Readers share what drives them nuts as agents

Pulse is a recurring column where we ask for readers’ takes on varying topics in a weekly survey and report back with our findings.

From clients who think they know better than you to agents who seemingly never pick up their phones, there are a lot of annoying behaviors that might irritate you as an agent. So, given that this month is all about agents, last week, we invited you to share those frustrations.

In other words, we opened up this platform for you to vent about those things that really get on your nerves. Here’s what you had to say:

• Lack of knowledge.
• Agents — when they do not respond or acknowledge receipt of very important information.
• Radio silence from agents when things are so fast-paced in this market. Also, agents who can’t properly fill out an offer. They are doing a disservice to their clients because I immediately think it will be a more difficult agent to work with if they can’t completely fill out an offer (aka lazy).
• When you have been showing homes to a buyer, and then they say to you after three weeks that you better get serious on looking.
• Bad photos. 
• Double dippers — agents who claim they can represent the best interests of both a home’s seller and buyer.
• Agents who put their egos before their clients best interests.
• Listing agents who do not answer their phones and texts for day for showing requests. 
• Agents who show a listing and leave lights on or doors unlocked!
• Agents who only do business by texting.
• “Sorry, it’s gone. I just forgot to pull it off the MLS.” 
• When agents don’t answer their phones and their voice mailbox is full, so you can’t leave a message.
• When you submit an offer, and the listing agent doesn’t notify you that seller has accepted an offer other than yours and changes status in MLS to “pending” before notifying you, and your buyer sees that the home is now under contact before you’re even aware.
• Aggressive, combative men (agents or the usual alpha-male client) who underestimate and devalue your experience. Who can’t have anything explained to them because they already know and yet they don’t understand some of the most simple concepts.
• When a client always calls you instead of texting their simple questions.
• When the seller husband and wife call me “dear” or “sweetie” or “honey.” I’m a professional — nothing else!
• An agent calls me and says, “My client just loves your new listing, and I will be bringing you and offer.” I say, “When should I expect to see the offer?” The agents says, “I’m showing them the house tonight for the first time.” Give me a break!
• Buyers, sellers, lenders and appraisers.
• Lack of communication between the other agent, the loan officer, the closing attorney, etc. So tired of full voicemails and people who never answer their phones.
• Agents need to KNOW how their buyers are funding their home purchase!
• Agents who do not have any idea what they are doing. From something as simple as how to fill out the forms to how to deal with their own clients. Agents who have zero concept of what their job actually is drive me absolutely mad. We should have some sort of required program before an agent is allowed to get a license. They should have to know how to do all the paperwork and know the basic laws in their area.
• Agents who do not advise clients or give them any help. This type of agent typically just passes along and insane offer even though it doesn’t make sense. As a listing agent they don’t help their clients whatsoever filling out disclosures and just pass along forms that have clearly not even been filled out properly. These types of agents drive me crazy. They’re not doing anybody any good and they’re actually not representing their clients. They have no place in our industry whatsoever.
• The agent who posts an offer deadline in the MLS and then accepts an offer before the deadline :-) that’s just lovely for everyone. There seems to be a new trend of putting a house on the market for one day and taking an offer. That is also ridiculous and it certainly is not doing your seller the job they deserve for you to do.
• One buyer pet peeve of mine is buyers who have zero idea how much a house costs in the area that they’re looking in. They call you telling you they want a four bedroom three Bath House in Los Angeles for $300,000. How is this person this moronic? I don’t understand how they don’t even go online for 2 seconds to get the most basic information about what homes cost.
• A referring agent calls you because they have a client moving to your area. You don’t immediately pick up the phone, usually because you are on an appointment, and instead return their call  say 15 minutes. When you get them on the phone, they say they’ve already found someone. They say they wanted someone quick who picked up the phone, so they don’t really care about getting a good agent for their referral client. That is idiotic. They’re not doing their buyer any good they’re just looking out for their own referral fee.