An agent in my office was trying to get a listing in my farm area (I'm the #2 listing agent in this area, he's only had one listing here) by saying that I would be consulting with him on pricing the home. The agent called me up to say that he was getting the listing and apparently thought I would be flattered to hear that he used my name in the listing presentation.

I said that if he needed to invoke my name to get the listing then he should co-broke the listing with me. I said I would always be available to consult with him on the list price or anything else, but if he ever does a listing presentation and feels compelled to invoke my name, then he should consider this to be a co-broke situation.

He was taken aback and then sent me an e-mail to further explain and apologize. I said it was not a problem.

Question: Was I out of line or would you have done the same thing?

i hope that the other agents in my office want to help my broker be succesful and in turn help the other agents as well. but, if you are uncomfortable that someone else is benifiting from your name, it is of course, your perogative. imho. but does the use of your name hurt you or does it help to elevate your stature? personally, i would consider it a compliment to be refered to as the "big dog".
on the other hand, it would have been nice for that agent to have asked permisson first instead of assuming that you were ok with it.

That's the part that I don't like. The agent promised your services - for free - without your consent.

Is this agent in your office? I'd bring it up with your broker ASAP.

Steve, I don't care about ego, this is business, not about personalities.

Jflynn, I don't mind that part. Everyone knows I'm very cooperative and I help agents from other firms with their pricing, too. I do, mind, however, if someone is getting a listing from my very small farm area by acting like I'm providing co-broking services without actually paying me to do so.

I guess it comes down to the money. I don't care about flattery or even consent, but damn it, if you want to invoke my name to get a listing -- then co-broke with me.

You guys are operating your own real estate businesses. Sure, you're in the same office - but you are operating different businesses. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right for him to say he'd be consulting with you about the home.
Unless it was more innocent than it sounds.
If he basically had the listing, but then said, "You know, I am going to ask GailSusan what she things about this price" when you are the one who lists most of the homes, I don't think that's a big deal.
There have been times where I have admitted that a particular agent really had a neighborhood figured out. They were from different companies and if I would have said I was going to ask their opinion on something I don't think that would be out of line.
--A

I don't believe you were the one out of line here.

Apparently he just flat out lied to the sellers in order to get the listing.

I'm all for helping new guys, even the ones not in my office but I don't lend them my name and reputation unless I have prior knowledge and give my permission.

UpscaleLV, That's the way I figure it. If you have to leverage another agent's knowledge of an area in your listing presentation, then you should co-broke with that agent. What really annoyed me was that he thought I would be flattered by the use of my name in his listing presentation! As you say, we are all entrepreneurs in business for ourselves, which makes us competitors even if we work within the same office, and yet, we do help each other out and for me it doesn't matter whether the other agent is with my firm or not. I will give a price opinion to another agent or help them figure out what's needed to get an applicant past a coop board in my area. But, you know, when it comes down to getting a listing in my farm, at those moments -- prior to the listing agreement being signed, I'm a full-throttle competitor.

I think some agents get mixed up about when to cooperate and when to compete with each other. It's kind of like dancing. Knowing when not to step on each other's toes and then saying "OUCH" when someone does.

Depends on the context in which he used your name. This was never outlined, therefore how can we provide you with an adequate response?

Robert, The context was that even though he did not have listings in my farm area, he would have access to my expertise on pricing, and therefore would have the benefit of someone who really knows the area consulting with him on the listing. Sorry, I thought that was clear.

So what's the problem? It wasn't anything negative. Sounds pretty petty to me.

I think the point is he did not ask for her expertise and therfore really does not have it. After all it is HER expertise not his.
I must agree what he said was poorly done. How can you promise somthing you will not be able to deliver? She certainly does not have to help price or anything else. We are in competition even with agents in your own office. Yes it is good to help others and we all do it. For someone to assume you will do something is a whole different matter.

Y'all are full of ethos huh! :sarcasm: Glad I'm over here.

AZLender... what is the area of your expertise? I have been unable to identify it.

Gail-

Send him a bill when it closes.

You are a professional. You would use the tools at your disposal to get the job done. The competitor could have invoked your name in a less flattering way. I wouldn't agree with him using your name, but a mention from you that you don't think its appropriate should be enough more than enough.

I don't think you were out of line at all; I think you were more than kind. Using your name without your permission, however it is done, is very unprofessional. I probably would have ripped him a new one.

You know ironically my sales manager recommended me today for a co-broke situation on a relocation from the corporate office. It's a $3+ million listing. I don't know that I'll get it as there is quite a bit of competition for this listing, but the point is that if someone else is willing to share their commission on a multi-million dollar sale for my knowledge of my farm area, then it just shows that this other agent shouldn't expect to get my expertise for free without checking with me first or offering to co-broke.

GailSusan, I don't believe this is petty at all. Whenever I try to figure out a situation like this, I take it out of context and put it in another situation. So, I am Jones Cola - unknown - and the person I'm trying to sell to is more comfortable with good old Pepsi. So, in order to get the sale, I tell my customer that I'm working with Pepsi. Not cool. In this farm, he is your competition and he got the listing "away from you" by implying an association that doesn't exist, a partnership, if you will. I hope your broker backs you on this one.

Thanks, Toni. I thought I'd get everyone's opinion on here because part of me said I'm being petty and take the high road, but the other part of me said, speak up. I didn't make a BIG deal out of it, but I fully explained my perspective to him, and then dropped it. I didn't go to my sales manager or make an issue out of it. Just wanted to get some opinions as I wasn't sure.