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Rainmaker
1,543,634
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

90% failure rate of agents.

Set expectations before they take the test. Smack the W2 mentality out of them; it's a 1099 business, not a job. I guarantee you 50% would never take the test. Proper expectations and prep: financially, educationally, mentally and geeez-set boundaries. Close at night and take a day off, plan vacation-live a life, real estate is a career, it's not a life.

Feb 10, 2017 07:21 PM
Rainmaker
613,494
Eve Alexander
Buyers Broker of Florida - Tampa, FL
Exclusively Representing ONLY Tampa Home Buyers

Biggest problem? Dumb and incompetent agents.

  • I would fix it by making all brokers pay for their agents medical insurance. That would eliminate the dead wood as no one would actually want to PAY for a dumb agent.

 

  • I would also include brokers in ethics complaints and make them  responsible for answering any ethics complaints that their agents have.

 

  • Then I would make stronger agency disclosures and make all agents take a class and pass a test on agency.

 

  • I would than hire retired attorneys to hear all the complaints against agent and rule on them.  There are too many dummy agents on the panels.

Eve

Feb 10, 2017 05:24 PM
Rainmaker
599,274
Nathan Gesner
American West Realty and Management - Cody, WY
Broker / Property Manager

Too many syndication sites. Agents have lost control of their data which I believe is skewing the data available to the public.

Feb 10, 2017 07:35 PM
Rainmaker
864,658
Les & Sarah Oswald
Realty One Group - Eastvale, CA
Broker, Realtor and Investor

Too many agents are not representing their client's best interests.

How would I fix it? Penalize those who are unethical and abusing the system. Licensed agents need more training and hands-on experience before they are allowed to help the public on their own.

Feb 10, 2017 02:42 PM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Uncontrolled syndication from outside, unlicensed web services.

Feb 10, 2017 11:53 AM
Ambassador
3,345,091
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I'd like to upvote Mike & Eve Alexander comment.  At the end of the day there are just too many dumb and incompetent people in the business and those folks sit on boards and make bad decisions ... or play the good old boy and girl club cards protecting their buddies from the really bad things they do and get away with.

Feb 11, 2017 09:10 AM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

The consumers get confusing and bad information on the Internet and that is only likely to get worse as more data is dumped. I have no solution.

Feb 10, 2017 09:50 PM
Ambassador
5,229,945
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

OH, I'm SO with Nathan Gesner on this!  Our data is so diluted, inaccurate or outdated by these syndication sites. 

Feb 10, 2017 07:44 PM
Rainmaker
5,005,603
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

The agents need to be a more accountable for representing their clients. Tougher requirement to become an agent need to be implemented.

Feb 10, 2017 05:10 PM
Ambassador
6,393,154
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Low standards for agents

Feb 10, 2017 05:04 PM
Rainmaker
1,052,196
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Low barriers to entry. We still have functionally illiterate people with zero common sense handling way more money than they should be entrusted with.

Fix: Hell, I don't know. Even colleges turn out complete houseplants. Perhaps double licensing hours with contract writing/communication skills training 50%.

Feb 10, 2017 04:08 PM
Rainmaker
677,422
John Slocum
Premiere Property Group, LLC - Vancouver Washington - Vancouver, WA
Broker, SFR - Vancouver WA Real Estate

Real Estate has been "healing un-naturally" since the crash --> The Fed owns $1.8T in MBS - seems like a Big issue, and manipulation to me.  (or, maybe they're trying to keep the Chinese from buying MBS?)

By keeping the interest rates artificially low, we don't have true price-discovery in Real Estate; with sales prices rising too fast. 

When/if they get us back to more historically realistic interest rates AND the Fed off-loads their MBS holdings, will we have that proverbial "Soft Landing?"  Think I'll hedge a bit with Au and Ag.

Feb 10, 2017 03:49 PM
Ambassador
1,076,551
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

The bubble atmosphere that has resulted from home values increasing so substantially without incomes and wages that follow --- too many people stretch themselves too thin to buy.  We're back to the point where many people have to choose between foregoing home ownership altogether, or making a poor financial decision to achieve home ownership ---- that's not a choice many people should be forced to make, but that's where we are.

Feb 10, 2017 11:36 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

real estate agents who do not do their job properly....  fix it?? don't hire them.....

Feb 10, 2017 11:22 AM
Rainmaker
1,045,440
Dave Martin (703) 585-4687
Fairfax Realty - Fairfax, VA
Making Realty Dreams a Reality #WeWillGetYouHome

I think there are Many Big problems but if you are looking at it from the perspective of the agents. Then the database NEEDS to be made into an intranet AGAIN! Personally if NAR won't make some move in that direction perhaps its time for an overhaul there.

Feb 07, 2018 08:55 PM
Rainmaker
1,617,916
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

increase the standards to become an agent

Feb 13, 2017 04:36 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

I agree with Nathan Gesner 

Feb 11, 2017 09:05 PM
Rainmaker
1,502,998
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor, CRSMike & Eve Alexander and Les & Sarah Oswald have my top three answers, with Mike & Eve's "dumb and incompetent agents" (or as I call it "Agents who couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat in the middle of an ocean") being my #1 issue.

Feb 11, 2017 11:07 AM
Rainmaker
4,936,605
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Dump Zillow giving high prices of what homes are worth.

Feb 11, 2017 10:22 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Nothing I can do about whatever the issues may be.

Feb 11, 2017 09:09 AM
Rainmaker
5,216,387
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Non-professional agents. Not sure how you fix stupid!

Feb 11, 2017 06:51 AM
Rainmaker
7,835,900
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

We have a national surplus of several hundred thousand agents. They need advice on alternative career paths.

Feb 11, 2017 06:38 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Low entry barrier into the profession. I would raise standards by a huge margin.

Feb 11, 2017 04:32 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Les & Sarah Oswald nailed this one!

Feb 11, 2017 02:29 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Inventory and build more housing

Feb 10, 2017 08:05 PM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I agree that it is the unauthorized syndication of litings. They ar ethen taking anyone who clicks on it , and then try to sell the leads back to the listing agent for 25% referall fee. I am not sure what the best way to fix it, but may not be fixed until listing agents stand up for their rights. 

Feb 10, 2017 06:54 PM
Rainmaker
4,272,548
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Inventory, enough said!

Feb 10, 2017 03:57 PM
Rainmaker
2,781,163
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Greed is hard to fix....

Feb 10, 2017 03:02 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Uncertainty of the market

Feb 10, 2017 01:53 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

The biggest problem.....

How to fit it......

WOW!

The biggest problem is the greatest segment of owners and buyers are 20 years younger than the average real estate agent. A great abyss seperateses the desired service the buyer and seller wants and what the industry currently provides. We all haver read the report and we so not change.Our excuses are many beginning with the encumbrances imposed by our associations and betrayal by the franchise. Add to that current agent who rest in the status quo and actually say, "It's supposed to be hard!"

The fix rests in the vision and courage of a great broker who we will ALL hate until we are compelled to change.

Feb 10, 2017 01:46 PM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Artificial intelligence destroying the middle class. Manufacuting taken out by robotics. No money no housing that can be bought.

Feb 10, 2017 01:39 PM
Rainmaker
2,182,502
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

The lack of equity that many have in their properties !

Feb 10, 2017 01:23 PM
Rainmaker
4,882,355
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

In our market, lack of inventory.  I'm not sure there is a fix.

Feb 10, 2017 11:31 AM