Its one thing to ask how am I doing, if I'm getting settled in, what was a I planning on doing to get my business started etc. That's something someone would ask someone new to the office.

It's another when they are looking over your shoulder while you are working, looking up properties or working on the computer and ask what you're working on. I think its rude and I'm sure they wouldn't like it if I went into their office and started poking around.

Also, if and when I get some of the same success as some of you on here then I would have no problem giving away tips/secrets.

But everybody is chasing the same nut around here and I am not going to give away anything before I can get the results I want.

I am glad to hear more moderate repsonses to Bigshot's OP. It is comforting to know that comradery and companionship and teamwork are in place and working for some of you.

And I have some nice contacts and friendships in my office too; I still only visit there once a week if I have to.

BUT

During the peaking of the residential boon times of '04 and '05 many of those people tried to drum me off of office computers if I wanted to do input for a BPO. I was taking up space, using resources for a scrub task. It was not nice looking to have their clients seeing me with all of my papers, etc.

Today they are the same ones who want to chum up and talk about getting started doing BPOs and listing REO. They smile and tell me they are ready, and ask what is a good first step. I am polite. But I will not be sharing my secrets. And when people are sniffing over my faxes and peeking in my mailbox, I'd just soon be elsewhere. I requested to have my broker put my checks in envelops and I only fax when I know the admin is there to catch it.

I guess the REO side is less of a people business than retail. I just do not see the value in helping others share my business. If they earn a spot at the table like I did, I will greet them happily, but until then, it's about business, not relationships.

Bigshot Bob - IF someone ask about a property your looking up etc... Tell them the property adn then ask them questions such as have they seen it, what do they think of it etc... Take control of the conversation

It kind of sounds like they are just asking what you are working on to start a conversation. Either way though, even if you told the agent your secrets, they would likely be to lazy to do anything with it because it would require work and time.

The way I avoid the situation is I have never worked in a Brokerage, I work from home. I generally scan and email my docs to the office manager, drop off checks when the office is closed and even provide a stamped envelope to send me my check.

The office I started in the agents were all friendly and helpful. We would all discuss listings that we had coming up, showings that we were doing, types of homes we were looking for for our clients etc. Sometimes I would hear of a certain type of house that an agent was looking for and it would cause me to think of someone I knew who had a property that might work and we were able to put some deals together. Also, learning what is going to be coming on the market before it hits the system is always nice too. Being in a rural area there were of course times when you might be working on something with a buyer/seller and you knew that another agent(s) would also know that client. In that case you would just say that you prefer not to discuss it and that was the end of it. We discussed strategies and what was and wasn't working....got help on pricing a potential listing....asked if anyone knew what a particular house in town was like, etc. I learned alot from these conversations and made some money as well (always a nice thing to do).

The beauty of real estate: almost any personality type can thrive, if properly motivated and driven.

Sometimes I like being at the office, sometimes I prefer being home. Sometimes the office drives me crazy, sometimes it motivates me completely.

I agree! When I need a break, can't/won't do more, I'll go to the office and hang out for a while. Make the rounds, talk to agents, hang out for a bit. I could be one of the agents the OP spoke of? Overall its a rather friendly office.

Thanks for all the advice. I got views on both sides. I am friendly too and I always say hello or if someone in the office has something to say I always listen.

There's this lady in the office who is extremely new and didn't know if she should take this listing because the seller wants to list it at his price just to test out the market.

I gave her advice from what I've read on here about being able to walk away from a listing if the owner is unreasonable about price and unmotivated about moving. So I like to contribute and help out when I can.

I just don't like when I'm working and someone is looking over my shoulder while I am filling out paperwork or working on my marketing material and ask what am I'm doing. Think it's kind of rude considering I barely know them.

They might just be being friendly but I don't know. I'll try to be more understanding that all people are different. Still learning here too. Thanks

In real estate you should be able to read people pretty well, and I think it depends on who asks and what they ask!
If it's the agents who are asking specifically about REO work and how THEY can get into it, it's a totally different story, I think.Though I've come right out and helped many agents start doing bpos and whatnot, there are some who I know right off I'm not going to waste my time answering.
If it's related to overall real estate, I always answer questions the first time, even the second time, but the third time I get the same question, you're no longer worth my time because you're just looking for someone to give you all the answers and get things done for you:)
I dont miss working in a big office AT ALL!!!
-Lor

Shooting the breeze and asking specifics questions about REO's (which would take business away from you) are different things. Sure, BS all you want but don't give away your systems.

You don't have to go to their kids' christening or anything, but they will have your fate in their hand one day. Either they will have a buyer for your listing, or they will have a listing that your buyer wants. If you are known as a nice guy, you might score extra points for your clients. But if you are a hermit and they find you defensive or offensive, they just might not show your listing or tell their sellers that you are difficult and recommend another agent's offer over yours.

Yes, there are politics in real estate, but that's just life. Just another thing to consider.

And no one likes anyone reading over their shoulder, so the next time it happens, turn around in your chair with your back to the monitor and carry on a conversation with the person. If you only give them the back of your head to address, they get bored with that and wonder what has you so enthralled that you can't give them the time of day.

And if you are working on something, they might just have valuable input. Last week, my office partner told someone she was writing an offer on a house in XYZ subdivision. The other agent said, "Oh, every house over there has foundation issues." We dismissed it at the time, but guess what - the inspector noted foundation issues. Turns out they were not active but she could have delved into the conversation with the other agent a bit more and probably would have scheduled the foundation company at the same time as the property inspection. It would have saved her at least 3 hours of work.

Be open to other people - better to learn from them than to make the same mistakes yourself. Just be open to it, that's all.

TB that's true. I guess I'll play my own devil's advocate and point out that many of the people in my office were supportive last year when my little baby girl was in the hospital. Everything is perfectly fine now, but about a month before I joined the forum our family was struggling with some uncertain and oftly scary medical issues. A few of the agents, office staff and my broker reached out to us in a small way and it really did make a difference. And that type of connection I always try to return. I guess that is the human connection we all need.

There are really both sides to this issue. I remember when a newer agent in my office was working on a market analysis and someone in our office caught wind of it and called the homeowner and pitched himself, pointing out that the agent was new and he wasn't and he got the listing. (a real a-hole move, but he got the listing).

Another time the owner of the 1st company I worked for, looked over an agent's shoulder and saw him writing an offer on a building (he didn't know it was for sale) and he ran out and made an offer himself and bought it. That stuff happens, so I don't want people to know which house I am trying to list or which house my client is offering on. I will help them in any way I can and like to shoot the breeze etc. but not everyone is motivated purely by good intentions.

When I first started doing BPOs, I readily admitted that I was working on a BPO whenever anyone asked. I soon learned that everyone had an opinion about that and decided that I did not need those opinions, so I came up with a few standard responses that gave no real information. In the back of my mind, I started to fear that they might also try to get into doing BPOs, but those were the real estate haydays and most agents sneered at the thought of REO/BPO. I started answering such questions with "market research," "just looking at the hotsheet," "getting ready to take a few photos."

A generic response is recognized as such and it is polite. You can then switch up the conversation: "What's new in your world?"

I completely agree with TB. You can learn a lot from other agents and share enthusiasm from those around you, so learn to participate and encourage camaraderie. How much information you actually give out is up to you. Work on ways to deflect noseyness without being overly cool or defensive.

Bigshot Bob

A little late to the dance here but the others have given you good answers. The agents you have to look out for are ones I label the leach and parasite agent. Thank god they only account for 1 out of a 1000.

When I first started in the business I was part time so I didn't get to the office until after it closed. The broker had the receptionist take our ad or sign calls when we weren't in and leave the information on our desks and I would make my calls when I got to the office.

I noticed my signs and ads were not doing very well compared to the other agents and was wondering what to do when one of our agents brought in a couple one Saturday to write up an offer. She received a call she had to respond to and I made the couple comfortable in a closing room and got them a drink.

I asked which home they were interested in and they said one of my listings. I asked how they found out about it and they said they drove by the sign yesterday and then called to see it today if they could. That call should have been on my desk Friday at closing time.

That made me angry and I pulled every file she was involved in and contacted the client/prospects and found she was taking my leads. So I had several friends call in on my ads and signs over a three week period and guess who was making the follow-up calls on the "leads". I promptly called the broker with a me or her speech and reminded him I wasn't her only victim, that other staff was helping her make a living at their expense too. She was soon gone, but then her new office started having a problem with lead disputes, duh!

When I became a broker I had to let a few of these parasites go over the years (there is more then one kind) but thank god they're rare. So embrace the other agents in your office and you will find even the worst one can help you succeed, but that's another topic.