Robin Whitt

Check out this big ole gator that was found in Cape Coral, FL this week!

http://tinyurl.com/39ell2q

I'm sure that I'm not alone in my thoughts and that this is going on in more places than just SW Florida but it bothers me more and more. What is it? The REO agent's that just don't seem to do their assets justice.

I pride myself in my work. I treat REO listings the same as a traditional listing. They get equal attention (most of the time more). They get the same amount of advertising, the MLS description is written to SELL the property and I always have a multitude of pictures of the property. Signs are placed on the property immediately and someone is always available to answer questions about the property.

On the other hand, I see BIG REO agents in my area that just don't appear to be putting any pride into their work. You have agents that put only one photo of the property into the MLS.....and that pic?....it came directly from the tax assessor's website, so they didn't even bother to go out and take a photo themselves. There is one agent in the area that takes a picture of the inside of the toilet bowl and puts it in every one of his listings. And oh, some of the MLS descriptions! "Bank Owned Property" .....that took a lot of thought!

We all know how difficult it is to break into the REO business. It is very aggravating to know that I would do the best possible job for these companies if I had their listings yet I see these other agents that just don't seem to appreciate what they have.

From the Blogs and Forums I read and the Agents I talk to, it seems most Realtors consider themselves either a Listing Agent or Buyer's Agent. Of course that isn't any different than it has been in decades of Real Estate Markets. BUT today's Agents seem to narrow their category down even further to a REO Buyer's Agent or a REO Listing Agent. That is the Market. There are hardly any Vanilla Sales out there to be had, so we are REO Agents.

If you sit down with a group of "REO Buyer's Agents" you will hear a plethora of gripes about "REO Listing Agents"; they are selling everything 'in-house', they are purposely trying to drive up the offers, they make the requirements for submitting an offer 'too hard', they NEVER answer their phones....And the list goes on and on.

On the other hand you have an entire set of complaints from the "REO Listing Agents" about the "REO Buyer's Agents"; these dumb Agents can't follow directions, how dare they call me on the phone as busy as I am....

You know you've heard these things...you may have even said them! LOL

Personally, I guess I can see each side as my Partner and I have tried to stay diversified. I spend the majority of my time focusing on REO's, my Partner is a great Networker and works with Investors, we have a wonderful Buyer's Agent, a terriffic short sale negotiator and of course our Transaction Coordinator who none of us could live without.

Maybe I'm just being sappy with the holiday this week, but we should all be thankful for eachother. If there were no Buyer's Agents, the Listing Agents wouldn't have multiple offers on all their properties. If there were no Listing Agents, I guess the Buyer's Agents would be looking for a new career.

So as you give thanks on Thursday, remember to be thankful for that REO Buyer's Agent who just can't seem to get an escrow check made out in the right Title Company's name, be thankful for that REO Listing Agent who you aren't quite sure exists because no one has ever actually talked to him on the phone or seen him in person. Without them, we'd all be working some boring job.

Happy Thanksgiving!