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I think many of us as Realtors ® thought that with the current turn in real estate that many agents who received their licenses would go back to their old jobs and let the Realtors ® who have ethics and have taken the time to be educated and trained properly left to help both home buyers and home sellers.
I can tell from experience this has not been the case. We have part time agents, absentee real estate brokers, brokers who provide no training for their agents and more. I feel for the home buyers and home sellers these days. Recently, on one of my transactions the agent decided among many things to redirect what the bank was allocating for the buyers closing costs to a Short Sale Specialist to reduce the amount she owed as the referral fee.
Now, I do think that the agent was smart in referring the Short Sale to someone who knew how to do them but that’s where it stops. The home buyers I am working with have been shocked at how this listing agent has been handling the entire transaction from start to midstream which is where we are now.
Unfortunately, this agent’s broker is of no assistance and has a carefree attitude so it’s no wonder the agent continues to fly by the seat of her pants while committing fraud. It’s been very surprising to say to the least.
We need to make it a little more difficult to get a real estate license and to keep a real estate license. Of course, the more people that are allowed to get their license, the more money for the Department of Real Estate…and there lies the problem.
Until the public has had enough and demands more than what they are getting we will continue to have both agents and real estate brokers who would be better served flipping pancakes.
While I agree agents need to be better educated I’d argue that the clients need to be ask well. I find that clients don’t ask enough questions. It’s a two way street in my opinion.
Dena, while I certainly do see your point I think it boils down to the fact that it really is too easy to get a license. But as we all well know, just because you have a license does NOT mean that you know how to practice real estate. The Dept. of Real Estate depends on the Real Estate Broker to provide training for new agents but from what I see this is sorely lacking. As well as not all Real Estate Brokers being ethical and knowledgeable either.
The public should ask questions but an agent that does things unethically is not going to tell the client this. There are some agents that can certainly talk their way through an interview with a home buyer or home seller with soft suede shoes very convincingly.
In my opinion this needs to rest on the heels of the Dept. of Real Estate to protect the public.
I totally agree with you, Gena. Clients who don’t ask enough questions, don’t because they don’t know what questions to ask!
In a world where one must be one’s own advocate, I’m all for the public educating themselves as much as possible. But the whole purpose of hiring and paying good money to an agent who has been licensed through a governmental agency is so one can have benefit of professional, educated assistance.
I’ve worked in various aspects of real estate since 1982 and have myself bought and sold a number of homes. I could rant all day long about the tiny percentage of agents I’ve worked with who were professional, well educated and ethical, all in one package. Sadly, they are too few and far between.
The DRE collects fees. They should be using those fees to ensure agents and brokers are held to an exemplary standard.
Very well said! Thank you for sharing your insight with all of us.
Gena – I agree with you. Buyers don’t know how lucky to have someone like you to represent them.
Thank you MaryAnn. There are good Realtors like us out there but unfortunately when our buyers want a house we don’t always have the choice of the agency that is selling that house and how experienced or non-experienced the agent is. I just wish we could all add some pressure on the Dept. of Real Estate to think outside the “money” box and start weeding out these characters. Can you think of another solution?
You are right the buyers/clients don’t ask enough question and the reason is we don’t know what to ask. I have purchased 4 homes over the past 45 years and the last one over 15 years ago. Guess what, the game has changed and i’m beginning to believe that the real estate business is in line with used car salesmen. No scrupels or pride in their work. In the past 2 years looking for a good home to purchase I have had 4 homes pulled out from underneath me by underhanded dealings and one I went as far as reporting to the Dept of Real Estate with no reply as to an outcome. We, the buyers expect our agents to tell us what we need to know. I know our agent does. Thanks Gena
It’s been a long hard ride, Richard and I can’t blame you for the way you feel. It seems we have unfortunately run into the worst that my profession currently has and I’ve been as shocked as you. All I can do is apologize on behalf of all Realtors ® out there who have worked hard and are embarrassed by agents who should not be in real estate…they give us all a bad name.
A few years ago we knew who the agents were to avoid but today, there are so many. My suggestion is to continue dialogging with the Department of Real Estate. The more the public continues to report these issues, hopefully the sooner we will all see a change.
Not sure that it ever will be perfect since there are always going to be people who lack ethics, a conscience and scruples but at least we can try to make a dent. Doing nothing gives no change, no results but continually bombarding the Dept of Real Estate with these issues has a chance of producing change.
And CHANGE is what we NEED!
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Gena,
I am glad you are venting a common concern. As an online educator for real estate licenses, we get many emails from people who do not want to help others with their potential real estate skills but ask questions where you know they are looking for the quick buck. I can tell you right now that most of those do not ever get past the written exam.
All I can say is, thank heavens! To do this job correctly it is not easy street to easy money and for those that think it is, they really need to stay out of real estate and not cause problems for home buyers and home sellers. Those of us in this profession take our job seriously and work very hard.