Spiteful real estate agent- UPDATE Post 55

[Chris2597]

It sounds like she is a very agressive agent, something that might be a good thing, in addition, she is top rated in her firm. I would consider talking to her again, but also insist on certain boundaries that you are comfortable with. In today's tough market you need all the help you can get.


If you are not interested in doing business with her then send her an email stating that you are not interested as you dont feel comfortable doing business concerning your most expensive asset, with someone you know. If she continues to harrass I would tell her in no uncertain terms to back off or you will forward her emails to her broker and follow through if the emails continue.

She may feel comfortable sending emails as she is because of the prior relationship. One reason I would not feel totally comfortable using a friend/coworker for something like this,

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

I respectfully disagree.

Sounds like the agent is being a spoiled brat.

My email back to her would not be so nice along with a cc to the board of realtors

I would much prefer a sales agent that thought highly of herself, maybe even too highly, that is so confident that SHE goes after the sellers and buyers rather than a listing agent that gets my listing and then lets it sit on the multi-list for months with maybe a few open houses.

When the OP's contract runs out, she needs to base her decision on sales rather than personality for all the agents she interviews. If the most obnoxious has the best track record (and in home and used car sales they usually do), who cares how bratty she seems. If she can get the house sold better than the sweet, professional one, that would be my only concern.

I would also interview people whose houses have been sold AND purchased by and from all the agents I interview. Check to see how long their average listings were on the market. Check to see how close to listing price they sold for. Personality should be the last consideration - track record the first.

She wants my money and I would want the most money I can get out of my house. I am greedy enough that I would sacrifice the sweet, professional agent for the in-your-face bratty agent that will sell my house faster and for more money in a heartbeat.

 

[richiebaseball]

I don't know how it works in other states but in Washington it against the law to solicite another agent's listings. It's an automatic fine from the Mulitple Listing Service and it can be steep, sometimes in the thousands!! I would keep the email and send it to your agent and ask him/her to forward it on to your state's Real Estate board or MLS.

I don't know about being against the law however it is against the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics to knowingly solicit another agents listing.

Aggressive is one thing but if an agent will ignore one part of a Code of Ethics, I would have to wonder what other parts they might just choose to ignore.

Personally I would probably just ignore her right now however I would not use her services.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Frankly, I would never want an agent like that. If I was in the market to buy and the agent was cold calling me, I would not even consider anything that they sell. If she does with a lot of people and it rubs them the wrong way, it could be detrimental.

Case in Point: There is a real witch of a realtor in the town where I go to university. When I was looking to rent a house upon my return there for grad school, I contacted her from Orlando about a listing. It looked great, she told me there were no problems, etc. I was prepared to rent it sight unseen, but my parents and aunt and uncle were able to go look at it.

She drives up in a Mercedes with a huge rock on her finger (this comes into play in a minute.) My parents said when they walked in it smelled strongly of mold. There was a glass door in the bedroom that did not even shut, much less lock! When they brought it up she said that she didn't have enough money to replace it and that if somebody wanted to break in they would break the glass anyway. The door on the "watertight storage shed" was the same way (didn't even shut.) She pressured my family to sign the lease, and they refused. They ended renting an apartment and the company has been great.

We now refer to her as the slum lord. If I accept a teaching job in this town next year, I will be looking into getting a starter home or at least moving to a more upscale apartment. I absolutely refuse to even consider any listing with her name on it. After my experience, I don't trust her and I tell everybody I can so they don't get taken in by her. If your agent has the same kind of reputation around town, it could prevent potential buyers from considering your property.

 

[mickeyfan1]

All Realtors can sell any house that is in MLS. If this woman wants to sell your house, she should be showing it to all of her clients. In my experience, the listing agent may be aggressive in marketing your home, but rarely is the person who sells it. Unless a buyer calls them directly about the house or they walk in agent free at an open house, the lister doesn't often sell it.

I had my home listed with one agency for 3 months and after many showing we had no offers. I decided to let the listing expire and not have it on the market for a while. Let me tell you, with in 3 days of expiration, the vultures were calling, begging me to allow them to sell my home. My standard answer then was and still is :My home was on the market for 90 days. You NEVER showed it during that time. If you have a buyer for my property now, I will give you an exclusive 24 hour listing to bring them in with a pre approved mortgage in hand and a solid contract offer. Then you may sell my home. If you don't have a buyer, don't call again." Strange thing, none of them ever sold any of my homes.

OP, I would send the first email to the agents broker. Being nasty is no way to do business. We interviewed 2 agents before our last move from AZ. We picked agent number 2 because he seemed like a better fit. Our house sold in 48 hours, he didn't have to do anything but put it in MLS, but had it not sold that fast, I am sure he would have represented our interests better than agent number one. It is your home and ultimately your choice as to whom to sell. You have to feel comfortable with your listing agent. If not, you won't be happy, not in today's crap market.

 

[Disney Doll]

I agree that it isn't harrassment. And, I only mentioned that she used to work with the same company as my husband because that's why we chose her as one of the three agents to consider. She contacted us, we figured why not meet with her. Sort of doing a former co-worker a favor.

When we met with her, she just seemed overly pushy to us and didn't really listen to our concerns. So, in our case, her personality turned us off.

I know what you're saying as far as following up and so on, but I really think she's thrown a few digs at us. Maybe she just doesn't realize how she sounds, but I tend to think she does.

At this point, we would not consider her in the future, ever! But I agree, she must be doing something right in the real estate field.

It's not harrassment.
She is an aggressive agent.
If you're not interested in using her, ignore the e-mails or respond by saying "We're happy with our current agent and thank you for your concern".

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't know how it works in other states but in Washington it against the law to solicite another agent's listings. It's an automatic fine from the Mulitple Listing Service and it can be steep, sometimes in the thousands!! I would keep the email and send it to your agent and ask him/her to forward it on to your state's Real Estate board or MLS.

She's not soliciting anyone's listing. She's extending her symapthies and informing them of a recent award.

 

[4greatboys]

I respectfully disagree.

Sounds like the agent is being a spoiled brat.

My email back to her would not be so nice along with a cc to the board of realtors

I agree. My best friend is an owner/broker of a ReMax and she definately would not act like that nor would she want the agents who represent her company acting like that.

 

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

I don't know much about the real estate business, but I do know that she seems to be quite unethical.

Personally, I feel that any reputable real estate agent would know about the ethics of the business and behave according to those ethics.

'Flash in the pan' comes to mind when I think about her.

 

[luvflorida]

She's extending her symapthies and informing them of a recent award.

This is extending sympathies?

"I can't believe you went with an agent that is totally inexperienced and has yet to sell a house, but if that's the way you want to do things, that's fine with me. When your house doesn't sell, I'm willing to meet with you again."

"I see you still haven't sold your house. Such a shame you can't go forward with your plans to move to Arizona. Thought you might be interested in this (her link)."

Wouldn't something like this be more appropriate:

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I understand you have decided to go with another agent. I wish you the best, and if things don't work out, please keep me in mind."

As for the second e-mail, none of it was necessary. I'm sure she just "thought" we'd be interested in her achievements. And, even if she meant well (which I don't believe for a second that she did), she could have made a joke out of it. "Here is a recent article about me from the chamber of commerce paper. See, I really can sell houses! haha!"

After the first e-mail, my husband did send a reply to her. He simply told her we were satisfied with our decision and wished her the best.

I stand by my original assessment- she's a bit bitter.

 

[Ronda93]

Is your house being shown? Is your agent marketing it to your satisfaction? It's a down market, but if you're not seeing activity it's either priced to high or your agent is not beating the bushes. Are other sellers getting showings?

If the annoying agent is selling homes at a good clip, there's a reason for it.

 

[rn2b]

I don't know how it works in other states but in Washington it against the law to solicite another agent's listings. It's an automatic fine from the Mulitple Listing Service and it can be steep, sometimes in the thousands!! I would keep the email and send it to your agent and ask him/her to forward it on to your state's Real Estate board or MLS.

I second this train of thought. It is unprofessional and ethically wrong to solicit another realtors listing. I would ask your agent to report this thru the broker, or do it yourself to the local RE board, that way your realtor doesn't need to get involved, which he may not want to do.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

When we first put our house on the market , we went with an inexperienced agent, thinking since our listing was one of his only ones, he would try harder to sell our house. Problem was, with his inexperience, he really didn't have the know how either.

Six months went by and when our contract was up, we changed agents. Actually to the experienced, top-seller, pushy one. She had a very forceful personality and DH and I didn't like some of the things she said and did, but in 60 days our house was sold.

Sometimes pushy is good!

 

[Disney Doll]

This is extending sympathies?

"I can't believe you went with an agent that is totally inexperienced and has yet to sell a house, but if that's the way you want to do things, that's fine with me. When your house doesn't sell, I'm willing to meet with you again."

"I see you still haven't sold your house. Such a shame you can't go forward with your plans to move to Arizona. Thought you might be interested in this (her link)."

Wouldn't something like this be more appropriate:

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I understand you have decided to go with another agent. I wish you the best, and if things don't work out, please keep me in mind."

As for the second e-mail, none of it was necessary. I'm sure she just "thought" we'd be interested in her achievements. And, even if she meant well (which I don't believe for a second that she did), she could have made a joke out of it. "Here is a recent article about me from the chamber of commerce paper. See, I really can sell houses! haha!"

After the first e-mail, my husband did send a reply to her. He simply told her we were satisfied with our decision and wished her the best.

I stand by my original assessment- she's a bit bitter.

I didn't say she wasn't bitter. I didn't say that this would be how I would choose to behave. I didn't even say that I would consider her a good professional.

I said she wasn't harrassing you because of 2 phone calls and she wasn't trying to steal your listing from another agent because she sent you an e-mail saying she was sorry your house hadn't sold so you can't move forward with your plans and included a link to an award she received.

The difference is someone who is being annoying and a bit catty and bitter vs. someone who is breaking their profession's code of ethics. Catty, annoying, bitter...absolutely. Breaking the code of ethics...no. Coming close....but if she's been in the business a while, she knows how close she can fly to the sun.

DH is a realtor, manages a local real estate office, serves on the ethics board for realtors in our state. If she was his employee would he tell her he didn't care for her method of handling this? Absolutely. But he couldn't get her for an ethics violation.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here is my thought...

She is trying to get your attention and it is working.

 

[Disney Doll]

Here is my thought...

She is trying to get your attention and it is working.

You're right MM.

 

[Camicar]

Actually to the experienced, top-seller, pushy one. She had a very forceful personality and DH and I didn't like some of the things she said and did, but in 60 days our house was sold.

Sometimes pushy is good!

ITA.

When we sold our house in 1990 it was the only house that sold in our entire town for 6 months. One reason was our location and the other reason was our aggressive agent (from a nearby town). We interviewed several agents and we liked the others ones better, but we weren't looking for a friend, we were looking for a seller. She said she would do whatever it took to sell our house and she did. That's all I care about -- results. While everyone else was watching their houses plummet in value with each succeeding week, ours was sold.

 

[Skywalker]

I was a real estate agent for a while and I can tell you that all the nicest agents were at the bottom of the pile for sales numbers and the most pushy, obnoxious and aggressive ones were always at the top. That is what most people seem to want in a realtor. As much as her methods are annoying you, she will be very successful at what she does. Don't take her obnoxiousness personally.

 

[FayeW]

I work with real estate agents on a daily basis. I severed ties with one of the agents I worked with when we sold our home last summer. I had to choose one of the 4 agents I do business with, and I knew going in that it was going to piss off the other three. I chose the person I work best with, who I admire as a professional and we share the same professional ethics.

Having said that I don't think the agent is harassing you or even straddling her ethical or professional boundaries. She is simply telling you the truth. You chose an inexperienced agent and now, 3 months later, your house is still on the market. She has a sold track record as evidenced by the link to her award. She is definately a little bitter, and she is rubbing a little salt in the wound, but that isn't unethical.

As for her being able to bring buyers to your house, well, yes, she could, but I am willing to bet your house is very last on her list. In a market like this one there are a lot of other houses she can show her clients, and she is probably enjoying seeing your house sit on the market. Karma and all that.

I am a mortgage agent, and over the last 6.5 yrs I have had some clients treat me badly. I had "friends of friends" that I knew socially waste hours of my time, over a period of weeks. Calling me at home on evenings and weekends, etc. I got their pre-approval for them and then they took the same pre-approval and went to THE EXACT SAME BANK where the branch took over the deal. It was exactly the same terms and conditions I had secured for them. I was pissed!!! In any event, unbeknowst to them, the house they contracted to purchase belonged to my very good friends (small world, huh!). After waiving all their financing conditions, the purchasers changed their minds and backed out of the deal (a big no-no in Canada). Let's just say I encouraged my friends to take legal action, and in the end, it cost my former clients $10K in damages, + legal fees. I admit that I took great pleasure in the outcome.

Sometimes I will speak to clients who have chosen to go a different way. Usually I say "I would love the opportunity to earn your business, but you have a great deal, and I can't beat it. I would take that deal too!". Sometimes, though, if the mortgage has already funded I say "Oh, that is too bad. That interest rate isn't the best they could have done, so they didn't do you any favours. Too bad they rewarded you for being a loyal customer by giving you a higher interest rate than you could have gotten elsewhere."

Catty, probably, but true none the less.

 

[mickeysgal]

I was a real estate agent for a while and I can tell you that all the nicest agents were at the bottom of the pile for sales numbers and the most pushy, obnoxious and aggressive ones were always at the top. That is what most people seem to want in a realtor. As much as her methods are annoying you, she will be very successful at what she does. Don't take her obnoxiousness personally.

But if they are utimately not comfortable with her, then they have to go with what they feel is best for their situation.

We had interviewed two agents once for the sale of one of our homes. Both had years of experience and had established professional names in the community. The first was confident, but was extremely pushy, loved everything about himself and then some, even flat out directly insulted us at one point during the interview. I guess he thought that bullying/insulting us would convey confidence when in reality, a slimbag was how he came across. He did not do hardworking RE agents justice. The second just as confident and aggressive, but in a different, more professional, normal way. My trust just wasn't with the first. We listed with the second. And sold the house.