Congrats, hope you enjoy the new place.

Just an Update on our experience with the agent I had concerns with, She did and outstanding job and found us a beautiful vacation home last month. I mislead people intentionally that it was a male agent, I was nervous she would find out I was questioning her experience. Thanks again for the great advice we are now happy owners of a wonderful home.

Hello Excited,
I realize you have had several answers to your concern already, but I feel that I may be able to contribute as well. It has been my experience that buyers and sellers who "interview" several agents before actually choosing one seem to be much more likely to find the right agent to represent them and tend to be much happier as well in the overall process. I understand fully what it means to have limited time time to accomplish the things you need, and the frustration that comes with not being able to depend on the professionals you have chosen to work with. It may actually work to your benefit to take a day and make appointments with several agents while you are in the Big Bear area and get to know them a little better than is possible on the telephone. I sincerely hope this helps, good luck with your search in Big Bear.

Nick thanks for your replies, if I could afford the Sherman Oaks area I'd give ya a call :)) We have spoken with out Agent and I explained to them how this passed incident of a NO Show gave me a negative impression. They informed me of the real reason why they were a no show and we'll leave it at that. Things have worked out, but I was very upfront on what I expect out of them. You have to understand my wife and I are two people that don't come from a great deal of money and we're in a situation that is allowing us to spend a large sum of money. Neither one of us is is comfortable with this situation however, we're excited to be in this position and will be very diligent with which property we purchase.

Excitedtobuy, one of the main reasons for using an agent besides skills and experience is the matter of the convenience. We (agents) weed out the unfit properties and do the necessary work to bring the client and the ideal property together. This means convenience to you and saves you a lot of time, and is one of the main reasons why we make the big bucks: CONVENIENCE. Now if an agent is a NO SHOW without a good excuse, he is simply disrespecting you and your time. So drop him and let this be a lesson to him before he does this to someone else.

Now as far as you not choosing to work with me or someone as professional as me, first off, I don't handle Big Bear area, and second, that's exactly why your whole day was wasted to begin with my good sir. As a real estate professional, if I am giving my clients 110% of my time and efforts, I expect no less from them in return. That means if I choose to work with a buyer there is only one way, and that's through a BUYER / BROKER AGREEMENT, and if they don't want to do it this way, well, they can call YOUR agent.

Best of luck on your purchase....

Hi Excited,

I have read some very good answers to your concerns. I have been in the real estate business for 30 years and I still remember the first real estate agent who helped me buy my first home. My wife and I were ready to "fire" him because he was reluctant to write up an offer for a home we wanted to buy. He didn't like the neighborhood and thought we would be making a mistake. We liked the agent but were unhappy. So, we talked to his broker about the situation.

The agent called us and we had a talk. We decided to continue working together. We ended up buying that house. We also became friends with the agent and his wife. When it was time to sell, we, of course, used that same agent to represent us in the sale.

I believe you will benefit by taking the time to discuss your concerns with this agent. You may be surprised by the results.

Well Nick you're definitely an agent I wouldn't use, if you're going to be my agent then don't be a flake. If you make me and my wife drive two hours out of our way, sit there waiting for you and have to drive all the way back home only to get a text from you hours later then you better be prepared to lose our business. Why in the hell would I pay my agent for her efforts when our efforts for a complete day were wasted because my agent was a no show... give me a break.

With all due respect to Excitedtobuy, this is EXACTLY why no agent should take a buyer out without a BUYR / BROKER AGREEMENT!

Excitedtobuy, if you really feel that you MUST change agents, openly and honestly discuss this matter with your current agent, and request your new agent to give him a referral fee (10%-25%) so his efforrts wont go wasted and unappreciated. This way everyone goes home happy. If you decide to do so, you may want to clearify this upfront with the new agent so down the line there are no misunderstandings.

Thanks for all your responses it definitely will assist us in our pursuit of a dream Vacation home. Tyler I'm sure you would know who this individual is so it's difficult for us since we assume most of you in Big Bear know each other and most likely have to work closely with each other. We had a few agents that came highly referred to us and you were one of them I believe. However, due to a random phone call we made about a specific home we ended up with this agent. We truly did like him from the onset, but my biggest concern from day one was his experience in the industry, and a few additional minor things. This agent is truly a great person I believe, but when I lose confidence in someone it's tough for me to get over that especially when we're talking about spending close to 500,000 or more for a home.. Thanks again for all your responses.

ExToBuy -

You state "a few things occurred that have raised concerns". To me if these are ethical or issues related to integrity on the agent's part, then it is a simple, "thank you but it's not working out", message. If is it a misunderstanding or lesser offense it might be worth a conversation about expectations.

I think it is a good idea to let anyone in the service profession know when they aren't meeting expectations. On the other hand, if it is an integrity issue then I typically say bye-bye fast. The most important expectation with a professional handling one of the biggest and most important investments of your life is - trust. Cordial and polite are a matter of manners. Integrity, knowledge, trust, and good communication skills are all signs of a true professional.

CJ

you should first talk to your agent sand see if there is anything you can work out, if you dont think there is then you need to ask for a release from your buyer broker contract in writing, make sure you get it signed before proceeding. good luck

Excited to buy
Thank you for posting your questions and your follow up posts.

I see a couple of issues that you might want to address. The most significant issues in a client/agent relationship are unmet expectations. So it sounds to me as if you and this agent did not really come to a meeting of the minds at the start.

As you go forward I would suggest have a meeting with this agent and start at square one:
does he understand what you want in a house? Needs versus wants?
Your timetable
How you expect to work:
Speaking for me, at the end of our consultation my expectation is that my clients agree to be 100% loyal to me, and I will be 110% committed to them. I have a "ten commandments" of how I do business, which includes a promise to keep appointments, or if I do have to cancel, at least one hour's notice.

I also explain that most of my business comes from personal referrals, so my goal is to deliver a level of service that will make them feel comfortable referring friends, business associates, or family members to me. I ask them to let me know anytime that they feel that I am not fulfilling my commitments.

Make sure you have mutual commitment on what is important to you. Let them know that this is a life changing purchase for you and you expect them to meet your expectations.

If, after this meeting, you feel that you cannot work with this agent, I would interview a couple of other agents (I would be happy to refer you to a top Realtor that works in your area). Compare those interviews, and then make a decision.

Hello Excitedtobuy.

Being that I am from Big Bear, knowing how the business works up here and how far our clients have to come, I can understand your point. I would echo some of the previous comments. It is a difficult position to be in but it is one that comes up from time to time in this business when clients don't feel comfortable with their agent, listing agent or buyer agent.

I would recommend communicating with the agent your concerns about their service and your decision to not work with them. This way you can feel better that you let them know, while they have a chance to learn about how they can better serve their clients in the future.

Secondly, you want to make sure you have not signed any contracts with the agent/broker. If so, you will need to discuss with a legal adviser what your options are. Also, if you have already found the property you want to buy with the previous agent, but want to use another agent, you need to make sure the new agent/broker that you use is aware of this as there could be some procuring cause claims between the agents that might get in the way of you buying the property.

If these do not apply, then I would just move forward with the first recommendation and start searching for another agent that you feel comfortable with. There are plenty of well qualified agent here in Big Bear to help.

Good luck!

no contract has been signed. We'll see how it goes, the agent is fortunate my wife likes him. Hopefully, since we'll be purchasing this second home with Cash this agent will be on the ball. I've heard great things about Tim Wood so I'm wondering if that's the route we should've taken.

I recommend communicating your concerns to the agent you're currently working with, and then make your decision based on the answers that you receive. It could be that you just had some miscommunications with that agent that can be easily resolved. I do agree that there should have been some sort of communication regarding the missed appointment, even if all that could be done was to send an email or a text message.

Keep in mind that if you signed an Exclusive Buyer Agency contract, your current agent is entitled to commissions even if you use another Realtor unless you get that contract cancelled in writing.

We haven't made any offers however, we're not far from considering some. It's more related to the little things, response time on returning calls, emails. Additionally, there was an incident where we had an appointment to look a few places and the agent never showed up nor called. They eventually, returned my phone calls claiming they fell ill. I'm by no means an anal retentive person however, punctuality and reliability are BIG with me. The agent at the very least should have called so we didn't have to sit around for an hour. You have to realize this location is two hours from our home, so we were expecting to fully utilize our limited free time to look at homes. When it comes down to it I just don't have a great deal of confidence in this agent although she/he is a very nice person.

Excited,

Home buying is one of the most important stages in a person's life and should not be a stressful experience. It is unfortunate that your present situation is not working out but you should pay attention to your feelings and make the necessary adjustments.

I would express that one of the thing you have come to understand through the buying process is that there are many different areas for considerations. You also understand that an agent is no expected to be an expert on all of the various communities but you want to draw from a broader knowledge base. You will therefore be electing to begin working with other agents that you feel can meet these needs.

It is not recommended that you "terminate " the individual completely. You never know what is going to turn up and she may, in the future have the inside track on your "perfect property." Keep the door open, but let them know you are exploting your options.

One of the most important services a real estate professional provides for their customers is a smooth experience that instill confidence and trust at every level of the process. If you are not experiencing this, it's time for a change.......our feeling is it's not necessary to "fire" the person.......but expand your options.

Good luck,
The "Eckler Team"
Michael Saunders & Company
billeckler@michaelsaunders.com
941-408-5363

2008 Five Star Award for Outstanding Customer Service

I'm sorry to hear about your dilemma. Purchasing a home or making any very large purchase such as real estate is usually one of if not the biggest commitment you'll ever make in a lifetime. You need to feel tended to and assured of your decision processes.

I'd like to hear more about your specific concerns in regards to your situation. Not capable of obtaining the best possible deal for you sounds as if you have possibly made offers on homes with no success. Could you elaborate on that more for me. Maybe I can help you with your negotiating techniques before you completely give up on your current agent. If not, maybe I can help you anyway.

Hope to hear from you.

Diane Wheatley, Broker
Move Up Properties Real Estate Brokerage
diane@moveupproperties.com