Ego’s of the Agents

I was out with a client the other day shopping for a home when we came across the perfect house. They were very excited and couldn’t wait to get back to the office to write an offer. But “Hold on a minute”, I told them. Let me call the listing agent and check the status.

Here is what I was most excited about:

• The agent actually answered her phone
• She was very pleasant and kind even after she found out I was another agent
• She was prepared and had the information I needed available
• Had done her job and knew the comparables in the area
• Had all reports on the home readily available and emailed them to me

Now why would these things excite me? Because unfortunately the NUMBER ONE REASON deals don’t come together and most fall out are simple…

…….because of the EGO’S OF THE AGENTS!

It seems that somewhere along the line real estate agents forget that there is MORE than one client in a real estate transaction… the OTHER real estate agent, the lenders, title/escrow people, inspectors are clients too!

Now I understand the fear factor. The one that says we are in competition with each other. But the real truth is … If you are building your business the RIGHT way, then we are NOT each other’s competition. If you build your business by building relationships with the people that buy and sell homes from you, then they would never consider using ANOTHER real estate agent.

So what is with the BIG OLE EGO?

Most sales people have large ego’s and are driven by the fact that they are good at what they do. Now don’t get me wrong, CONFIDENCE in your abilities is a good thing but when I think of EGO I think of someone who is not CONFIDENT but COCKY. What is the difference? In my book you can back up CONFIDENCE with knowledge and experience. Cocky… well that is what starts bar fights.

Let me give you some examples of a COCKY agent:

• Doesn’t return phone calls to other real estate agents. In fact doesn’t even take phone calls (like some recent REO Agents)
• If they do take your call, the minute they realize you are another agent, the attitude screen pops up.
• They respond with “I’ve been in the business for 20, 30, 50 years!”
• They talk to you in a rude, condescending tone
• You MUST use THEIR preferred vendors (supposedly the seller requires it…hmmmm)
• If they even respond to your offers, it is within their time frame not the time frame of the contract.
• They seem to have something to prove…. Not sure to whom….

I’m sure you might have one or two to add to the list, but you get my point.

Now here are some examples of a CONFIDENT agent:

• Returns phone call and emails promptly (same day most the time)
• Are pleasant and polite on the phone.
• They offer detailed explanations of how to best handle a situation
• They encourage cooperation between agents.
• They are helpful and respectful of your time and the time of others
• They are flexible and open to new ways of doing things
• They always put THEIR clients’ needs and best interests first.

Which one are you? And how does this affect you and your clients.

For some reason agents believe that they know better than their clients do about what the client WANTS. The agent wants to feel like THEY are the expert and others should listen to them.

I have been in this industry long enough to know that what goes around…. Comes around!  And being a COCKY agent is a very short sighted way of doing business

Take the time to take the “personal feelings” out of your transactions and do what is best for the client. In the long run….EVERYONE WINS!