Do you know the warning signs of hiring a bad real estate agent?
If you have never bought or sold a house before, chances are you’ve never hired a real estate agent.
There is a learning curve to most things and hiring a real estate agent is one of them.
You can be so eager and excited to buy your first house or sell your current home that you fail to put in the necessary effort to hire an excellent Realtor.
Picking a bad Realtor can cause serious problems as you move through the buying or selling process – so much so that it may be worthwhile to ditch a bad real estate agent to hire a better one.
So how do you know for sure that you hired a bad real estate agent?
Before taking a leap of faith and hiring your next real estate agent, you should consider the following!
If the Realtor you selected exhibits any of the traits below, it is a good sign you hired the wrong real estate agent!
Warning Signs You Hired a Bad Realtor
1. The Real Estate Agent Lacks Confidence
Lack of confidence – When you go to hire an agent, you should have a list of real estate interview questions in hand to ask the person.
You want to know that this individual is a top performer and that he or she has what it takes to get you the things you want.
If you started asking questions and the agent appeared uncomfortable or nervous, you should have become immediately suspicious.
A fast talker with nothing to back up what they are saying is a sure sign the Realtor doesn’t do the business they claim to.
Yet some clients will feel bad for the person and hire him or her out of pity. Big mistake. It’s not hard to understand why so many people are dissatisfied with the Realtor they have hired. So many people do not take the process seriously enough.
2. The Real Estate Agent Has Terrible Communication Skills
No communication – One of the blatant warning signs of a bad real estate agent is when they disappear, and you don’t hear from them.
Your agent works for you. Yes, you. That means they should maintain regular communication with you throughout the buying or selling process.
If the agent fails to do this, there could be a problem. It could mean that they are not actually doing any work for you, or it could mean that the work he or she is doing is not accomplishing anything.
At the least, a lack of communication is a sign of inexperience or incompetence. Do you want to know what buyers say about your home after a showing? Of course, the answer is yes! A good real estate agent will have a communication system in place.
For example, when I am selling a client’s home, they will receive an email from me within 48 hours of the showing explaining what the buyer liked, disliked, and oftentimes how the home is priced compared to others in the price point.
Showing feedback lets a seller have a pulse of what is happening. Who wants to be left in the dark after every time a showing takes place?
With appropriate feedback, sellers can make vital decisions, such as dropping the price or changing something in the home.
3. Failure to Use Appropriate Marketing Resources
Failure to use all resources – There are a lot of channels that a good Realtor has access to when trying to buy or sell a home.
An experienced agent will take advantage of all of them to get your home sold quickly for the most money with the fewest headaches.
On the other hand, an incompetent agent will often only use one or two resources, thinking this is enough.
If you are trying to sell your home and the agent only puts a sign up in the yard and into the multiple listing service, you have a problem.
The best real estate agents have a comprehensive real estate marketing plan.
They will have invested money into their own website. A significant focus will also be on presenting your home extraordinarily well on the best real estate websites for buyers. The plan will include hiring a professional photographer and writing detailed listing descriptions.
The best real estate agents will invest in having color marketing brochures for your home.
4. The Real Estate Agent Doesn’t Negotiate Well
Folds easily during negotiations – If you started off your relationship with this Realtor by demanding a reduction in his or her fees, you may have just been trying to get a good deal.
But if the Realtor conceded to your demands without much of a fight, there is a solid chance that he or she will do the same when negotiating for you.
If the agent is not willing to stand up for their own income, how likely is it that the agent will exercise courage to protect your interests?
Negotiation skills are vital when negotiating an offer on your home. Having someone in your corner who will fight for your interests is crucial.
One area where a seller needs a good negotiator in their corner is after the buyer’s home inspection. The inspection is a hurdle in most real estate transactions where further negotiations can occur.
When negotiating after a home inspection, you want a tiger, not a lame ass! A good real estate agent knows what’s reasonable and what isn’t regarding requests following an inspection.
The best Realtors don’t need a sale! Real Estate agents who are worried about where their next sale is coming from is not the person you want negotiating for you!
5. The Agent is Disorganized
Disorganized – There is an incredible amount of paperwork involved in a real estate transaction. In just a single transaction. But an agent is dealing with multiple transactions, including yours.
If your agent seems unorganized, misses deadlines, or fails to deliver paperwork on time, you should scrutinize these risky behaviors.
If the agent can’t make appointments on time and remember your paperwork, what else are they messing up? You need an organized agent, not a basket case.
Recently, I was hired to sell a home in Framingham, Massachusetts. The owner told me she was interviewing multiple agents during the interview process.
The owner was smart for doing this, and I highly recommend you do the same. What was unbelievable was the fact that one of the agents she asked for an interview with never showed up. No call, no, I’m sorry, no, nothing! Obviously, the choice of who to hire became a lot easier.
6. There is No Web Presence
Lack of web presence – In today’s real estate world, there is no getting around the need for technology. The internet is the main avenue for real estate information, and your agent should be right on top of it.
He or she should have a website and be tech-savvy enough to get your information to interested parties. Many real estate agents out there believe putting a sign in the yard and dumping your home into the multiple listing service (MLS) is good marketing.
Folks, I like to refer to this kind of real estate agent as a post and pray Realtor. They do very little for you and are looking for a big payday without taking any money out of their own pocket.
This is the very definition of a bad real estate agent. Never underestimate the importance of good online marketing for your home. This is where buyers spend all of their time!
Today’s average home buyer will spend hours looking on popular real estate portals like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. They will also use Google as a tool to find a property and search by address.
You want a Realtor who will take the necessary time to “enhance” how your home is presented to the public. Great photography, detailed descriptions, and video tours of your home are a must.
Without proper marketing, your house will likely end up as an expired listing.
7. There is No Advice From Your Real Estate Agent
Offers little advice – People who are good at their jobs are not afraid to offer sound advice and observations to those needing help. Silence is not golden in real estate sales.
Why else would you work so hard to become skilled at something if not to use those abilities? Something is wrong if your agent is not offering you advice and guidance in the transaction.
Either they are too inexperienced to know what is going on, or the agent is not particularly helpful by nature.
Regardless, you need someone who is helpful and can exercise leadership in this process. Why else are you paying them?
For example, if you have had numerous showings on your home and it has been on the market for months, there is no doubt some kind of problem.
More than likely, your home’s asking price needs an adjustment before it creates damaging effects, and you end up selling for less than you should.
A good agent will never be afraid to give sound advice. If you have hired a “yes man or woman,” you will suffer the consequences.
Agents should explain their marketing plan and what to do if things in the market change that dictate a new course of action.
8. The Real Estate Agent is Too Pushy
Too pushy – Conversely, the agent may be way pushier than you are comfortable with. They may try to make you do things you are uncomfortable with – which is a big no-no in this industry.
It’s your money and your purchase or sale. The agent is there to guide you and is working to get you what you want – as long as it is within reason.
If your agent tries to force you into a deal you don’t want, walk away immediately.
9. There is Desperate Behavior
Desperate behavior – A significant warning sign you hired a bad real estate agent is desperation. Some agents are so desperate to get work that they will do or say anything to keep a client or to make a deal.
If you hired the agent and told you your house was worth 10% more than any other Realtor did, or they concede to all of your demands when negotiating the agent’s rates, it may be a sign of desperation.
The last thing you want is a desperate agent. Aim for someone with the confidence to walk away from a bad deal and someone willing to tell you things you don’t want to hear.
You Are Mislead From The Beginning
There are plenty of real estate agents who mislead sellers on market value just to get your business. This is NOT what you want!
Selecting the right real estate agent to work with takes time and patience. If you are unwilling to take this task seriously, you will likely be disappointed in your choice.
Real Estate agents are a dime a dozen. Getting a real estate license is easy. This creates an environment where people who have no business representing someone’s largest asset get chosen to do so.
What most consumers fail to understand is the fact that practicing real estate should be a full-time job. Many agents are not as invested as they should be. The above reasons are all good signs you hired the wrong real estate agent!
10. The Real Estate Agent Practices Dual Agency
Few things are worse in the real estate industry than dual agency. When you allow dual agency, YOUR real estate agent becomes a neutral party. They no longer represent you anymore.
Dual agency is a conflict of interest. The only party that makes out in dual agency is the real estate agent. Most real estate agents who practice dual agency think about one thing – THEMSELVES!
It’s no wonder why dual agency leads to lawsuits and why it has been made illegal in several states.
11. Open Houses Are Their Primary Mode of Marketing
The last of the warning signs of a bad real estate agent is making open houses a focus.
Some real estate agents love to push an open house. They will tell you how important they are to marketing – a BIG lie.
Serious buyers schedule house viewings with real estate agents. Anyone with a pulse can show up at an open house. There will be people in your home that don’t belong, including the unqualified. Sometimes it leads to theft.
Agents who push open houses are doing it for two reasons – to either try to double-side the sale (dual agency) or find buyers they can work with to sell other properties.
Open houses don’t sell homes. You have hired a bad agent if they need open houses to sell your property.
Can You Terminate a Real Estate Listing Contract?
One of the questions real estate agents get asked quite a bit from sellers who are unhappy with the agent they have chosen is can I cancel the contract?
The answer depends on exactly what you have signed with the Realtor. Most exclusive right-to-sell real estate contracts will spell out specific terms, including a contract’s start and end dates.
Sometimes, sellers may want to terminate with an agent before the contract’s end date.
Whether or not the agent will agree to terminate before the conclusion of the contract is another story. Each agency treats situations like these differently.
Smart Real Estate Brokers Allow You to Cancel The Listing Contract
When a relationship goes sour, a smart real estate broker will allow an unhappy client to terminate. Unfortunately, some owners do not think that way. They say we have a contract, and I will not let you out.
This usually ends with the client feeling even worse and having nothing good to say about the agency to all of their family and friends. If you ask me, this is really short-sighted thinking.
If you find you have made a mistake with the agent you hired, the best thing to do would be to ask to speak to the owner or real estate broker and ask to be released from the contract.
At the very least, you may be able to get assigned to another Realtor in the company. A real estate agent makes significant money from the sale, so you deserve to get the services expected.
Additional Resources For Hiring a Real Estate Agent
- What to expect from a real estate agent when selling a home via Rochester Real Estate Blog.
- The mistakes sellers should avoid when choosing a real estate agent via Maximum Real Estate Exposure.
Use these additional helpful resources to increase the odds you will not make a bad choice when hiring a real estate agent!
Final Thoughts
When getting involved with buying or selling a house, the agent you work with can have significant consequences. Do your best not to get stuck with a bad Realtor. Following the tips provided will increase the odds you don’t.
About the author: The above Real Estate information on warning signs of a bad real estate agent was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 36+ Years.
Are you thinking of selling your home? I am passionate about real estate and love sharing my marketing expertise!
I service Real Estate sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Natick, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton and Uxbridge MA.
Finally some one calls it like it is. It is the bad real estate agent that doesn’t recognize their own deficiency.
Michael it is easy to see why there is so much dissatisfaction with the real estate industry as a whole. The ease in which you can get a real estate license has created an environment that is ripe for displeasure.
Our experience has been agents take very little time to know you or your home. Most of the efforts seem focused on solely acquiring leads and not selling listings. Our Realtor also never appreciated the uniqueness of our home or our desire for her to use more non traditional marketing efforts.
Steve – one of the things that I freely recognize about the real estate industry is the ease in which you can get your license. Unfortunately I have to deal with many of these same people you describe on a daily basis. Real Estate agents are a dime a dozen. Take a course, study a little and pass a test. It should not be that easy when you are dealing with someones biggest asset but unfortunately it is.
Bill thanks for this post. I couldn’t agree with you more on how necessary it is for an agent to put time and effort on getting their client’s listings online. I also really liked your first point about being wary of a Realtor who quickly accepts a lower commission rate without a fight.
Again great stuff.
Best,
Ryan