Why People Hate Real Estate Agents
By Jim Palmer Jr.

  One day in a casual conversation among friends, someone made the comment, “I hate Realtors®”.  I ignored the urge to respond, partially because I’m callous to such comments and partially because they qualified their brash outburst by saying, “But not you!”  As I traveled home that day I pondered why that sentiment exists.  Is it deep seated resentment lingering from a bygone era when brokers had a reputation for shady business practices, or is it a relevant and deserved bias even today? 

     I believe the lingering cause of this type of bias is the fact that many  beginning brokers don’t have sufficient  expertise and will probably wash out of the real estate profession before they gain enough on-the-job- training to  avoid some negative reviews.  Stats show that 42% of all real estate brokers have been in the business less than 2 years.  

     While it can also be said that there are unscrupulous dishonest brokers, modern consumer pressure and industry standards are forcing those undesirables out of business.

     Much of this negativity is avoided when conscientious Managing Brokers are heavily vested in the maturation process of “baby brokers”.   Even among the ranks of seasoned brokers, too few take advantage of professional career development opportunities.  I’m talking about those old dogs that refuse to stay relevant, hanging on to the fact that they have “always done it that way”. 

     Another reason jaded consumers may have a negative bias is because their perception is that it seems too easy for a broker to make that much money, not taking into account the actual cost to perform the task.  Some folks think it’s as easy as sticking a sign in the yard and posting a few photos, not realizing it is far more complicated and costly than that.  The expertise it takes to skillfully navigate a modern transaction also comes at a high cost.
   
 Even though there are agents who love to brag about their earnings, most don’t sell more than 4 homes per year, and from that income their broker takes a cut, then they pay taxes and overheard.  Their net income is not what it may seem. Sometimes being self employed means lean economics for brokers, which may tempt some brokers to be aggressive and pushy or self-serving. 

     The truth is that most Realtors® are hard working, competent, honest, and worth every penny.  Smart consumers know it is not as hard as you think to pick a good one!