Brooke Wolford
By Brooke Wolford
So I recently had an issue in my office. My first ever dispute with another REALTOR®. I couldn’t believe that it would ever happen to me.
So here’s the story. A client came into the office and ended up meeting with another practitioner. A couple of days later, I ran into him (we went to high school together). He explained to me that he had come into the office and asked for me and he was given the impression that I didn’t work there anymore. Obviously, I was pretty upset. I decided to not worry about it and told him, “Good luck with buying a house.”
The next morning, he called and said he didn’t want to work with the other practitioner and that he really intended to use me.
I asked if he had a contract with the other practitioner, and he said that he did not. I asked him if he was really sure about it, and he said, “yes.” So we went out to look at some homes. He found one that he liked and we went to put an offer in. When I called the loan officer, she stated that she had sent over a pre-approval letter earlier to this other practitioner in my office.
After hearing this, I was worried. I spoke with my buyer and he explained that he had no intention of using this other REALTOR®.
When it came down to it, he decided not to purchase the property. In the meantime, the previous agent had found out about this. She called and was obviously upset and I explained what the buyer had told me. The last thing I ever wanted was a dispute with anyone.
I decided to let my office manager investigate it as I really didn’t want to get involved. After he did this, I found out the following:
1. My buyer had worked with several practitioners in my office.
2. He misunderstood what he was told when he came into the office
So nonetheless, this whole situation was completely embarrassing. I felt horrible for the other REALTOR® involved. Obviously, there are some things I could do different. I guess there are only some things you can learn from experience.
Brooke Wolford is a REALTOR® with Edina Realty, Hastings, Minn. Follow her blog at strugglingrookierealestateagent.blogspot.com.
Comments 9
Always always get the manager involved no matter what. You did the right thing!
Wow, talk about a snowball rolling downhill. I think we all can take something away from this situation: we’ve got to perform our due diligence no matter what, and get a cancellation of Buyer Rep signed by the former agent. Good luck in 2010 Brooke!
Make sure to get the manager involved, but also use your senses to make sure it sounds right.
“He misunderstood what he was told when he came in the office.” That sounds like a possible “cop out” to me. Of course that is what the other agent is going to say.
I’m not challenging, just saying the biggest lesson to be learned is to trust your senses.
Well there is more to the story but there was no buyers rep signed. It was a mess. Besides the fact that it was another agent in my office!
Brooke,
I am with Toby on the buyer’s statement, “He misunderstood what he was told when he came in the office”. It is unfortunate that we will run into people in our profession that really are only concerned about themselves even though we are there to help. It will probably not be the first or last time this situation will happen to you. You just have to keep in mind that you did the right thing and move forward.
My only recommendation is to always ask, “Have you worked with any other Realtors recently?” You will be surprised at the answers you get and then just trust your gut.
Great post.
Yeah I think I will have to do a followup blog on this one……a lot more has come out about this since Ifirst posted and the tables are turning….
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I have had that happen a lot, When I first started with my Real Estate career, two families “my friends, bbq at my home, church together, years invested” was met with seeing them sitting in my Broker’s office signing docs. with an Oh I didn’t know you were working here” Yeah Right!!! Well, I work in an office in a town of 100+ thousand that we all seem to know a lot of the same people. I have since began prospecting outside of my sphere of influence, since we all seem to know the same people. It just happened again- Only this time I was the one the client came to see and he walked in and saw his buddy sitting at the desk. I hate awkward.
The next one was the one that takes the cake…I have been working with a client for 2 years, she calls we have one week to find her a place…so she decides to look at new development property today, we go and we walk into the office and the New Home Sales Rep calls her by name, seems she has been visiting monthly for 4 Years!
The client thought that having a REALTOR with her would give her an edge with the Sales Rep. I am breaking up with this client.
On the other side, I have worked with difficult clients that everyone told me would not amount to anything, they are just looking and waisting your time. Those sales have brought me $45,000.00 and another one closing this coming week. So we must decide for ourselves who is right for us. I didn’t mean to make this so long. oops
Happy Sales to you, Darla