Should I be annoyed with my agent?

Question

I'm somewhat annoyed, but maybe wrongly so.  Need some input from the professionals out there.

Backstory:  We've been working with an agent that's an acquaintance (kids go to the same small school).  We reached out to her to help us find our first investment property in our local area, saw a handful, made a few offers, but kept coming up blank.  It's a very desirable market where it's tough to make the rental numbers work.  We ended up focusing 30 minutes away in a more attainable market (pretty far outside of her normal market) and ended up closing on our first duplex with her there in March.  Since then, we've been focused entirely on this other market.

Question:  We found a triplex in this other market and told her we wanted to see it.  She jumped on scheduling the appointment (like she always does...love that!) and told me we were on for 5:15 yesterday.  It's about an hour away from where I work, so I ended up getting there early... and learned she was there showing the same place to someone else at 5:00.  Is this weird, or just how the game works?  She did tell me that if the other guy wanted to make an offer it would be through one of her colleagues, or blind.  I guess in the end, the part I'm really hung up on is that I don't believe she has many investor clients and I certainly didn't think she was representing more than one of us in this market that's the better part of an hour from where she lives.  Am I being naive?

FWIW... we passed on the triplex.  It wasn't the screaming deal we thought it was.

Ben Kappel · Answer

Being an agent is like dating 20 people at one time, and each one doesn't know your dating others.  I make sure to make each client feel like they're the only one I'm working with.  But if that was really the case, I would be bankrupt.

Russell Brazil · Answer

Fairly common to have multiple clients that want to see the same properties. Fairly uncommon that an agent has multiple clients that actually write offers on the same property. You ended up not even wanting it. Maybe the other person did.

Mohammed Rahman · Answer

Hey @Scott Seydor - I can see your perspective on this and can understand why I would feel hurt by my agent (whom I've built a relationship with) and almost think it is duplicitous of her doing this.

I don't think the agent did anything wrong (I'm speaking both as an investor, and a realtor too). Agents work with multiple buyers and unless you've signed an agreement/contract that she will only work with you, she's allowed to show the property to her other interested buyers (this is literally her job as a buyer's agent).

If she was only working with you and couldn't work with other buyers, she wouldn't be in business for too long.

Sometimes as small (or medium) investors we latch onto good agents/contractors/vendors etc. because we don't approach this realm as what it is: a business. I've made this mistake before and it's caused me to put up with poor quality vendors for longer than I should have because 'hey I have a working relationship with them already.'

Hope this helps, I don't intend for it to sound too harsh but reading your post in the forum reminded me of where I was a few years ago.

Ray Hage · Answer

As a Realtor and Investor myself, I'd have been annoyed like you were in if I were in the same situation. That being said, she did nothing wrong from neither a moral nor professional prospective. @Ben Kappel said it best, it's similar to modern dating. Imagine that she shows that place to you only and you're not interested, now she has no potential to make any money on the sale of this house. If she shows it to you and 5 other people, then she has a much better chance.

One could argue that it was in poor taste, but remember this is business, not friendship or romance. Don't take it personally. Now if she is a lazy or incompetent agent in the future, then you cut ties. If she is finding you good deals and giving solid advice, I would keep her and treat her like gold. My clients know that they can call me or email me questions and I will answer them even if there is no current deal in the works (if she is doing this, definitely keep her). Most agents are pretty lazy/uncaring in my experience and that's the main reason I became one so I can handle my own deals with more access to knowledge.

Theresa Harris · Answer

While it is her business, the fact that you found it and she showed it to another person first, I don't think is good.  She should have showed it to you and if you weren't interested, then showed it to them.  Had she been the one who found it, I'd say there isn't a problem.

Scott Seydor · Answer

That about sums it up perfectly.

Thanks, all!

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

It's a business to her, period. But it still can make you feel 'not special', right? Just the way it is.

I would not EVER use an agent that was a friend/family/relative/neighbor/etc...it just gets too messy and feelings get involved. It inhibits you getting your best deal IMO.....

Robert Calabro · Answer

This is a tough situation to be in. I don't fault your agent for engaging with another buyer who may be interested in similar properties. This happens all the time, especially if you're working with an agent who specializes in a certain neighborhood or market sector.  If she is representing both buyers, then the situation should be disclosed to both buyers and both should be given alternative options if they are not comfortable.

* It sounds like she may have just been showing the property for another agent but not be engaged in an agency relationship with that buyer. If that is the case, then there is nothing wrong but it  should still be disclosed to all.

Scott Seydor · Answer

Makes sense.  She's in the business of selling houses... I get it.

Should I be annoyed with my agent?

Most Popular Reply