I think Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons sang it first. I saw the musical Jersey Boys in New York and LA and loved it…. can’t wait for the movie. But back to real estate…. breaking up can apply to buyers and their Realtors, too. When should a home buyer part ways with their Realtor? Here are ten reasons a home buyer should part ways with their Realtor:
One of my biggest Realtor frustrations is the continuous search for the perfect home. Regardless of its duration, when I believe I’ve discovered it, I anticipate my home buyer to allocate time for viewing. Given our busy lives, there’s an unwritten rule in real estate that suggests you often stumble upon your dream home at the most inconvenient times—whether you’re about to embark on a vacation, hosting guests, or your children have just started school. It doesn’t matter – in this heated seller’s market, no one will wait for you.
But when should a home buyer decide it’s time to find another real estate agent? Here are the top ten reasons a buyer should part ways with their Realtor:
1) You don’t trust them. It doesn’t matter if it’s you…and not that your agent is untrustworthy; the most critical aspect of your relationship is trust.
2) You don’t like them. As you are going to be spending a lot of time together, at a minimum, you should be able to bear spending an afternoon together.
3) Your agent goes off the grid. If you contact your agent Friday night and they get back to you Saturday morning… That’s okay – real estate is not conducted 24 hours a day. When you call them on Saturday morning, you might assume they have other clients and are showing homes on Saturday… but they should be able to reach out to you to let you know that they will be contacting you in the afternoon. Or maybe you have a Realtor who goes on vacation and doesn’t have a backup plan/agent. Joe and I cover for each other when we are out of town.
4) Your Realtor is unfamiliar with the neighborhood. Each location has nuances, should you be South of Foothill or North of Kenneth? Your agent needs to be familiar with the community and schools (doesn’t matter if you don’t have children, schools = resale and everyone should be concerned with resale).
5) Your real estate agent is a part time agent or inexperienced. You wouldn’t hire a part time surgeon – why hire a part time Realtor? During the first few years of my real estate career, I learned a lot and most of it was on the job training….. “I would handle that differently next time”. Don’t let your Realtor learn at your expense.
6) Your agent has a big mouth. You Realtor must keep your information personal and confidential; it is imperative to maintain its confidentiality.
7) Your Realtor refuses to make recommendations. Years ago, I collaborated with a local broker who harbored a deep fear of her agents facing lawsuits. Despite this concern, we received guidance that, if a buyer requested a recommendation, we were advised to suggest checking with friends, family members, or even handing them the Yellow Pages (believe it or not). Fast forward to today, it remains crucial that your real estate agent has a powerful vendor list and, importantly, they shouldn’t be reluctant to share it.
8) Your agent doesn’t respect your time. To determine whether your agent is showing you homes that aren’t suitable, investigate whether it’s due to your price range, unrealistic expectations, or if they are simply squandering your time.
9) You learn that they aren’t respected in the Realtor community. In multiple offer situations, it’s important to avoid having your offer viewed negatively due to perceptions about your Realtor. While we may not be in high school anymore, maintaining positive relationships in this business is crucial. You wouldn’t want the listing agent to consider your Realtor as annoying, a troublemaker, a slacker, or any other negative perception, would you? Remember, relationships matter!
Can you think of any other reasons a home buyer should part ways with their Realtor? If you are in the market for a real estate agent, maybe you just found her!
