Welcome to the “ool”. Notice There is no ‘P’ in it, Let’s Keep It That Way
August 15, 2008
My fiance and I were sitting around the house watching the Olympics the other night and she showed me a “bumper sticker” she received via Facebook from one of her friends. The bumper sticker stated, “Welcome to the ‘ool’. Notice there is no ‘P” in it, let’s keep it that way.” While she was laughing because it was funny, I simply blurted out “brilliant”, then she looked at me weird as she often does and went on her business.
Why did I matter of factly state “brilliant”? It is. This industry, Real Estate, is loaded with idiots. It is loaded with trash who are in it for the deal a year that they may or may not get. Part time agents, wannabees, and the uncle of a friend’s mother who stole the listing from you. It is full of “P”, if you will.
I work for a company, Exit Realty, that largely rewards you for recruiting Real Estate Agents into the company. While I agree it is a great thing, especially for the sponsor, recruiting opens up a Pandora’s box of sorts. Why recruit just anyone? Why recruit those who will only bring the company down, clog the training, end up being ‘P’ in the ‘ool’?
Though I am not a broker, I can understand slightly from their standpoint. That junky Realtor they bring in will help cover a bit of the overhead with their 2 deals they may get, 1 being from Mom and Dad, the other being from a person they randomly stumbled upon. However, how does it benefit their company image, their brand, when that agent expires 80% of their listings and get’s a few complaints to the Real Estate Commission on the way?
It doesn’t benefit them at all! It does not benefit their other agents or the profession as a whole.
A very brilliant many who taught me in Real Estate School (yes, a Real Estate School instructor who was brilliant!) said that the reason he started a Real Estate School was to weed out the trash in this industry. To make the Realtors within the Columbia SC Real Estate market beyond reproach. He wanted to bring back the prestige that we deserve, and with the circumstances of the market, as well as the Realtors in this market, we have no prestige as a whole.
So, how can we, as Real Estate Agents, weed out the less desireable in the business? Unfortunately Darwin can’t really help us any more at this point (he is doing his best with this declining market though), so we need another way to get rid of those.
Most Real Estate Agents are approaching retirement age. Of course, does a Realtor ever retire? No, they just play more golf.
I believe there is a 3 fold way to get done what needs to be done:
1. Educate those who are currently less than desireable agents who truly do want to succeed.
2. Fire those from your brokerage who do not want to succeed.
3. Quit hiring those who do not want to succeed, or who do not have the true ability to succeed.
The last question I will pose to you is this: Why do we want to get rid of the bad agents?
I believe I have covered this throughout the paragraphs above, but I want to be clear. The bad agents tarnish the good agents reputations. They tarnish the reputation of this industry as a whole. We all make mistakes, however, those who just do not care need to s*** or get off the pot. And I would prefer they get off the pot…and fast.
About the Author:
Hunter Jackson is a licensed Real Estate Agent with Exit Realty serving Greater Columbia SC.
Proudly part of Generation Y, Hunter is just finishing up his first year of real estate at the age of 23. Firmly believing that the only way to sell a house is through marketing, Hunter focuses his areas of expertise on targeted demographics. Focusing on young families needing single family homes, Hunter takes his marketing to the internet through his Columbia SC Real Estate Blog and via Social Media.
Gladly, Hunter spends his time learning all he can about real estate firmly believing that Great agents are not born, they are trained. In addition to Real Estate, Hunter's passions involve Exotic Animals, primarily African Tortoises.
You can reach Hunter via phone at 803.609.5214 or his Columbia SC Real Estate Blog at http://www.ColumbiaSCRealEstateHomes.com
You can also email Hunter at nhjacksonrealty@gmail.com.
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