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OK, I have gone out with a few different agents at different times over the past three years. Never working with more than one agent at one time, but sort of going through a cycle of getting discouraged with properties I am seeing, then taking a break from looking when things get really busy at work or somebody at home gets sick, and then starting up again when I'm ready to start looking with a prior agent or a new agent. Rinse and repeat for three years.
I've signed nothing, and my biggest commitment has been signing up to receive MLS listings by email. Two years ago, I made an offer on one property, but it didn't get past the inspection contingency.
None of the agents has ever asked if I was working or had worked with another agent. If they had asked, I would have said so. I also go through phases of attending a lot of open houses on my own.
Just recently, I started looking again after enduring a dreadful flu working its way through my family, one member at a time. I saw a new place with the very first agent I approached back at the beginning of 2014, the same one who's been taking me out from time to time over three years. The market moves very fast here, so I looked over the pre-inspection and other documents and made an offer. It was accepted.
So far so good, but when I explained to one of the other agents why I was no longer looking, apparently I am Evil Incarnate. I had no idea there were any rules about this. How can there be when no contract exists on paper, not to mention no agreement of exclusivity either spoken or written?
Please explain why it's so terrible to see more than one agent in a serial fashion. Why do agents take people around to see properties without checking first if they use other agents, if they're so worried about being the only one?
Well when you spend time with someone showing them homes to buy, you expect a certain amount of courtesy that if they buy something they'll do it through you. The realtors aren't showing you homes for their health. They are doing it to make money. Since they don't make anything unless you buy from them it is kind of bad form to make several people work for you when only one is going to get paid. Especially since they are all drawing from the same pool of homes.
Sometimes you pick a dud and you shouldn't be stuck working with a bad realtor. Fire them and move on. Hell, tell them their an ass hole or whatever. That isn't what you posted though, you didn't indicate you had issues. Just that you were looking for 3 years.
If you dated 3 or 4 guys kind of seriously for 3 years, they didn't know about each other and then decided to marry one while cutting off the others you'd probably get some blow back from the jilted dudes. Well, that is pretty much what you did to the realtors you screwed out of their time.
I imagine it happens a lot. If I were in the situation I'd probably be a little upset as well.
If that is the attitude of agents, then I wish they'd say something to that effect up front. Rather than, "Hey, do you want to see what's out there now?
I assumed that the agents I met at open houses were taking me out to show me what's available and hopefully find me "The One" that I wanted to buy. I didn't realize that by saying, "OK, why not?," I was supposed to be chained to that person for the duration, even if it took years.
That seems way to big a commitment for something that happens so casually, on the spur of the moment. If I had signed a contract or something, well yes I would honor that and deal with that agent exclusively. But what good is a covert contract that one party doesn't know exists?
It's not unethical, just rude. It's fine to change agents if one isn't meeting your needs, no rapport or trust, or has some other reason that makes you not want to work with them. But to just have random agents show you homes over a 3 yr period is kind of tactless.
You wasted their time. It normally takes an agent showing several homes to get a true feel for what someone will like. Often people buy something they didn't think they would want, but after seeing several homes, realizes they actually do like "x". Or what they thought was their main priority changes when something else comes up...ie someone saying they want a 2 story, but a one story that's upgraded with phenomenal views comes up...or vice versa. Or someone that wants a huge yard, but a house that has everything they want, but a smaller yard, but is across the street from a park comes up.
It is the agent's job to earn the business and to cement the relationship.
When the business goes to someone else because the agent does not earn it, the agent's only proper response is, "Thanks for the opportunity. I wish you all possible success in your move."
Of course, you should not fib to them along the way, mislead them with a promise of the business, etc.
But, the agent has primary responsibility to earn trust, earn the business, and maintain the relationship.
It is the agent's job to earn the business and to cement the relationship.
When the business goes to someone else because the agent does not earn it, the agent's only proper response is, "Thanks for the opportunity. I wish you all possible success in your move."
Of course, you should not fib to them along the way, mislead them with a promise of the business, etc.
But, the agent has primary responsibility to earn trust, earn the business, and maintain the relationship.
This^. I don't know your state disclosures but in SC agents have to present agency disclosures and before they start working for a client must sign an agency agreement that obligates them represent the clients best interest. I don't know what your real estate commission has set as the standard but I'd say that agent can go pound sand and do a better job next time around. You owed them nothing, not even an explanation but if they ask tell them the truth.
This^. I don't know your state disclosures but in SC agents have to present agency disclosures and before they start working for a client must sign an agency agreement that obligates them represent the clients best interest. I don't know what your real estate commission has set as the standard but I'd say that agent can go pound sand and do a better job next time around. You owed them nothing, not even an explanation but if they ask tell them the truth.
Brandon, I'm going to have to disagree with you and Mike on this one. The OP sounds like she uses whatever agent is convenient in the moment with no regard to how the last agent performed. Her infidelity sounds like a personality trait unrelated to the agents' performance. Lack of a contract with a buyer's agent doesn't invite agent hopping any more than lack of a contract with a friend invites gossiping about them.
Brandon, I'm going to have to disagree with you and Mike on this one. The OP sounds like she uses whatever agent is convenient in the moment with no regard to how the last agent performed. Her infidelity sounds like a personality trait unrelated to the agents' performance. Lack of a contract with a buyer's agent doesn't invite agent hopping any more than lack of a contract with a friend invites gossiping about them.
In NC, any verbal arrangement is completely non-exclusive. Always.
A good agent will earn the business and the client will often ask to sign an agency agreement.
What I see is that the agents in question didn't prove their individual value to the prospective client. C'est la vie.
This is the OP. I can see now that some agents think of this relationship as one similar to a long-term dating relationship, and even speak of my "infidelity." I am stunned.
I had thought of it more as like the relationship to a car dealer, where they take you around the lot, show you cars, take you for test drives, but the one you finally buy a car from is the one who gets the commission.
I hope I never have to buy real estate again. I feel uncomfortable now knowing that looking at houses with an agent is seen by some as commitment to a long-term exclusive relationship. I've switched professional services many times in my life: changed doctors, lawyers, brokers, gardeners, cleaners, tax accountants, and more. None of them became irate or abusive as this one agent did. I was shocked We hadn't even spoken for almost two months.
Hopefully I can avoid getting involved with another real estate transaction for the rest of my life.
Hopefully I can avoid getting involved with another real estate transaction for the rest of my life.
No. You just interview agents and then hire a good buyer agent. The fact that you think that the point of a buyer agent is to drive you around and show you homes, means you didn't meet a good buyer agent during your house hunting. It is their knowledge that you want and that is valuable. Not their taxi service.
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