Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
" I can't stand realtors... The bottom of the sea will have lawyers, realtors and car salesmen...."
You left 'investment advisor's' off your list.
It's difficult sometimes to take people as the individuals they are and not as some part of a group conspiracy against the rest of us. I'm as guilty as anyone of this. I am suspicious (rightly or wrongly) of peoples intentions I do not understand. I make unfair judgments sometimes against select groups based on occupation/political affiliation/nationality, and sometime later as I reflect on my thinking process and feel ashamed, and/or smile at my hubris. For me, evaluating peoples intentions and my personal self-reflection are both works in progress.
There are tools now and more arriving for non-professional sellers of real estate. In July of this year, Iggy's House (and it's associated businesses) will assist Arizona sellers to get their listing on the MLS (maybe not a proprietary MLS and the special screening software that some realtors use, but the MLS nonetheless), and will provide assistance for very low cost in a model not yet available in Arizona to my knowledge. Internet data from 2Point, Zillow, and Trulia already provide useful information to the lay person and professional alike. The sellers of thirty-something other states are already availing themselves to Iggy's House services. The long anticipated tools from the internet revolution to empower the non-professional seller are really starting to arrive. Traditional modes of real estate selling & buying are changing, but change comes very slowly as lobbying and established modes of the past resist change. IMO, traditional real estate models will still be around for a long time, but the model is starting to see a chiseling away of its base. IMO, no one who is honest with themselves denies that the better real estate people with an excellent understanding of how to market/show/sell properties based on their years of experience are valuable, and many people will willingly pay for their full services, but for other sellers/buyers the new tools available to help them sell at lower costs will necessitate traditional real estate businesses to adjust fees to reflect the changes afoot, and to stay more competitive. Real Estate professionals think about these things, they have to, it's their livelihood.
" I can't stand realtors... The bottom of the sea will have lawyers, realtors and car salesmen...."
You left 'investment advisor's' off your list.
It's difficult sometimes to take people as the individuals they are and not as some part of a group conspiracy against the rest of us. I'm as guilty as anyone of this. I am suspicious (rightly or wrongly) of peoples intentions I do not understand. I make unfair judgments sometimes against select groups based on occupation/political affiliation/nationality, and sometime later as I reflect on my thinking process and feel ashamed, and/or smile at my hubris. For me, evaluating peoples intentions and my personal self-reflection are both works in progress.
There are tools now and more arriving for non-professional sellers of real estate. In July of this year, Iggy's House (and it's associated businesses) will assist Arizona sellers to get their listing on the MLS (maybe not a proprietary MLS and the special screening software that some realtors use, but the MLS nonetheless), and will provide assistance for very low cost in a model not yet available in Arizona to my knowledge. Internet data from 2Point, Zillow, and Trulia already provide useful information to the lay person and professional alike. The sellers of thirty-something other states are already availing themselves to Iggy's House services. The long anticipated tools from the internet revolution to empower the non-professional seller are really starting to arrive. Traditional modes of real estate selling & buying are changing, but change comes very slowly as lobbying and established modes of the past resist change. IMO, traditional real estate models will still be around for a long time, but the model is starting to see a chiseling away of its base. IMO, no one who is honest with themselves denies that the better real estate people with an excellent understanding of how to market/show/sell properties based on their years of experience are valuable, and many people will willingly pay for their full services, but for other sellers/buyers the new tools available to help them sell at lower costs will necessitate traditional real estate businesses to adjust fees to reflect the changes afoot, and to stay more competitive. Real Estate professionals think about these things, they have to, it's their livelihood.
Great. But why slam realtors in general? What is the point? Use these alternate services then if you feel that's what you want to do, but don't smear a profession in which the vast majority are ethical, experienced, hardworking, and trying to get you the best service they can in a very difficult housing market and get you the top dollar possible.
I've dealt with good and bad. The bad was a dual representation on my first home buy. I didn't understand the complication and the realtor unfortunately represented the seller far more than me as the buyer. I threatened legal action, things balanced out very quickly.
2nd House...total professional. I saw 17 houses in one day all over the Las Vegas valley. She had her ducks in a row, knew the homes, had folders in the order of the houses were were going to see, handed me a brief of each one as we were on our way and didn't pressure me at all. I bought the second house out of the 17 I saw that evening and loved living there for five years.
3rd House... Different situation. Another state and the realtors I was in contact with seemed inexperienced and one was trying to sell her business and wanted to know if I was interested. I eventually did find a great realtor from whom I purchased the house I live in now. I still think of her fondly. She was organized, non-pressure, knowledgeable, and a true professional.
In this market, and for most of the country the worst is yet to come, people are having a terrible time selling their homes and in many cases are nearing foreclosure and financial ruin. The discount services may work in a skyrocketing market as the momentum is pushing everything at high pressure your way, but in today's market? Not so. You need a professional and you need someone who's got the guts to tell you the truth about your specific area, what homes are selling for, the DOM averages, and you know what? They don't work for free. That's why there are commissions. In a market like this, they are earning them as never before and if you cheap out, you're going to be sitting on a house that may never sell. Why should anyone try and sell your house when you expect full representation and all the effort, but refuse to pay for it? I wouldn't.
I don't see a problem negotiating commission percentages. I paid 4.5% in Las Vegas to the agent who sold my home, but considering the selling price, it was a significant commission. But I doubt in todays market that would work now. The market is just too difficult for sellers and there's too much choice with historically high inventories around the nation. Combine that with toughened lending standards and the pool of buyers is falling.
You need a professional with patience and who will tell you straight what's going on.
I think you should retract your statement and reassess it in light of what your preamble stated.
"Great. But why slam realtors in general? What is the point?"
You two misunderstand my post. I was responding to another post which said, "I can't stand realtors... The bottom of the sea will have lawyers, realtors and car salesmen...."
..that's why I said in jest, "You left 'investment advisor's' off your list."
Reread my post again in this context, and..
..I hope you both are more careful in reading the paperwork in your real estate transactions than you were in responding to my post here.
"Great. But why slam realtors in general? What is the point?"
You two misunderstand my post. I was responding to another post which said, "I can't stand realtors... The bottom of the sea will have lawyers, realtors and car salesmen...."
..that's why I said in jest, "You left 'investment advisor's' off your list."
Reread my post again in this context, and..
..I hope you both are more careful in reading the paperwork in your real estate transactions than you were in responding to my post here.
I read it very carefully and nowhere did you cite the source of that quote. If you're going to post something like that you should expect the reaction you're getting. You're the one that should be more careful.
"I read it very carefully and nowhere did you cite the source of that quote."
Ok, fair enough. I corrected that.
"If you're going to post something like that you should expect the reaction you're getting."
My comeback to the offensive 'something like that' remark was to try to mitigate the original remark and be diplomatic about it at the same time.
"You're the one that should be more careful."
Understood, but do I detect a tone of hostility? If so, direct your hostility toward the appropriate target(s). Always believing one is right makes for less than satisfying relationships - think about that Mr. Businessperson.
"I read it very carefully and nowhere did you cite the source of that quote."
Ok, fair enough. I corrected that.
"If you're going to post something like that you should expect the reaction you're getting."
My comeback to the offensive 'something like that' remark was to try to mitigate the original remark and be diplomatic about it at the same time.
"You're the one that should be more careful."
Understood, but do I detect a tone of hostility? If so, direct your hostility toward the appropriate target(s). Always believing one is right makes for less than satisfying relationships - think about that Mr. Businessperson.
If you had been so kind as to inform the reader of who the target is I would have been happy to direct my hostility towards him/her. That's my whole point. I'm just getting tired of people anonymously blasting Realtors when they don't know what they're talking about and won't identify themselves. If you want to know who I am just go to my profile. I'm not hiding anything. I'll say what I think and you can take it or leave it, but I don't make personal attacks against a person's profession when I don't have a clue what I'm talking about.
If you didn't make that statement then fine. You're still wrong to use that quote as a title on the thread that brings it to everyone's attention. It was damaging. I am a reputable Realtor and if anyone has a problem with me or anything I've done I'd like for them to come forward with it and let's talk.
"I read it very carefully and nowhere did you cite the source of that quote."
Ok, fair enough. I corrected that.
"If you're going to post something like that you should expect the reaction you're getting."
My comeback to the offensive 'something like that' remark was to try to mitigate the original remark and be diplomatic about it at the same time.
"You're the one that should be more careful."
Understood, but do I detect a tone of hostility? If so, direct your hostility toward the appropriate target(s). Always believing one is right makes for less than satisfying relationships - think about that Mr. Businessperson.
BTW, it's Ms.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
