Here in Southern California I think there are too many agents that don’t know what they are doing. I can’t stand when an agent takes a listing and then makes it impossible to get ahold of them. If you don’t answer your phone how do you expect to sell homes? Not answering your phone DOES NOT speak volumes and if you think it does then you should stop taking listings because you obviously can’t handle what you already have. Yes, I understand that some agents do keep the MLS updated with the correct status and good information, however, it seems like most agents don’t especially if the property has been on the market long enough. Even when it says “Don’t call, the MLS is updated daily” it isn’t most times. If I’m going to show your home I will call to make sure I’m not wasting my time.

It’s bad enough that the real estate market is in bad condition right now but I feel like some homes don’t sell because the agents. Yes, the banks make it difficult to sell homes also but some of the agents make it even more difficult.

So the point in writing this is not to say I can’t stand agents, I’m an agent myself. What does everyone else think about “the way things are” and what are some realistic ideas that any of you may have to help make this better?

I work in So Cal also. Are you saying they don't return your call, or you just don't like that your call goes to their voicemail? I work mostly with buyers so I call listing agents all the time, and I agree it's frustrating when they don't return a call. But I don't expect them to answer the phone on the first ring either - as long as they call me back within 3 or 4 hours I don't have a problem.

It's true that the majority of the time when I call a listing agent, unless it's one I'm actively working on a transaction with, I get their voice mail. I've come to expect that as a matter of course, and it doesn't bother me because usually my buyers aren't the type who want to jump in the car and go see a listing "right now." As long as I can get the information reasonably quickly, that's fine.

But I agree there are those agents who just categorically ignore phone calls. I submitted a full-price offer on a listing for a well-qualified buyer, and never even got a response after calling his voice mail, his office, emailing him the offer, and then faxing it to his office. When my frustrated buyer finally called the guy directly, he said oh yeah, sorry, I was out of town. It wound up going into escrow--and selling for less than my buyer was willing to pay--some time later, but he got to double-end the deal. I have to suspect he was pretending he never received it so that he could take both sides of the commission. That really chafed me, because it was a "trophy property" that I badly wanted to have in my "look what I sold" file.

I prefer getting showing requests & other inquiries by email, since it actually helps me respond in a more timely manner (I can usually squeeze in time to reply to emails more quickly than I can squeeze in to call a bunch of people back). I always include those instructions in my MLS listings so the few agents who actually bother to READ the private remarks will know what to expect.

Have you tried texting and/or emailing? Everyone has their own preferred method of communication. I try to answer my phone, but I have Sprint (which seriously sucks and I need to switch.. I know) but also I have enough client calls to return and make, also I hate talking on the phone! Returning calls of agents making sure something is still available that says active is at the bottom of my priority list, if they'd email or text me the same question a quick 'yes' reply would is easier for me than finding their number and calling them back. Agents call me with the dumbest questions that are in the agent remarks or common sense to anyone in the business over 3 months..

I feel your pain. On occassion I've actually called an agents broker to find out if the person actually exists!

Several years ago had a lakeshore listing. Received call from interested unrepresented buyer. Ended up showing them about 8 lakeshore properties. Found a builder holding lakeshore lots to build to suit high end homes. Brought the buyers to the table on a newly built 1.6 million dollar home. Also sold their 400,000 home.

These clients later told us that they called a dozen listing agents and not one answered phone or responded to voice mail until they called our listing.

That has been my experience over the years, most agents don't answer their phones, return messages or e-mails.

I don’t mind the agents NOT answering their phone the first time I call them as long as they give me a call back by the end of the day. I don’t mind texting or emailing for a quicker response. What I can’t stand is agents that don’t text, email, or call back AT ALL. Another thing that is starting to get to me is the agents that put in the MLS that the MLS is updated daily and if the MLS shows Active that means it’s still available. Then, I show the home and submit an offer and they tell me the property is in escrow but we will keep your offer as a backup. If it’s in escrow maybe you should place it in backups or pending?
I know it’s just something we have to deal with but I would just think there is a better way to clean this up in our industry. The problem I have is that there are so many people out there that don’t give enough credit to Realtors and it’s because of people like this making us all look bad. Now we have to fight through the white noise and prove to them that we aren’t like those other agents.

If you haven't received a timely call within a few hours max, I'd call their broker. Make a stink! I'm all for making a stink! It's not like we're all 'friends'. Most of the seasoned agents I have dealt with respond well. The newer ones don't respond as well. And those who don't respond at all I truly believe are trying to find the buyer themselves. An injustice for the seller.

Here is a consumers recent response why they will only do FSBO, it's not how we should operate, no service maybe, 1/2 service probably not, full service, shame on us:
"......
So I decided to check around and see what else is out there, if anything new came up, etc. I found a couple of possibilities. I called one of them. There was no picture even though the house was on the market for over a year. The only reason I know what it looks like is because I did an overhead and zoomed down. The 800# turned out to be W's national phone bank. I quickly realized the slick-sounding representative had never even heard of the town where the house I was inquiring about was located. He took my name and # and then transferred me to the listing office. I spoke to Sally and she put me on hold and then got Dick on the phone. Dick didn't know anything more about the property than I already knew from Realtor.com even though this was the listing office. I told him "I'm looking at the exact same thing you are looking at right now. Have you been in the house? If not, can I speak to the agent who actually listed it?" I got transferred to Bill who assured me he would get in touch with Albert who was the listing agent. I asked, "Will I get a phone call today?" (It was morning.) He said yes and if he couldn't get Albert, he'd call me back himself. No calls all day long. Finally, at a quarter to five, I called them back again and this time I spoke to Bernie who also didn't know anything more about the house than I already knew from Realtor.com. He connected me to Albert's voice mail.

I know there are great agents out there. But there are so many bad ones and bad offices! What are they thinking?! What would the seller think if he knew?! Holy cow, I would take a FIT if someone was treating my quarter of a million dollar listing like this! No offense to you good agents but this is exactly why I sell them myself."

OK I will admit - I DO NOT ANSWER MY PHONE. In fact a few months ago I decided to no longer answer at all. Friends and family get a special ring and I pick up if I can talk...everyone else - straight to voicemail. The main reasons for this decision was
A: Avoid buyer calls
B: Avoid stupid agent calls
A- I refer out all buyers. So for me to pick up and have to jot down a number and then get a BA to get back to them...too time consuming. Instead my voicemails get transcribed...I check the vm's as they come in - and forward them direct to my ba's. Very efficient.
B- Stupid agent calls - we're talking agents who cant be bothered to read showing instructions or mls agent to agent remarks. If I plaster CALL ESHOWINGS TO SHOW all over my listing multiple times, and the agent still wants to call to set up an appointment with me - NOPE. Not wasting time on that call. I also return email and texts almost immediately and tell agents in agent remarks the fastest way to reach me is email or text...and they still call. I do listen to all my voicemails almsot as soon as theyre recieved - and will respond to any legitimate requests very quickly...but I cant spend all day on useless calls - hence- call me and get my voicemail. Almost every time.

I answer my phone, but still get the "B" type calls Minna mentions that drive me nuts, expecially at 7PM or on a weekend.
I only list REO's and since their always vacant on lockbox, using the Showing Assist that all 3 of our MLS's have in place should be seamless..but then there are agents who a clueless.

VA I agree with you. Remember the squeaky wheel always gets the grease first!

Ive had to call 2 listing agent brokers this week..for not getting back to me in 48 hours to show thier listing...

I don't usually have a problem with agents calling me back, but recently I've been looking for some office space to rent. I've primarily first contacted by e-mail. It's taken for the most part 2 days for the leasing agents to e-mail me back. And I have to find these listings on craigslist. They aren't putting them on the MLS. But yet the couple I've called that are managed by their owners I've gotten an e-mail back within an hour. Is this what the general public deal with when contacting agents by e-mail?