My clients cheated on me with other agents. (VENT)

[Luke Skywalker]

I cant stand it. It's driving me crazy. I've been cheated so many times and this is my living we are talking about here. Let me give you a few stories to illustrate what I'm talking about: Let me show you why I cant stand my career because your living is too dependent on 'relationships'.

 

1) A sexy client wants to see some homes, so I show them to her, and try to sell her one. She says, she had to talk it over with her father. So, I try calling them back to see if they want to make an offer. Then I find out, they dont want to buy or sell a home at this time until maybe next year.

 

I look on the Multiple Listing Service a month or two later, and find they listed their home with someone else, probably a day or two after that conversation.

 

Ok, well they did not cheat on me, they blew me off, after I did the work for them. Let me tell you how many people did that too me in a year, and you'll understand why I'm still living with my parents and driving a rusted out car on the side - while people normally assume I'm a lazy person who doesn't like to work. It's unfortunate that I just seem to be lucking out far too often.

 

2) Nice people from Sri Lanka, told me they really liked my service and will use me as their agent. Called them on January, and they told me they may consider selling in the spring. I believe I even called them on February or March, and they had said they would like to see me or something, or would call me when they want to sell.

 

Looked at my Multiple Listing Service today, and found they sold their house with another agent.

 

So, I called them, and pretended I didn't know about it, and asked if they wanted to sell their home. And, they told me that they sold it, but they used another agent because they were in a rush to sell. What kind of a BS excuse was that. I was just stunned. And get this, she reassured me that she'll be contacting me when their parents get back so I can find them another home. They cheated on me those bastards. Where are the honest loyal clients these days. I've never been in a romantic relationship before, but heck, even business relatoinships suck.

 

3) Get this cheat-story. My friend's sister is looking for a house, and I pay her a referral fee if I find her sister a house. I show her a few houses, and she ends up buying with another agent. Says she knows other people who want to buy, but never followed through.

 

*******

 

People are telling me people who practise Real-Estate in the US are successful and own houses and all that - while here in Canada, I'm driving a rusted up car, owe taxes I cant pay, and if I were to attract a woman in my life, I hate to show her my car or talk about my career like the plague.

 

Darn - which could be worst, people cheating in a romantic relationship or this BS. At least in romantic relationship cheating, you dont lose commission dollars, while in business relationship cheating, I lose my money, and someone else has it. I'd like to know if anyone on this board is successful in this career and would like to say anything positive about Real-Estate.

 

I'm thinking of changing to REMAX in a couple of months before dismissing this profession as a whole and writing it off - to give it one last kick in the can with another office. This will be the third office since I started.

[KuteKate_99]

Luke, since your career under the surface is constantly getting screwed, maybe you should consider becoming a public adjuster. Public Adjusters are people who do the fighting for homeowners with the homeowners insurance companies when they need to file a claim. For instance, when a homeowner has to replace a leaky roof, the insurance company will fight to pay the minimum. A Public Adjuster will fight and win the maximum payment to the homeowner. Just a suggestion to reverse the quailty of your life!

[tylercdurden2004]

Well you are learning the first rule of sales or at least one rule of sales: Customers lie. Often they lie more than the salesmen (who are portrayed as lying scumbags).

 

All these people rejected you for whatever reason. Most likely something to do with you. Read your post and think about it. Doesnt it sound like a guy getting blown off by women all the time? That is because selling a house is not much different than selling yourself to a girl. Now think about what each situation may have in common with each other. Were you to pushy (needy)? Did you show a lack of confidence? Did you do more talking than listening?

 

Find out what it is that may be a common denominator between each one and that might give you answers.

[Luke Skywalker]

Well you are learning the first rule of sales or at least one rule of sales: Customers lie. Often they lie more than the salesmen (who are portrayed as lying scumbags).

 

You got that right.

 

All these people rejected you for whatever reason. Most likely something to do with you. Read your post and think about it. Doesnt it sound like a guy getting blown off by women all the time? That is because selling a house is not much different than selling yourself to a girl.

 

 

That's why I cant make a living with this profession and rely on it to pay basic bills. If your paycheque is contingent on nonsense like that then it's not even a job. It's a wonder I've made enough deals to keep this business afloat (ie pay business expenses like advertisement, gas, etc....) since 2003, but just paying business expenses and holding money to wait for if and when I make a future deal is simply nerve wrecking.

 

Imagine you are paying a mortgage or rent and your payment for these things is contingent on success on a business like this. Now you understand why I must live with my parents and drive an old car that's rusting, it's obviously not working.

 

Something's not 'natural' about this whole set-up. That's why I intend to change officers with the hopes I'll find a real mentor in the next office, better programs, and thus better overall motivation and spirits. AT the very least, I will be more motivated to go to the office, as it's only five minutes away from my house, as opposed to the 30 minutes I'm travelling each way right now.

 

Now think about what each situation may have in common with each other. Were you to pushy (needy)? Did you show a lack of confidence? Did you do more talking than listening?

 

First situation - pushy (needy) - blown off.

 

Second situation - unsure - more like a 'cheat' than a blow-off, they continue to maintain up to today that they want me to be their agent, and made some weak excuse of using another agent to sell their home.

 

Let's assume 'cheating' and 'blow-off' are the same thing, then, I cant find either of those three categories applying. Perhpas, I'm coming accross a bit weak or something, but either way, this just adds to the general frustration of this business because income is contingent on crappy factors.

 

I'm going to the gym to develop a stronger physique so I can look more sexy and strong, then I'll put up a full body add of myself with the homes I'm selling or something with a cocky look in the face, and try to convey this persona when dealing with clients such as the ones mentioned. But, seriously, income being contingent on this. Ouch is all I can say.

 

Third situation - none of the above, it seems I didn't follow up the client well enough - it's call 'neglecting' someone, and in relatoinships, if you neglect a girlfriend, then they'll may be more tempted to cheat.

 

I hate to be stuck in a career where income is tied to relationship issues, it puts a whole new dimension on the concepts of 'blown off', 'rejected', and 'cheating', by putting a money twist on it.