Hi Mike,

I have noticed you are very active on our site… good job.

I agree with you, weeding out the part-timers will help us all. I don’t care how much time someone spends on his or her business but I do care about the quality of service they provide.  This reflects on all of us. I have called other agents for information on their listing and haven’t gotten a response for days, if at all. My clients are waiting on this information and I am forced to say,  “I’m waiting to hear back, I’ll call again.”

We need to stick together.

Mike, I believe we need to "raise the bar" not only for part-timers but for all Realtors out there.  It's about being professional, being our best, bringing more to the table today then we did yesterday.  

I challenge each and every one of us to blog to improve and to help one another to raise that bar.  

My thanks to Phil Anderson in Portland, Oregon for bringing things to my attention.  

My Dad has always said, "When you are up to bat, hit a home run!"  

Barb

Barb

Mike,

I agree with your view.We who look to upgrade the image of our profession are frequently impeded by those who believe this is a hobby,a part-time job without a schedule.Understand this is not determined by the hours worked( If I worked a 40 hour week,my wife would think I took a vacation!),but by the effort and diligence to improve your service and knowledge.Minimal standards of service should be established industry wide.We police ourselves by fees and statutory regulations,but these primarily affect the industrious professional.The hobbyist frequently exhibits a lack of concern about such matters.The result is a public perception of our profession that is skewed.

Barb is correct,"let's raise the bar". If you want a career this is it.If you want a job, please look elsewhere...for the good of the profession.

JR

I have to somewhat disagree. There are a lot of part-timers who do a great job selling real estate. They may not have too many deals per year but they take good care of their clients.

Not to mention ... I know quite a few wonderful agents who simply had to switch from full-time real estate to part-time due to slower market. They have to support their families and if having a regular job and doing real estate on the side is something they like to do, why not let them enjoy it?

I believe Mike is correct, I have seen this happen too many times were I'm from.  There was such a huge rush for folks to get their license converted over to single licensure, because before you could be a salesperson for years without being a broker and it only took 60 plus hours to get that first license. Don't get me wrong, there were really great real estate agents out there that operated this way, but there were a lot of agents that were also just simmering (ok to just make a few bucks).  I think they caught a lucky break when all they had to do in our state was take up-date classes and then ended up with a brokers license.

Mike you are correct in the way folks out there view real estate agents.  They think this is something you just fiddle with and everyone thinks that they could do this work. It reflects when you drive around and you see poorley attended signs with grass and weeds growing up around, no literature, no quick response to phone inquiries, just pure neglect.  

Even with a slower market if these agents are good at what they do, they should be able to survive, so don't you see, Michaela, how Mike is correct in what he is saying.  These part timers would be agents are sucking the life out of the business because these potential sales would otherwise be distributed to prefessionals, that work full time at what they are great at.  That's my two cents.

I understand your point of view and in many cases things are just as you described them ...but even if you sell real estate only part time ... as long as you have a system set up where clients can either reach you or you have a way of getting back to them when necessary, I still don't see how working part-time will make you less of a professional?

Mike,

I agree there will be a decrease in Realtors during the next few years. as to "part time" agents, if they are not meeting their feduciary responsibilities to their clients, of course they should go. If they are utilizing technology and or 3rd party services to be more efficient, and therefore work only part time, they should be commended.

I completely agree with you Mike!

 I'm in the same market area & am a newer agent (2 years).  But I'm in it for real & will admit that especially as a newer agent the current market has been tough but the idea of getting out of the business doesn't even occur to me.  Building my business to make it stronger & more profitable does occur to me!  

But with so many "agents" getting into the business thinking it's a hobby or a "get rich quick" career it does tend to taint the reputation of all of us.  

I have to relate a little story....  at a doctor's appointment recently, after waiting in the room for the doctor of course, his first comment to me was about real estate (seeing that was my profession).  He handed me his girlfriend's card (on-site Realtor for a local new construction community) and told me he has his RE license.  I was shocked (he's a DOCTOR) & asked what he was going to do with that.  His response, just for fun & maybe when he or his friends/relatives wanted to buy or sell he may "put out a sign or two".  PLEASE!  Be the doctor, that's your profession, let Real Estate professionals take care of Real Estate needs!  I wouldn't want a part-time "Just for fun" doctor!!  I was a bit insulted that he would treat another profession so flippantly!  

I am, as so many of us are, serious about my profession.  I take my clients needs seriously, it's not a hobby (I don't have time for a hobby since I'm a Realtor building my business!) it's a business, and I strive to be as professional Realtor as I can be.  But if Realtors - as a community - don't treat it that way it hurts the public perception of all Realtors.  I think the push to require more continuing education for Realtros is a good start to that end since it may make part-timers think twice.  And as everyone has said already, this market will weed out many of the "weaker links" in our industry.  In the meantime the rest of us can just keep helping to build our reputation as Professional Realtors and serve to help the industry out as a whole by doing so.

I totally agree Mike. Traditional Real Estate calls for Brokers to hire anyone with a license.  This "sphere of influence" method is set up to capture market share (more agents, more listings, etc.). In essence, brokers know that if they hire 100 agents, 10 of them will produce and the others might get a deal here and there.

I believe that Real Estate is heading in another direction.  I've seen many well established offices close in the past year.  Companies are starting to centralize their service and are not really looking for the "part-timers."  

Reality is that many people do not respect our industry.  This is partly because many Realtors do not get the chance to learn about what they're doing until the phone rings.  Instead of waiting for these agents to drift or quit, why not put them to work? Brokers should take the time to filter their agents by offering specialties for part-timers or newbie’s. Below is my wish list for part-timers and newbie’s:

1. During the interview, get a grip of the agent's strengths.  If you have a buyer agent, teach them how to SELL!!!

2. Don't sell them on the "sphere of influence."  Friends and family will use you no matter what, teach agents to fish so they can make money!

3. If you find a rare talent, don't treat them like the rest of the new agents.  Invest money and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.  

4. Vertical integration. Not everyone is a listing or a buyer agent.  By initiating an "internship program," brokers can have new agents help process deals, generate leads, lick stamps, etc.  This is a win-win for brokers and agents.  By the time an Agent is done with the internship, they'll know the business.  I'm tired of Agents that tell me they've been in the business for ten years and don't have a solid foundation.  There’s too much too know now days!  

As a new agent and Weichert Rookie of The Year for Mid Florida, it's appalling to see so many of these newer agents and Part-timers sit back and hope something lands in their lap.

Then when it does come their way they don't want to do what's necessary to get the job done????  They'll complain about how far they may have to travel to show a house, etc...  They'll call a clients once or twice, send them an email or two and if they don't respond they let them drop.

Professionalism is persistance without over zealousness and being able to distinquish the difference. It's about building better relationships with clients. It's not rocket science, just simply Sales 101.

If you don't want to go the extra mile, then please by all means let your license lapse, your only giving REALTORS a bad name!

Ruben, programs are already implemented in some of the major real estate companies.  A newbie has to want to apply themselves.  They have to commit to themselves and the industry - whether part-time or full-time.  

We have mentoring programs at Keller Williams.  I work with the agents who want to commit but are frustrated, confused, no structure and need guidance.  There are 4 agents including myself that teach classes during the day, evenings and weekends to accommodate those part-time agents.  

While this is not a perfect world - alot of those newbies are in it to supplement their regular job and do not have any intention, generally, to move forward.  This is not a good investment of my time or other agents time for someone who wants to be a hobbyist.  

What alot of agents are referring, correct me if I am wrong, is that we are doing the job of both sides at times because of the lack of commitment from the other agent, lack of experience, training all because they want to supplement their income.  We do it because that's the house our buyer wants.  

There are programs and support out there for these agents - your wish list has been there along time but the agents won't commit to it because they don't care, won't apply or are lazy.  (Excuse me)

Let me put it in a personal way - those agents that need all that support but won't apply, commit, etc .... consider them doctors.  Your childs life is on the line - who are you going to put your trust in?  

Make it a great one!

Hi Mike,

As a "full time" REALTOR, I will never worry that a "part-timer" will, to use your words, "suck up a lot of business."

As a professional, it is up to me to generate my own business and I can't do that if I am worrying about some "newbie part timer" listing his cousins house.

One of our responsibilities is to police our own ranks. We don't do that by chasing away the part timers but instead by mentoring them to make them more professional.

Unless we came into the business with a years salary in the bank or a very supportive spouse/partner, we were all part-timers at some point in our newly chosen career. I am sure the veterans then made the same comments about us!

I have seen numerous "full time" agents who neglect their properties or don't return phone calls promptly, etc., so it isnt necessarily a matter of full time vs part time, it is a matter of being professional in our dealings with our clients, the public and our peers.

Lenn

I'm agree with you, I'm part time but I give the best of me to my clients and also I have to learn how to crawl before you walk and have to support my family some how so I have to keep my current job until I walk in this real estae business