Why oh, why do Realtors feel the need to let other Realtors and the general public know how long they've been in business?! Do they think that by bullying the pulpit that they're going to garner respect?

I was having it out with an agent that tried to swoop in and swipe one of my buyers to one of her listings. So I did the normal thing and let her know that she was out of line in doing it.

Not even 8 seconds into the conversation she felt the need to rattle off this ridiculous staple, regurgitated line, "Let me tell you something. I've been in this business 19 years..." CLICK - instantly my mind turned off.

WHY?! Honestly do Realtors think that they have to justify their time in the business to be taken seriously? I am so tired of that.

Sorry, for the vent but it's just a tired and lazy line that I guess people assume gets attention and respect. With me, it doesn't.

Ditto Eric,

Often this kind of talk is used to justify some strange stategy, such as....

I know your client accepted our offer for $1M, but now that we are aware of the 'issues' (aleady disclosed long before they made the first offer) we've sent over an amendment changing the price to $500K..work with me, I've been in this business for 20 years....blah, blah, blah!

I think that "Time In The Business" is a valid thing in some ways. Since most new agents go the way of the dodo within 18 months.

Of course, then there are the part-timers who don't need their real estate income to actually support a family that always seem to be hanging on - but I digress.

I think the right response when you feel you have been wronged by an agent who brings up how long they have been in the business is, "If you have been in the business that long, you should know better."

I particularly enjoy rubbing it in, so I might continue with, "In fact, with the time you have been in the business and the idea that you still do this kind of thing, it is hard to conclude that you are anything but a mental midget."

Just call this a bit of a vent. Please don't bother with the "oh, be the bigger person... be the professional" replies.

I carefully pick the time, place and person if I deal out this kind of response.

But Lordy... don't we ALL just want to let some of the real dead weight have it sometimes?

Ok

Deep breath.

I feel better now.

R

What does get your respect? I certainly agree with you that there are points where as you described its not appropriate. However I do high light my experience on presentations. When I was new I highlighted my energy and enthusiasm, yadda yadda, for the record I still point out that I have those same rookie features...However I do have a large amount of respect for people who have paid their dues in this business. I may not like them, and I sometimes find they lack class and empathy for their clients, but they've done something right.

However I will say that I would rather deal with a competent rookie than an incompetent vet any day.

What gets my resepect? Doing your job regardless of time or experience. I have more respect for a new agent that simply realizes that they messed up and takes it as a learning experience than some over the hill grandstanding jack a** that puffs up their chest and tries to pull the "playground bully" maneuver by rattling off their history as some sort of psuedo-macho, "Don't mess with me" B.S. to get you to back off of something that you know you were well within your right in the first place. That's what gets my respect.

Highlighting your experience at a listing presentation is one thing - throwing your bloated weight around because you've been in this business longer than the average 18 month wash out period is supercilious.

Now, before the flames begin of "Respect your elders in this business" I would remind those same people that respect is a two way street - what is earned is not automatic.

Just because someone started in this (or any) business when the Dead Sea was still sick, doesn't give them the right to shove it down someone's throat as an argument point - because in my opinion, it's not valid.

Respect should be earned, not demanded.

I do think that experience may be relevant in some cases; it is a matter of preference for some clients. I do mention my years in the business on a presentation, because I think it is relevant information for potential clients.
I know some new, knowledgeable, hard-working agents who are doing very well.
I also know some who have been around too long, don't even try to learn new things, and need to just get out.
People who use try to use intimidation try to prey on the weak. If you don't allow it, it won't happen.

You posed this question to another, but I'll tell you what gets my respect, and it's not experience. It's knowledge, honesty, integrity, frendliness, passion and generally being a good person and treating others with respect.

Just because a crook has been at it for 20 years doesn't make me respect them - they're still a crook.

Also, it takes a while to build trust but only a couple minutes to break it. There are some that feel that if they pat you on the back one day, the next, they're entitled to punch you in the face - that's not how I personally work - I don't feel it's a good way to treat fellow people.

I know you know this stuff sheldonj - the rest of your post tells me that - this isn't directed at you more than just a general rant on the subject.

Honestly, I don't know why some people just can't treat others with respect and stop all of the "Alpha" junk.

While in this specific circumstance the actions of the longer term agent appears out of line from the point of view we were presented with, over all the length of time of actually being an active agent is a very meaningful characteristic in other circumstances.

As previously stated, since 97% of agents fail within 18 to 24 months due to many circumstances including lack of knowledge and experience... a history of success is meaningful. Not just time but actual active participation in the area of real estate being discussed.

Referrals is how you can often best determine respect. If your getting referrals then that is a good indication you are respected by other agents, clients and those you are associated with.

No agent should step in between a customer/ client and the person representing them.. but prior to representation determination, experience is a significant factor if verifiable.

It is a possibility that when a veteran agent asks a newbie about their tenure, or brings up their own experience, it MIGHT NOT be to slam the rookie. It just might be the precursor to some valuable advice. If the newer agent doesn't get oversensitive, they can learn stuff from an old timer that might take them years and expensive mistakes to learn on their own. Don't be such a crybaby - open your eyes and ears more than your mouth and learn something.

Whoa, whoa, whoa..."Don't be such a crybaby"?! Back up a second, let me refer you to the part where I wrote that the "veteran" started the conversation with, "Let me tell you something, I've been in this business..."

Now, where did you think that I was going to reap any "valuable information" from an opening like that? It wasn't meant as a "Yoda-esqe" enlightening moment. This person was using it as nothing less than a tool for intimidation.

Next time you want to reply to something and go off half cocked with statements like, "open your eyes and ears more than your mouth..." you might want to heed a little of your own advice and read what was originally written instead of adding your fabricated ideas of what you THINK someone said.

Most times when I've heard that statement from another agent, it seams that they are just not comfortable with something. Like, "I've been doing Real Estate since before you were born, and we never had to use email, the internet, and the MLS was book." All of that's true, but my goodness, learn to use that are available to you crying out loud.

That is absolutely true.

I don't care how long I have been in the business, if anyone ever asked me that I would say in my most scared and timid voice "...uh, umm, 2 weeks" and then hang up or walk away.

I went to an investor's club meeting last week and an agent told me, "I think I've been in this business as long as you've been alive. I thought, "Wow, that's too bad".

I know everyone has their own measure of success, but I see myself being running several successful businesses when I'm his age. He didn't seem to know very much and that's seems to be the case when I've worked with "old school" agents. The newer agents seem to really have a plan and become successful more quickly. Times have changed and some agents have missed the boat.

I met an agent that is so old, her license number is 3.

She said to me that it was her opinion that computers were the downfall of the industry and she preferred the times when MLS books were in use and there was no such thing as a lockbox.

She came across as smug and arrogant. I wanted to suggest to her that she trade in her brand-new Cadillac for a Model T.

I have to agree with Eric about what makes ME respect someone. We have a local agent who throws around her years in the business, closely followed by her "multi-million dollar club" standing for every year. It doesn't impress me. She had to retake the broker's class for some rule infraction, coincidently with one of our new brokers, and she didn't pass. She repeatedly told the instructor how long she had been in the business and told him he knew nothing about the way real estate works. The deals I have had with her have been nightmares, and we have to double check every detail to make sure she isn't trying to screw someone over.... No, "time served" doesn't make me respect anyone, anymore than money earned. It's a matter of honesty, fair-dealings, good business practices, etc- you know- the way we are SUPPOSED to do business.

I think the bottom line here is that we can expect the same ratio of morons, incompetents, sleaze bags and just plain lazy boneheads in this business as we see in any other.

It is less a discussion of "Our Industry" and more a discussion of human nature.

There comes a time when you have to find peace with this kind of stuff. For a period of time, I had the mind set that it was my client and I against my industry. I had to protect them from all the other nasty real estate people. It worked for a while, but maintaining the internal "avenging agent" attitude can be tiresome and often counter-productive.

I guess you could say I have mellowed a bit (aside from my occasional moments of frustration - which many of you have seen). I try to take it with a smile and a nod instead of running for my armor and shield.

I still keep the sword sharp tho... just in case.

R

Years in the business doesn't necessarily coincide with knowledge. I know 2 realtors who have been in busines for over 2 decades and are dumber than a box of rocks.