Impish Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I used to work in a real estate office. During my time there, I learned a lot about real estate, and even more about some major agents in our area. There are two agents that are HUGE. They are also the nastiest people I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. I've told Wolf that I don't want to even *look* at listings put on by these 2 agents. I know how badly they treat ppl they consider 'beneath them', and I don't want to put money in their pockets. I mentioned this to my mom, and she thought I was being highly unreasonable. I figure that there needs to be some sort of trust or something with an agent. She thinks that the house is all that matters, and why risk missing a lovely home b/c of who the listing agent is? So, am I being unreasonable, or would you avoid agents that treat ppl like dirt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I understand not wanting to deal with them, or to help them out by buying a house they're helping someone sell. But a couple of things here... It might be the house you need/want (as your mom said, why risk missing a lovely home b/c of who the listing agent is?) They won't be your agent, they'll be the seller's agent (you know that, I'm just listing points here) You would be helping the seller if you bought their house, even though it means helping the agent too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I understand not wanting to deal with them, or to help them out by buying a house they're helping someone sell. But a couple of things here... It might be the house you need/want (as your mom said, why risk missing a lovely home b/c of who the listing agent is?) They won't be your agent, they'll be the seller's agent (you know that, I'm just listing points here) You would be helping the seller if you bought their house, even though it means helping the agent too Exactly what I was going to say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Well, I have a personal beef with these 2 agents. One cursed me out (B word) b/c I dared to put him on hold for 30 seconds. Didn't I know who he was?! And he was completely nasty face to face too. Another agent stood up for me and told him off, and his response? "Not like SHE will be able to afford to buy a house from me..." The other...she worked in the office I was in. I watched how she treated her staff, and she was just a horror show. Fired a single mom who refused to work overtime Christmas eve. Kid you not. Hopefully, we'll avoid the issue altogether by looking a distance from where we live. I just shudder at the thought of working with either of these jerks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Well, I have a personal beef with these 2 agents. One cursed me out (B word) b/c I dared to put him on hold for 30 seconds. Didn't I know who he was?! And he was completely nasty face to face too. Another agent stood up for me and told him off, and his response? "Not like SHE will be able to afford to buy a house from me..." The other...she worked in the office I was in. I watched how she treated her staff, and she was just a horror show. Fired a single mom who refused to work overtime Christmas eve. Kid you not. Hopefully, we'll avoid the issue altogether by looking a distance from where we live. I just shudder at the thought of working with either of these jerks. I wouldn't give them my business as a buyer or a seller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Wow, they sound just. . . lovely. (Sarcasm there.) I knew a few snakes when I worked in real estate too. I wouldn't want to work with them, either, but if they ended up listing the house that I liked, that would be different. I'd find my own buyer's agent, though, so that a) the commission wouldn't entirely go to the nasty agent, and b) I didn't have to deal with the nasty agent myself. It's pretty unlikely that the buyer would ever deal directly with the seller's agent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Normally I would say that it didn't matter what the seller's agent was like. They didn't work for me. On the other hand, the agents representing the seller of the house we bought back in the 1990s did everything possible to screw the deal up through their lack of professionalism. We walked away from the house for about four months because of what one of the agents pulled. So if it were a matter of the agents just being people I didn't care for, I would hold my nose and look at the house. But if you think they are unprofessional to the point that they will not follow legal norms or not deal honestly, then don't work with them. If there is a house you like that they are listing, you might send a note to the owner, indicating that you are interested, but will not work with XX as a listing agent (because of a previous conflict). You could include your contact info and tell them that if there is another agent in the office that could act as the agent, you are willing to work with them or that if the house is still on the market when their obligation to the agent is over they could contact you to see if you were still in the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Well, I have a personal beef with these 2 agents. One cursed me out (B word) b/c I dared to put him on hold for 30 seconds. Didn't I know who he was?! And he was completely nasty face to face too. Another agent stood up for me and told him off, and his response? "Not like SHE will be able to afford to buy a house from me..." The other...she worked in the office I was in. I watched how she treated her staff, and she was just a horror show. Fired a single mom who refused to work overtime Christmas eve. Kid you not. Hopefully, we'll avoid the issue altogether by looking a distance from where we live. I just shudder at the thought of working with either of these jerks. Unless they had my dream house listed and I could pay cash for it, no way. I have no patience for arrogant we're-better-than-you a$$es. If they had my dream house and I had a briefcase full of cash to buy it, I'd nitpick the negotiation to the last crumb of a detail. My dh is good at negotiation and I'm good at details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I'm with the OP. With attitudes like that and lack of respect for people, who knows what shenanigans they pull for sales! I'a void them on all counts too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Well, I have a personal beef with these 2 agents. One cursed me out (B word) b/c I dared to put him on hold for 30 seconds. Didn't I know who he was?! And he was completely nasty face to face too. Another agent stood up for me and told him off, and his response? "Not like SHE will be able to afford to buy a house from me..." The other...she worked in the office I was in. I watched how she treated her staff, and she was just a horror show. Fired a single mom who refused to work overtime Christmas eve. Kid you not. Hopefully, we'll avoid the issue altogether by looking a distance from where we live. I just shudder at the thought of working with either of these jerks. With those issues, I would do my best to avoid buy anything listed by those agents. I thought Sebastian's idea was good, about contacting the owner. Like she said, they'd likely have to wait until their obligation to the agent is over. And just for curiosity's sake, because we are going to put our house up for sale (don't know when), how long is that obligation normally? I assume it might vary by state, but that it's roughly X number of months, generally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 I think, on average, its 6 mths. When I was at the office, it was a really hot market though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Our listing agreement is for 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 If there is a house you like that they are listing, you might send a note to the owner, indicating that you are interested, but will not work with XX as a listing agent (because of a previous conflict). You could include your contact info and tell them that if there is another agent in the office that could act as the agent, you are willing to work with them or that if the house is still on the market when their obligation to the agent is over they could contact you to see if you were still in the market. :iagree: or have your agent approach the selling agent, without revealing your name, explain the above, and ask if another agent in the office could handle the sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 :iagree: or have your agent approach the selling agent, without revealing your name, explain the above, and ask if another agent in the office could handle the sale. The agent would still receive part commission. I don't want to add to their profits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I'm not a real estate agent, but we have a small fiefdom of rental properties that have accumulated over the years. As an active duty military family, we also moved very often and have bought/sold several of our homes. We make it work by removing all emotion from the process, and just doing the business. Works for us. Why on earth would I give someone I didn't like so much power over my decisions and life? I'd rather give him a few thousand in cash, but that's just me ::shrug::. If his personal biases aren't affecting what I get out of his professional output, I ignore it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 I figure if he treats someone that works in an agency like crud, how much respect does he have for others? I want to trust the agent...and him I don't. At all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I sold real estate as a broker for 10 years. The buyer does not usually pay the commission, the sellers do. So, techically, you are not paying the agent you don't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Any agent should be able to show you the house, not just the listing agent. If it's multiple list. If it isn't, how serious are they about selling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 When my husband and I were looking for our first home, we called a very well-known and well-respected agent. Without letting us know, she passed us off to her husband, who was a very nice man but not a real estate agent. Evidently, we didn't qualify for her attention. We were young, but we had money. We changed agents to a lovely woman who drove us over kingdom come until we found a house. She got our commission.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 I sold real estate as a broker for 10 years. The buyer does not usually pay the commission, the sellers do. So, techically, you are not paying the agent you don't like. The sale benefits them, regardless of who is paying, kwim? If it was a tight market, that would be one thing...but its def a buyer's market right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) We just bought a house and I wouldn't know the seller's agent if I fell over her. All contact has been through our agent (who knows the seller's agent fairly well, apparently.) I'd be careful not to cut off your nose to spite your face, myself. It is HARD to find the right house. Edited May 1, 2011 by JennyD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I figure if he treats someone that works in an agency like crud, how much respect does he have for others? I want to trust the agent...and him I don't. At all. We've bought 5 and sold 2 homes, dealing with a total of 11 different realtors. Most of them have done anything to push that sale through, at the expense of their clients. This includes lying to their clients (I've seen both sides of that), sharing confidential pricing information with the other realtor, denying their client pertinent information to avoid risking the sale (or incurring wrath, who knows), recommending their own (lax) inspectors or mortgage brokers. Others have been eager to totally screw the other side, and while that may benefit their own client, it is not right. Imp, you've been very adamant about this realtor not getting any money. That is fine; I respect your stand on that. If this is the house you want, it seems your only option then would be to wait until this realtor no longer has the listing. I get what you are saying that even if he willingly turned the sale over to someone else, he'd still get a cut, and you don't want that either. You have to weigh your conviction against what the house means to you and your family. You might have to sacrifice one (either the house or the conviction) to get the one you want more. Either way, it's a tough boat to be in if you really like a house that he has an interest in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 Fortunately, I *think* the agents I dislike only handle listings in this city, and we're looking at properties a cpl of hours south, so with any luck, it'll be a moot point. I *did* find out that one of the agents I adored is still working. When we're ready, I'll be contacting her. If nothing else, I know she'll refer us to someone good where we're looking. One of the things I love about this agent is she's total shoot from the hip, no bull. She doesn't push anything. She'll work for months to find the right place, doesn't show stuff that 'might' fit and waste time. She's blunt and will tell you if you're unrealistic, etc. She's been in real estate for over 35 yrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 The sale benefits them, regardless of who is paying, kwim? If it was a tight market, that would be one thing...but its def a buyer's market right now. Yes, I get you. It would be very difficult for me to work with someone I don't like. Hopefully, since you're looking in a different area, you will find a different selection of agents. As an aside, I have seen many agents as you describe. Selfish, no character, just not nice people. There are also many above-board agents. Take your time and listen to your instinct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 Oh, and from what I've seen here, its normal to have both the buyer and seller's agents present when presenting offers, etc. So its not like I could pretend it was someone else either. I'd have to deal with them face to face. Part of me is evil...I have to admit, the fantasy of walking in, seeing the Jerk and saying, "You know what...I don't want to deal with you. good bye" gives me a certain evil thrill. I wouldn't do that, mind you, but the idea of letting him know that treating ppl like crap comes back to haunt him makes me grin. He's the kind of guy that $ is the only thing that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Impish, I don't see how it matters who the seller's agent is. Yes, you'll be putting money in his pocket eventually if you buy a house listed through him. But you can have your own agent who will be your advocate. I think we spent all of 15 minutes with the other agent when we bought our condo. And I don't think I spoke a word to her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.