Dealing With A Difficult Co-op Agent EP78

In this episode of the Realtor Fight Club podcast, hosts Jenn Murtland and Monica Weakley aren’t so much fighting today as they are sitting down for tea. How do you handle a difficult co-op agent? Every agent is going to deal with one, so make sure you are prepared!

Episode Highlights: 

• Jenn may or may not be the difficult agent in this situation sometimes.
• Agents that are being difficult make the mistake of thinking that they are being super representative of their client.
• It wouldn’t be a bad idea for realtors to have a psychology degree so that they understand how to lead their clients.
• Depending on the agent, Jenn either comes to an agreement on response time or ignores them.
• Only one time has Jenn had to call an agent’s manager because she knows most of them will not take action.
• Sometimes, waiting to reach out to the brokerage until after the transaction can be a useful tactic.
• The agent that drives Monica nuts is the one that is so easy to work with as long as nothing goes wrong.
• Jenn has learned how to recognize the clients that will flip on her over the phone on the cold call.
• Monica does her best to set the standards and re-enforce the other agent’s good behavior upfront.
• Jenn has been part of a deal where things went sideways with an agent who was a friend.
• Setting deadlines in your messages may help you get a little bit more out of the other agent.
• Dealing with agents that don’t know what they’re doing can be made more difficult if they aren’t willing to listen.
• Jenn has dealt with unknowing agents by making suggestions and teaching them how to best move forward.
• Most agents that Jenn surveyed claimed that the best way to move forward is to find some common ground.
• Putting everything in writing would be a great secondary strategy if you can’t find common ground.
• When dealing with a combative agent, Jenn takes a breath and formulates a held-together email.
• Monica prefers to do the work up front in the relationship and establish what behaviors you like.
• Real estate used to have a vibe of going into battle with the other agent, but that’s not how it is now.
• There are 3 parties in each transaction, so there need to be 3 relationships to make the deal work.
• Corina Tello is with Kale Real Estate and also does international real estate,  speaking events, investing, and triathlons.
• As an investor, Corina cannot stand when agents add more steps than are necessary to the process.
• When an agent complains about negotiations rather than attempting to adjust terms, Corina gets annoyed.
• Things have become more difficult for Corina when agents have brought a lawyer into the situation.
• When there is a problem with an agent, Corina goes straight to the brokerage to complete the transaction.
• Things are different in states that do not protect their agents with regulation.

3 Key Points:

1. Difficult agents are the ones who are combative and non-responsive because real estate usually is not their full-time job.
2. Chances are, you’re not going to teach the combative agent anything during the process, so handling the situation at the beginning of or after the transaction is ideal.
3. Sometimes, you have to deal with an agent that just doesn’t know what they’re doing. If they are willing to learn, the process can be a learning one.

Resources Mentioned:

• Jenn Murtland LinkedIn | Facebook | (513) 400-1691 | Website
• https://jennifermurtland.com/Vault/
• Monica Weakley website, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Realtor Fight Club Podcast Facebook page 
• Corina Tello (312) 388-1418 | corina@corinatello.com | Facebook | Instagram