5 Ways to Ease Working With Difficult Agents

People always say you can’t choose your neighbors, and for the most part this is correct. I suppose if you did want to choose your neighbors you could purchase a new construction home and have friends and family purchase on the same street. But the reality of that happening is of course slim. So when you buy a home you may try to meet as many neighbors as possible prior to signing off on all the paperwork, but of course you never truly know someone from just a meeting, so most of it is left to chance. The same is true of co-workers and bosses, and for real estate agents.

I have worked with many agents since I started in this business, and many of them have been pleasant and professional, kind and cooperative. That obviously makes the entire transaction process a much better experience for all involved, including my clients and myself. It is so wonderful to be able to work with someone who returns calls, stays on top of paperwork and is willing to go the extra mile as a representative for her own clients and also as a professional.

Of course, there are many agents in the real estate business who appear to be professional but are very difficult to work with. I have a collection of names in my head, based on past experiences, whom I hope never to work with again. Of course I can only control that outcome so much – if a client wants to buy a home and the listing agent is someone I dread working with I may be left with no options….So what is an agent to do when the agent on the other side is a pain in the neck?

Here are a few things I have learned over the years that agents can do when they are in those tricky situations, in order to try and ease any difficulties or challenges:

1.  Set goals/intentions from the start. If I have to work with a difficult agent I will let the agent know from the start what I expect and how I would like to work together.. I will send an email identifying a time table of all the important dates and responsibilities – including my own – and provide all contact information. I will set my own expectations as to paperwork and the best way to communicate. If the person is not someone who is easy to talk to or hard to get a hold of, I will spell out the best way to communicate.  I also find out right away if there is a transaction coordinator or assistant involved, and make sure to cc them on every communication.

2. Involve the agent’s broker and your own broker. If things are challenging I will always involve the agent’s broker. I am not shy and have called many brokers. Most of them are more than willing to step in and assist with deadlines and communication. In the case where the agent IS the broker, I lay it all on the line and tell the agent that s/he needs to cooperate and communicate. Usually this works, but if not then sometimes you have to be prepared to threaten to file a complaint (luckily I’ve not had to do this). If you are an agent working for a broker, it is important to involve YOUR broker right away as well. That is what s/he is there for, so don’t feel like you have to deal with difficult people on your own.

3. Put everything in writing. One of the first things I learned in law school is that you always have to have a paper trail. I ALWAYS put things in writing during a transaction. If I speak to the other agent over the phone or in person, I follow up with an email reviewing the conversation. If things go sour and there is a complaint filed (or even worse, a lawsuit) down the road, that paper trail will be your salvation. Save all emails in a file on your server.

4. Document all communications that are not in writing. Document all phone calls – it is easy to keep a running Word doc and add to it as needed. When the sale closes save everything on a CD or a file in your system.

5.  Stay professional throughout, but stick only to the facts and keep things tight. No matter how much you may want to give a nasty agent a piece of your mind, remember that doing so only brings you down to their level. Instead, use your inner strength to remain professional. Keep communications short and to the point, and remember to document everything.

No one wants to work with a unprofessional or difficult person, but we all have to at some point. As I have taught my children, what is important is how we react to challenging situations. Losing our cool and getting upset won’t help our cause at all, nor is it healthy, so keep your chin up and stay professional and positive. You can always get out your frustrations by exercising.