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You're hired

By , Friday, June 6, 2008.

Not sure how I got on their e-mail list (maybe I gave them my address when taking a listings site for a test drive?) but the Prudential Home Services Center Team seems to think I'm in the market to buy a home. Thought these questions they posed about what makes a good agent would interest InmanBlog readers:

"Dear Matt,

Some sellers list a home with an agent after a brief meeting or phone call. Be sure to ask questions about an agent's experience and level of knowledge:

1. Do you work as a full-time agent?

2. How many properties have you sold in the past year?

3. How many years of experience do you have?

4. How many sellers are you assisting now?

5. Do you have a reliable assistant?

6. How accessible are you?

7. What is your marketing plan for my home?

8. Do you have a list of references that I may contact?

Of course, there are other questions, such as those about online search engines, financing, pricing and negotiating strategies, agent and buyer networking, etc., but this will give you a good start."

Obviously, the folks at Prudential think their agents have good answers to all these questions, but I wonder if some of these questions could have more than one right answer.

I assume they are thinking that you don't want somebody who does not work as a full-time agent to represent you. But are their instances when you might -- somebody with years of experience in the field who wants to work part time rather than retiring, perhaps?

If an agent hasn't sold any properties in the past year, should that be a deal breaker, considering how tough some markets are right now?

If somebody is assisting a lot of sellers, is that bad? Doesn't it mean they are in demand?

Do I care if somebody has a reliable assistant (question 5) if they are accessible (question 6)?

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Submitted by on June 6, 2008 - 3:48am.

I can't agree more with your questions. Specifically, the one about how many sellers are you assisting.

I was having a great year in late 2006 and a couple who I helped buy their home wanted me to help them sell their home. I was pretty excited as the house was almost new, they had done some great upgrades and there were no more buildable lots in their estate type community.

I did my listing presentation. I got a call later to find out that when they were concerned that I had two condo conversions on the market. Ultimately, they gave the listing to another agent because they thought they could get better service from a two agent team with two listings than they could from me and my assistant with 30.

Go figure. I haven't run into that problem again, but it was a wake up call.

Joe
Casa Bella Homes | Countryside Real Estate

 
Submitted by on June 6, 2008 - 5:58am.

I don't think there are any black and white answers.

Trust is the most important factor, IMHO. If a home buyer or seller can't trust their agent, everyone is in for a rough ride.

Do you care if your agent is accessible? You should. Agent accessibility (or lack of it) is one of the most frustrating aspects of this job. DO you know how many times I see showing instructions like, "MUST CALL LISTING AGENT PRIOR TO SHOWING" and the listing agent never answers the phone? If I was that seller, I'd be flaming mad....

Jay Thompson
Broker / Owner
Thompson's Realty

Blog: www.PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com

.

 
Submitted by on June 6, 2008 - 7:46am.

Jay I agree you'd want your agent to be accessible -- I was wondering if they ARE accessible (through cell phone, e-mail, IM) whether it matters whether they have an assistant or not?

 
Submitted by on June 6, 2008 - 9:27am.

Matt -

I don't have an assistant. I don't think that makes me any worse (or better) than someone that does.

I suspect some think, "Wow, they have an assistant, they must be really busy -- therefore good."

Not necessarily. Busy does not equate to good, or the best agent for the job. Maybe they are unorganized, or lazy, or don't know what to do so they need an assistant. (Note: I am NOT saying that all people with assistants are any of the above. But some certainly are).

There are great agents with assistants, and great agents with out.

And there are lousy agents with and without assistants.

How or why it matters whether or not someone has an assistant is beyond me. Having an assistant (or not) is not an indicator of whether or not an agent can get the job done, IMHO.

Jay Thompson
Broker / Owner
Thompson's Realty

Blog: www.PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com

.

 
Submitted by Matt Sicignano on June 6, 2008 - 1:14pm.

This is an interesting study of perception-both the article and the comments. My take is that there is no "right" answer, and there is no attempt (at least not blatant) to manipulate the answers to favor their agents. I'm remembering when I sold a home in a community with no pool. When the prospect asked "are there any amenities?" I assumed the "right" answer was yes, there are! When I said it did not, I went into a long explanation of the virtues of not paying an association fee, the upkeep, etc. The prospect cut me off with "great-I didn't want one in my new neighborhood." So, the question can be asked, but not as a set-up. The assistant question may be important to your decision making process regardless of the "right" answer! I, for instance, don't really need to speak to the authority figure to get an answer. I'd like it that there was someone else to help-and available to answer my questions. Someone else may like it that they are speaking directly to the source, without being shunted to the "hired help". I could go on with each point-but I think it's clear, they are just trying to get a dialogue going by giving some generic advice.

 
Submitted by Ki Gray on June 7, 2008 - 2:46pm.

My goal is to not have an assistant but to be accessible 24 hours a day. I just need to find a way to not go into sleep mode. I think assistants are fine as long as the agent is still around to deal with issues. If there are issues with a deal I hate it when I feel like I am continually talking to some kid still in college instead of the listing agent.

Site Austin Tx real estate.
Search Austin MLS
Blog Austin Real Estate Blog

 
Submitted by Christine Donovan - Costa Mesa Real Estate on June 7, 2008 - 11:09pm.

I don't think there are right answers to these questions. I think the answers need to be considered. Additionally, I see nothing about the systems the agent will use to market the home and expose it to buyers, which seems to me to be a very useful question to ask an agent.

http://www.donovanblatt.com

 
Submitted by J Philip Faranda on June 8, 2008 - 6:00am.

Prudential rigged the questions in my view, because people who work for a large franchise ride the coattails of the entire office collective. They can tether themselves to the administrative staff of the office as their "assistant" and the sales volume of their office to obfuscate their own (often low) productivity.

These are large offices, and if someone gets a good thank you note they probably distribute a photocopy to every licensee in the office.

Everyone knows that it is the AGENT, and not the insignia on a busines card, that makes the difference for the client. These questions are designed to circumvent that.

 
Submitted by Jonathan Blackwell on June 9, 2008 - 6:01pm.

Accessibility is very important. Personally, as a lender, I would be wary of a part-time agent in this market. There are too many potholes to navigate for us both to make a transaction happen to have to spend time adjusting expectations of agents who may not have had to navigate the market recently. With that said I'm sure that some of them never lose their touch.

AtlantaHomeLoans.net -- Atlanta's Source for Home Loans!
203KLoan.net -- Renovation Financing Experts!
AtlantaForeclosureTour.net -- Get on the Bus!

 
Submitted by Jonathan Blackwell on June 9, 2008 - 6:01pm.

Accessibility is very important. Personally, as a lender, I would be wary of a part-time agent in this market. There are too many potholes to navigate for us both to make a transaction happen to have to spend time adjusting expectations of agents who may not have had to navigate the market recently. With that said I'm sure that some of them never lose their touch.

AtlantaHomeLoans.net -- Atlanta's Source for Home Loans!
203KLoan.net -- Renovation Financing Experts!
AtlantaForeclosureTour.net -- Get on the Bus!

 
Submitted by on June 10, 2008 - 12:09pm.

I have to say that every comment pretty much sums up the fact that there is no black or white area, just a small shade of gray. A great agent is known by there satisfied clients.
What we find irritating is when the listing agent states, "Call me prior to showing." 9 times out of 10 they never answer there phone. Our philosophy is to be accessible 24/7, there are times when this does not permit but as a husband/wife tean, we cover those avenues when they arise. Bottom line is we follow our customers to the very end of there purchase, never lose touch and give them 100% confidence in our abilities to be great agents!

M. Lange
www.letourfamilyhelpyours.ocm
blog.letourfamilyhelpyours.com

 
Submitted by Gregory Bain on June 11, 2008 - 7:31am.

I work for Prudential, or should I say, I am an independent agent with my license hanging with Prudential. When I lose out on a listing it is because some bubble head shows more enthusiasm than myself. My Bad!

Last week I told a couple the maximum price to list their property at to get people looking and buying. They listed with a bubble head for $20,000 more.

Last year I told a know it all out of state agent what to list her house at to get people looking and sold. She listed with several different agents for more money and just listed with another bubble head for the price I gave her last year.

All I can say is, I'm glad I am not wasting my advertise dollars and time on those properties.

Gregory Bain, ABR, SRES
www.Ask4Greg.com
Realtor Associate
NJHomes@Ask4Greg.com

 
Submitted by Elizabeth Jones, SRES,RSPS on June 11, 2008 - 1:24pm.

I think the point of the questions is to help the client find someone who is a "realtor" and not just a "put the sign in the ground type."
Selling for most is an emotionally charged situation and sometimes I don't think they hear what your saying.
I also might be afraid of someone who has a lot of listings but also of someone who doesn't. If I were the seller that is unsure and nervous, I might want a lot of attention from my realtor so may be that's why they wouldn't go with you. I don't think our clients really understand team or assistant relationships.
Just a thought.

Elizabeth H Jones,SRES,RSPS
Real Estate Agent
Diane Turton, Realtors
Wall Office
2383 Hwy 34 South
Manasquan, NJ 08736
ejones@dianeturton.com
http://www.dianeturton.com/elizabethjones
http://elizabethhjones.homesandland.com

 
Submitted by Mindy Allen on June 28, 2008 - 5:24pm.

I think people completely underestimate the value of a shiny new agent. Experience is great but to a seller a new agent with all of their excitement and "go-to-it-iveness" can accomplish as much, if not more than, an experienced agent. I have also met experienced full time agents that are less accessible than someone working 2 other jobs! It's about the individual agent and their commitment to doing what they say they will do...regardless of whether they have assistants, part time jobs,or years of experience...how many homes an agent currently has listed seems a pointless question...just because you can list, doesn't mean you can sell. These canned checklists are passed out like candy by every franchise but being in this business is about more than just having the "right" answers.

 
Submitted by Spencer Mason on January 21, 2009 - 2:27pm.

As many have stated already, these questions are sort of a guideline to start up a conversation with an agent and learn more about how they do business. Are these questions warranted and what are the “right” answers? Again, from the discussion we can see this is a grey area. Canned corporate probes or not, the questions are out there and they’re coming across the desks of sellers, so agents can expect to be asked questions like these. It can’t hurt to be prepared. Most importantly, be able to explain why your practices are best. We’ve seen arguments both for and against having an assistant. Full-time versus part-time. Dozens of listings versus a couple of listings. Newby versus veteran. There are pros and cons to all. The point is to connect with the potential client and tell them why your services work. If you have an assistant, tell them why it’s the most beneficial situation for your clients. Of course there are several different “right” answers (even if Prudential has a specific agent profile in mind), you just have to let the asker know why your responses are the right ones and back it up with hard evidence and examples to prove it.

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