Why do I have a buyer's agent? Because of all that junk above. I do answer my phone when I am not in the middle of anything else and I screen callers with the following questions:
1) Do you have an agent - yes 50% of the time. Then call your agent - it is easy to show - they just set the showing up through my office.
2) Are you paying cash? Have you spoken to a lender? If cash - do you have proof of funds? If getting a loan - do you have a pre-approval letter? I have to send a preapproval or pof with every offer - so before you see the house - get one or the other.
3) If they don't have an agent and they have pof or pre-approval - then I tell them I do not show my own properties. Here is the cell number of my buyer's agent - call him he will show it to you. If there are offers - I let them know the time line - 99% of the time if I have multi offers - the deadline has passed for submitting any new ones. If I do not have offers - my buyers agent takes it from there. I have never had a problem with a complaint - I am up front and my buyer's agent knows that if I pass someone on - they are able to buy. Screen - screen - screen. You are doing what your listing companies expect - able and willing buyer - if they don't have a loan or proof of funds - you can't present an offer anyway - so you are being "service oriented" just make sure you document who called when and what the outcome was.

Sure I feel I have been punked as you say.

I had a distant rural listing on a mountaintop.

Did buyer’s agents call like they always do?

No, only direct buyers called and usually during a snowstorm when access was impossible.

Very strange…

I like (qualified) direct buyers so I can double dip, but usually buyer’s agents latch on to the good ones.

On this remote listing when I could use the help from buyer’s agents, nothing.

Anyway, I handled it by referring the leads to a local agent.