All of this is a shame because being a REALTOR, when done WELL, is not an easy job – particularly in this market. The foreclosure market has changed the game, partly because banks don’t play by the rules and partly because foreclosures turn what is perceived to be a buyer’s market a seller’s market in many market segments. Agents are working with asset managers instead of home-owners and listing agents with large books of REO listings have turned into nothing more than systematic zombies, going through the motions as best as they can. Short-sales are a crap shoot – agents can work months for a deal that has a 1 in 3 chance of closing. Sellers are often in financial and therefore emotional distress. Buyers are either searching for the seller’s blood in the water that the media has told them is there or are too timid to jump off the fence. Meanwhile, tighter credit standards make it harder for buyers to qualify for loans. When they do qualify, and if they’re in the bottom end of the market, they’re jumping into multiple offer situations that leave them exhausted and disheartened – after a lot of work, many buyers just give up. On top of all of this, agents are being told they should be blogging, tweeting, facebooking, and LinkingIn!

The reason you’re not finding too many people who are good at it, is because it’s a lot harder than most people think (and I’m sure you know this from personal experience.) The problem, therefore, as you said, is how easy it is to get a license and how little experience you need to actually start practicing (as in… none!) I think there are many, many things that brokers and state boards should be doing to fix this and you’ve listed some of them here, but steering a ship this large is tough, especially when the passengers are all independent contractors who cannot be directed in any meaningful way by their brokers. (Maybe that’s where we should start?)

Finally, I have always found that the good agents aren’t the ones who appear on your radar because they’re out there busy doing their job. My husband’s mantra is to not engage in much of the silliness he encounters; he just moves it along and gets on with the job of helping his clients. So, when you’re in our positions, the squeaky wheels are all we see and this can definitely make you jaded.

Mentoring – Can’t believe the industry doesn’t require – look at appraisers, nail techs, massage
therapists, etc.

Professionalism/raising the bar — quit being like an organization of corporate flunkies and be business oriented vs pay check oriented. If you build a business vs earn a vacation check and work the business full-time then you can call yourself an agent (if belong to NAR then REALTOR). If not, just stick to your full-time job and let the REAL REALTORS step up. As an agent who has sold over 800 homes in 9 years it is difficult to explain to a prospect that we aren’t all alike because the industry doesn’t promote full-time workers…instead it is like Mary Kay or Amway —- work part time and become a gazillonaire…not!

Two, is the fact that with all the lip-service regarding “raising the standards / bar” I feel that too many agents / brokers focus on other people changing, instead of themselves.

I appreciate all the feedback and great comments here.

Ken – We’ll just have to agree to disagree on all accounts…

Please God don’t let the bottom feeders get you down!

As a leader in my market center (I am not the broker, but I am on our Associate Leadership Council), I routinely assist other agents with contracts, listing presentations, statistics, anything they need to be the best possible agent for their clients.

Your issues, and your recent experiences – seem to have driven your entry, and may I apologize for those of us in this industry that simply refuse to act in the fashion of those agents you decry.

At the end of the day, most of how we handle our interpersonal relationships – business or otherwise – can typically be traced to to the old “Everything I Ever Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten” adage.

Our focus in our market center (in which you will find well over the 50 good men and women required to save us from His wrath) is always looking forward, being proactive in being our area’s leader in agent eductation (mostly in classroom settings). I am proud to bellow a hearty “You Bet You Can!” when I’m asked by newer agents if they can tag along on a listing presentation or with my Buyers.

Every single day in our market center calendar typically has at least two training events – including studies of Gary Keller’s MREA, Facebook strategies, Mentoring groups, how to compile relevant statistics for listing presentations, and much, much more.

Please Matt – come back to the light – we are out there, and we are legion.

A Good Man

Navy Chief, Navy Pride