Donoghue the hitman!

 

I hope someone from their company has Google alerts set up for their company name and finds this thread.