An Agent that Pushed my Hot Button

[Austin Hughes]

Today, I got a call from an agent who "had a client interested in buying my property that was FSBO." I know realtors are trained to pick up listings, and I told him I would be open to a non-exclusive agreement with him if he could bring a buyer.

I asked a lot of questions to get a very clear picture of where he was coming from, and I realized that his "clients" were simply people who had called his phone number instead of mine from my listing on Zillow. -____- This guy now calls them "clients" and wants me to fork over $3,000 if his "clients" buy my house. That's ridiculous.

I told him I'd take my chances on them being serious enough to find the right number and get in touch with me themselves.

It wasn't a big deal, but he really poked me in the wrong place. Something about the way he operated was very disgraceful. Sure, I turned away a potential client, but I would rather not work with someone who comes in being so greedy like that.

[Jesse Davies]

Hey Austin, I know you're mainly upset with the way he handled himself and that blows. Something to consider is that most buyers want a real estate agent to represent them and it's less likely for the buyer to purposefully call you instead of reaching out to a realtor. Realtors can be shady, though FSBO's can also be shady, and because realtors are governed, most buyers feel safer having a licensed professional on their side instead of a seller who they are completely certain they can trust. It's a tough situation to be in.

Also, regardless of his attitude, he wasn't asking for $3000 referral fee for doing nothing and simple receiving a phone number from Zillow, he was going to charge $3000 for successfully navigating a buyer through the purchase of your home. 

At the end of the day you shouldn't be surprised if 90% of people go through an agent on Zillow instead of you.