Don't Make an Ass out of U and Me!

I recently read Susan Sawyers blog on being a Honest REALTOR and it really struck a chord, my comment became so long in response that I had to turn it into a blog! Susan's blog also got me to thinking about REALTOR Stereotypes; Some are good and we need to encourage them, while others...well, not so much...

As far as being a Honest REALTOR; One comment to Susan's blog was by Randy Landis who heard another Realtor's spouse make the statement that "Realtors have earned their reputation around here" and it wasn't meant in a good way". Sadly this is all to true. It is up to us as REALTORS to control our industries reputation, self policing is one thing that we can do on a very base level to help our industry fight the "Crook" image. Because most REALTORS are actually very nice people we tend to not want to get someone "In Trouble", and the malefactor doesn't get reported for their wrong doing....so they keep it up, the public gets hurt and once again we hear "all REALTORS are crooks"... We have to do a better job of following our own Code of Ethics, and of encouraging our compatriots of doing the same. 1st step, let them know their actions are inappropriate and give them a chance to correct the action. 2nd step, submit a grievance with the local board. 3rd, legal action. Most REALTORs respond very favorably to step one (I know I do!) and appreciate the "Help".

Another stereotype I hear is that "All REALTORS are rich, they are only in it for the money"! Oh, if only! The general public has no idea how much we spend on being REALTORS, between belonging to a state wide board, the national board, a MLS service and if you have a designation with a yearly fee... you can be spending a easy $2,000.00 at the beginning of each year just to "top off the tank"! And then the CE classes, the cost to earn other designation and take mandatory classes, charges to post on the internet, advertising cost, cost of the technology, cost of the desk fees, cost to present the proper professional image through our clothing and vehicles (that have to transport our clients, which adds to our insurance cost). etc... ad nauseum... Many REALTORS are lucky if they make minimum wage...but that's another post for another day. Perhaps the image comes partly from the fact that quite often being a REALTOR is a Spouse career (IE: one spouse has a well paying 9-5 job and the REALTOR spouses income is "gravy"), or a retirement career. Rarely do we see someone enter university with REALTOR being their career choice, usually it is a career "fallen" into when you show an aptitude for the work (Or decides "Gee, that doesn't seem so hard...and look what they got paid! I could do that!"...). And yes we are in it for the money, duh... I work hard, I want to get paid for it and I am really tired of apologizing for it :) So don't be shy about letting people know what your fees are and why you charge what you do, education is the best explanation!

The "Soccer Mom" stereotype: Ok, it's true...many of us Moms enter Real Estate because "it's something I can do while the kids are in school". No, no it isn't...it is a full time (and more than full time) job that requires a ton of education, extreme focus on your clients needs, and being available to meet with your clients according to their schedule (If they work 7 AM-6 PM you are not going to meet with them at 2:00 PM after a leisurely lunch! The Soccer moms quickly either make the cut and come up to par or go back to the soccer fields. If you don't like or want the negativity associated with that image, change it, don't tell your clients you have to stop and pick up your darling from Brownies, schedule around it. Don't take your children on listings or showings, it's completely inappropriate and NOT SAFE! Don't drop by the bakers to pick up juniors B-day cake while they sit in the car and for heaven's sake do not take a call from your children when in conference with a client! I know those sound like extreme examples but I have personally seen them all happen on numerous occasions... you wouldn't get away with it in any other profession, what makes you think its ok now?

The "Pushy & Manipulative" Stereotype: OI! This one is really tough, mainly because we are talking about a personality type. But there is a reason for it... How many other professional occupations do you know of that provide their services for free, at the drop of a hat, to someone they don't know, who just walked in the door? Ok, well. prostitution does come to mind...nope, nope, they charge for it, sorry... So the only answer I come up with is, YEP! REALTORS! We have trained the public into thinking that our information/knowledge (that we spend years accumulating and thousands of dollars being trained in understanding) is FREE! No charge! Gratas! So what happens? We get a segment of the REALTOR population that has gotten fed up with spending lots and lots of time providing "FREE" information... (lets get this straight; IT ISN"T FREE! We work hard = Labor Charge. We spend lots of money = Materials...any other profession would bill for this. Some other professions bill by the 15 minute intervals for "opinions/advice". As my Broker is very fond of stating "What you give away for free has no value"... Stop giving it away!), so this fed up REALTOR refuses to "give away" what they work so hard to assemble and tries to push or motivate the client into actually "Hiring" them. You know, sign a contract where they promise to pay them for their work? And the customer says, "What? I can't just have it? Fine, I will go someplace else and get it there for free!", and it's on to a new REALTOR that doesn't see the "Big Picture", where they do indeed "Get it for free", and the cycle continues. The consumer does not understand what is happening, they don't get that you are being nice and doing them a favor, they just think that this is the industry modus operandi, and boy are they offended when they get told that it isn't and with every reason...the left hand is telling them one thing and the right hand another...let's get it together people and stop sending mixed signals!

One of the worst aspects of this picture is that it is usually a new agent that gets hit with the customer that wants the info for free, the agent thinks they are doing what they are supposed to and pours their heart & soul into the project! Makes numerous trips to different neighborhoods to take photos for out of area buyers, scheduled multiple showings with un qualified buyers...shares lunch and tells stories, in short they become bussom buddies. until...the buyer purchases with another agent off the sign he saw while driving in a neighborhood he said he didn't want and the house doesn't meet any of his specifications. That agent just learned a valuable lesson, though most seem to misconstrue it to mean be pushy and manipulative when it actually means "educate the clients asap!"

We assume the clients understand How Things Work...but they usually don't. My mother always told me that when I assume I make an Ass out U and Me, I don't like being made an ass out of, especially not when I do it to myself! Educate and explain, and most importantly; Take responsibility, responsibility if not for creating the mess then at least take responsibility for helping set it straight!