Real Estate Is My Profession, Not a Hobby
One of the things that many buyers don't seem to appreciate it is that for the average Realtor, real estate is their business/profession. It is not a hobby. My colleagues and I work hard and we strive to provide outstanding service to our clients. One of the best ways that I have found to provide the best possible service to my clients is by working on a schedule.
So, it is very frustrating when I encounter buyers who expect me to drop everything to show them a listing or who schedule an appointment to view one or more properties, but fail to show up or arrive late. I recently even had a prospective buyer tell me that I should be on stand by and that when she called me, I should come to her office because she was simply too business to meet me at my office. I told her that would not work because I work on a schedule. I then attempted to schedule an appointment with her to meet me at my office, but she refused.
Buyers, it is important for you to understand that most Realtors, especially in the busy spring and summer months, often schedule appointment days in advance. Although it's possible, you should not expect that when you call a Realtor about a property that they will be able to show it to you that day. If you are driving around and contact the listing agent after seeing a yard sign, don't expect that the agent will be able to pop right over to show you the property immediately. The Realtor might be showing properties to a client or at a closing or may be on the other side of town at their child's baseball game.
Additionally, before you enter into a Buyer Brokerage Agreement with a Realtor, be sure to ask the real estate agent about how he or she works. Following are some questions you might want to ask:
So, it is very frustrating when I encounter buyers who expect me to drop everything to show them a listing or who schedule an appointment to view one or more properties, but fail to show up or arrive late. I recently even had a prospective buyer tell me that I should be on stand by and that when she called me, I should come to her office because she was simply too business to meet me at my office. I told her that would not work because I work on a schedule. I then attempted to schedule an appointment with her to meet me at my office, but she refused.
Buyers, it is important for you to understand that most Realtors, especially in the busy spring and summer months, often schedule appointment days in advance. Although it's possible, you should not expect that when you call a Realtor about a property that they will be able to show it to you that day. If you are driving around and contact the listing agent after seeing a yard sign, don't expect that the agent will be able to pop right over to show you the property immediately. The Realtor might be showing properties to a client or at a closing or may be on the other side of town at their child's baseball game. Additionally, before you enter into a Buyer Brokerage Agreement with a Realtor, be sure to ask the real estate agent about how he or she works. Following are some questions you might want to ask:
- Do they do same day showings?
- Are they willing to show you houses that are 20+ miles away from each other in one outing or do they prefer to concentrate on one area at a time?
- Will they drive you around in their car or do they prefer that you follow them in your own vehicle?
- If you are relocating from another state, will the agent expect you to rent a car so that you can get to their office and/or to the properties you'll be viewing or are they willing to provide chauffeur service?
- Does the agent charge a retainer fee? (This is legal in Georgia).
- Are they willing to show properties after sunset?
- Do they expect all decision makers to be present at all showing appointments?
- What is the process to terminate the Buyer Brokerage Agreement early?
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