Some of the day to day frustrations of an occasionally disgruntled new home sales guy. Don't get me wrong, I love my career path, but here are the pitfalls as I see them. A little about me? I'm young and motivated, I've been selling real estate since I was 19 years old, I work for one of the largest builders in the nation. I've been with the company for just about 2 years now, and I love working with the team I work with. It's an honor and a privledge to see myself among these people every week at our meeting.

That being said, let's begin the rant:

1) Since when did we start buying homes based simply on incentives? I can't count how many times I've had someone walk in my door (or even open the door and stick their head in) and ask me right away what my incentives are. It's borderline despicable, and it's a total insult to me, my company, the homes I represent, and ultimately themselves. Seriously, would you rather pay $2000/mo. for a home you dislike, or $2250/mo. for a home that you love? Incentives are insignificant if the home doesn't fit your wants/needs. Please, come in, look at the houses, tell me which one you like, and THEN open up the dialogue about what I can do for you. Guaranteed way to get me to go that little extra mile for you.

2) Please refain from taking every little bit of paper that I can offer you if you aren't considering buying a house at this time. These marketing materials are very expensive and cost my company hundreds of thousands of dollars each year...in this market alone. We spend tens of thousands of dollars putting brochures, price sheets, mortgage company info, business cards, home warranty info, and many other things into the hands of people who aren't going to buy a home at all...let alone with my builder. That same money could be used to pay someone's salary and keep food in their child's mouth. If you do come and look at the models and you aren't buying anything...pass the information on to a friend who is. Please don't waste our marketing money like that.

3) Realtors, please take this advice as it will help you be ultimately more successful in selling new homes to your clients. This is the easiest money you can make...I know this for sure because I was in general real estate and I know the difference between selling in resale and representing a buyer in a new home deal.

A. We want to make money too. Understand that from the get go. We will do everything in our power to try and create a paycheck for ourselves...which ultimately creates one for you as well.

B. Introduce your clients and leave it up to us. We are 100% qualified to sell these homes...just as much as you are. In fact, we are experts on our community (at least we should be :o). Feel free to ask as many questions as you would like, we encourage that, but please allow us to answer them. If your client asks a question, again, allow US to answer them. Your job turned less into a person with critical knowledge and more into a person who is reaffirming your clients that they are looking at the right product. You brought them there, didn't you? There is a reason for that...that reason is that you are their "trusted advisor". Usually unless you give them a thumbs up, they won't sign the dotted line.

C. Please, for God's sake, keep your personal taste out of the equation. You don't have to like the homes we sell. The floorplan may not be something you particularly like. The meaning of that is absolutely nothing. If your clients fall in love with a house, and you say that it doesn't work so well, they will believe you. Remember what I said about being a "trusted advisor"? It's more powerful than some of you think it is. If I see one more Realtor talk a buyer out of a house that they like well enough to consider, I'm going to vomit all over their shoes.

D. Most importantly, I am going to ask for the sale. You bet I am. I wouldn't be doing myself, you, or your buyer a service if I didn't. Now, when I do, please don't jump in on their behalf. Let them answer this question...it's their decision to make...not yours. I've been told "no" before, I will be told "no" again. I'm a professional, I can handle rejection in the sales process, I am fully equipped to respond positively to it...and also to overcome it. If they really don't want the home, I'm not going to heckle them, I do know when to quit and move on to the next tire-kicker.

4) This is an observation I made when my company was negotiable with our prices. Have you ever noticed that even the biggest, toughest, roughest bad-boy was scared to death of the word "negotiation"? Funny how everyone feels like they are this ultra-negotiator, but when the opportunity arises for them to try and pull one over on the stupid new home sales guy...they fold like flan in a cupboard. Everyone thinks that they are a master negotiator. I have news for you guys...I actually am. Don't be intimidated, I'm not going to pull one over on you, I'm genuinely not. However, I am going negotiate to a point where I can make you...AND my company happy.

5) This is crucial. A lot of markets are slipping out there...this is not private information. However, don't think that you are doing my company (or, for you general agents out there, your sellers) a favor by coming in and asking me to write up an offer at 15%-20% below my list price. Sure, some builders are negotiating right now, but mine is not. Do your research on my area and you will find that these homes that I have are below market price. These homes have a value attached to them TODAY. Why should my seller feel an obligation to give you a home at what may be (but likely won't) become tomorrow's price? The way I see it, you are jumping into the market prematurely and you should roll the dice and see what things are like in 6, 12, or 18 months. Understand that I am giving you a great deal...and you don't even have to chop off my arms with the offer to get it. I'm GIVING it to you.

I hate to start off on this forum with such harsh words, but I feel like there is this very large inequality in the world, and I want to try and help be the equalizer.

Let's discuss...shall we?

You seem to have made the assumption that the buyers will only like your home and the buyers agent will only get paid if they buy, your home.

If I am representing a client, who I want to remain a client, for years to come, I am not going to sit at your sales desk and just let you do all the talking. My job is to help my clients weigh the various homebuilders offerings to the competion and recommend things they may not have thought of for now and in a resale situation down the road.

I think agents who claim they are "negotiatiors" is basically the same as agents with EPRO behind their name, BASICALLY MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Welllll, of course your clients are only going to like my home. If they like anything else, then I won't get paid. haha

I encourage you to take your buyers to my competition builders. In fact, I encourage everyone who walks through my door to walk through theirs as well. I want everyone to be educated so that if and when they decide to pick up one of our houses, they know that they have made the right choice. Nothing worse than floor-popping someone who has seen about half of what is available, only to have them walk next door, then come back to me to cancel and buy from them.

Never once did I tell you to let me to all of the talking...just most of it. Again, I am as qualified as you are, and we are on the same team. Ultimately, if I win, we both win. It is also my duty to make your life easy. I love nothing more than to surprise a Realtor with the ease of a transaction...it give me goosebumps to hear from an agent and tell them, "Yes, everything is great. Walkthrough is set for (such and such time) docs are going to be to title in the next few days. Let me know if there is anything more you need from me to make sure your file is complete as well." It seriously makes me tingle all over.

Furthermore, I want to make a happy client out of your people as well. I firmly believe in referral business...just like you...and FROM you as well. I want a great deal to occur so that you feel confident and energized about bringing me your next prospect so we can make even more money together.

Think what you want about agents and their claims. I know I'm new here, but I never make a statement about myself that I can't back up. I love to negotiate and I'm good at it.

YOUR STATEMENT: B. Introduce your clients and leave it up to us. We are 100% qualified to sell these homes...just as much as you are. In fact, we are experts on our community (at least we should be :o). Feel free to ask as many questions as you would like, we encourage that, but please allow us to answer them. If your client asks a question, again, allow US to answer them. Your job turned less into a person with critical knowledge and more into a person who is reaffirming your clients that they are looking at the right product. You brought them there, didn't you? There is a reason for that...that reason is that you are their "trusted advisor". Usually unless you give them a thumbs up, they won't sign the dotted line

Take a HIKE!

Zero interst in new home sales, firm believer in restoration or repair if appropriate; or if it is well kept and had today's features properly installed to not damage the original attributes then so much the better!

Just remember this: I represent my client, you represent your client. My job is not to make your job easy, nor is your job to make my job easy. Our job is to negotiate and handle the transaction.

Your freebies- I understand they are expensive. Offer me soething free, I take them, and as many as I can. I will even go as far as asking for more.

My opinion- I will tell my clients "this house is not for you". I know what my buyers are looking for, and if it don't fit, I voice my opinion. If it kills a deal, we move on to the next. And to just dump a client to a seller? Hell no.

Don't like the offer we present? Reject or counter it. I could care less if your client is insulted by it. You have 2 options on what to do with it. I suggest you counter, thats your call though.

To be as blunt as you are in your post (and Welcome!), I could care less about your client. I represent and protect my client. I work for my client. I get paid when my client is satisfied and closed a deal. I get referals from my clients. Just a perspective from a buyers agent.

Yeah...teamwork...horrific idea.

Let me just go ahead and say that this post wasn't made in such a way to offend anyone. If you don't like it, don't respond to it.

All I am doing is offering up the tried and tested information that I have gained as both a new home sales agent, and also a general agent.

I'm always just here to help. I may come off as a little smug sometimes, but we all play ball for the same team. Again, I want you to get paid just as much as I want me to get paid...which is a LOT.

Understood. New homes aren't for everyone. I believe in sweat equity just as much as the next guy.

However, some people just prefer to have the house done and pretty when they move in. That's where we come in.

B. Introduce your clients and leave it up to us.

YES, THIS IS TEAMWORK.... LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE DON'T MENTION ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY NEGATIVE ABOUT OUR NEW HOMES THAT ARE 5 FEET AWAY FROM THE NEXT ONE ON ALL SIDES....

A-Train - I think your post was really informational. Lots of new agents want to know how they're supposed to work with builders and it's nice to hear from the other side.

So, I, for one, thank you for your post and welcome you to AOL!

Thanks for your reply.

I'm going to go ahead and disagree in a few ways. My job isn't necessarily to make yours easier...however, I take it upon myself to do so. Negotiation is a natural part of the process, but it isn't a fight on the other hand. I can negotiate in a very amicable manner, in fact, I encourage that. There is no reason we can't make everyone happy.

My "freebies" are intended for those with a real intention of buying a house. Regardless of the fact if it's my house or not...I just want to be giving those out to those that I have a crack at. This is more directed at non-represented buyers who are just out killing an afternoon and aren't out seriously hunting for a house. I'm assuming you wouldn't put someone like that in your car.

If the house isn't for your clients, then it isn't for them. Which begs the question, "why did you bring them in the first place?" Understood, sometimes the houses just don't work...but given the amount of information is available about these homes in the internet, and the fact that you "know what your clients are looking for" already...you should have known that they wouldn't work. Again, you are there for a reason, and that reason is that there is a chance that the home may be right. Furthermore, I'm not asking you to "dump your client off to the seller". If you were to do that, I'd bring in my higher ups and let them put them in their car and drive them to each of our projects until we put them in a home.

Quite honestly, if I don't like an offer you present, I won't even take the time to put it on paper in any capacity. I know what my seller wants, I know what he doesn't want. I don't need to be told by you to counter it, I will instinctually do what it takes to bring something interesting for both parties to the table.

I expect you to represent and "protect" your client. In the same respect, I'm not out to screw your client over...not in the slightest. I also ask for referrals from your clients...and from you as well. I've said it already, but I would love for you to bring me in those referrals that you get from your clients so that we can team up and make more money together!

See, now we are just jumping to conclusions.

In fact, I sell 3000+ sq. ft. one story homes on 18,000+ sq. ft. lots.

However, please bring to my attention an objection that you have about my houses. I am fully prepared to overcome it and hopefully move on to the next concern.

It seems to me, Mr. JoeBroker, that you are here just to argue with me for whatever reason. I'm new around here, but I somehow don't think that this is the mood of this board...nor is it the mood of this thread. If you have a serious comment that you'd like to make, I'd be glad to respond and help you understand. If you want to further troll my threads, I can point you in the direction of other boards in which that is more encouraged.

Thanks for the nice welcome and bumping my thread though.

Thanks for your kind words!

I get the impression that I'm starting off on the wrong foot here, but I'd love to be your conduit for information about the "dark side" of real estate sales. LOL

I'd love to answer any questions anyone has. Feel free to ask away!

A-Train - there's a chapter in my book about selling new construction - I'd love your take on it if you have time - if so, PM me with your email address.

Absolutely, I'd love to. PM sent.