Ever had a *** realtor to do this?

I'm am sure, but can't prove it, that a couple of lenders have worked me the same way in the past. With one of them, I probably gave them a fair estimate and completion date ten times and never got one job. I was never specifically told what you were told, but that is exactly what I figured they were doing.

I always figured they were looking for an amount to put in the contract. They've already got the survey company Dewey, Cheatham and Howe to do the survey for $200...they just want to pencil in $1600 for the contract.

I hate to say it, but it's apparent to me most realtors and brokers are in it for themselves. They don't even do a good job of acting like they have their client's interests (or anybody else's) at heart.

With real estate deals I always request a retainer...meaning I do very little work with them. I spend less time than that looking anything up for them. Been burned WAY too many times.

I have had that happen, but stopped working for realtors a long time ago. I also used to get calls to start a job and then the next day to stop work. I always billed those.

> With real estate deals I always request a retainer...meaning I do very little work with them. I spend less time than that looking anything up for them. Been burned WAY too many times.

I go that one a step better. My standard answer is: "Sure, I'd be glad to discuss this with your client. Have them give me a call and we can take it from there."

Your dead on with this one Kent!

I've had it work the other way though, were the client was less than forthcoming about what the realtors activities and expectations were.

When it comes to "Owners and assigns".... I'd much rather deal directly with the owner. Realtors and "middlemen" often cost more than they save....

>
> I go that one a step better. My standard answer is: "Sure, I'd be glad to discuss this with your client. Have them give me a call and we can take it from there."

I agree, always work for the owner. The realtor has no responsibility to the property. What are you going to lien when the realtor doesn't pay? We never work for realtors, ever. When I do get calls from them, which happens a few times a year, I simply pass them on to those that are willing to take the risk and deal with them.

Don't get mad - get even.

Realtors also have to invest time and money into their work that they never realize as profit until they actually close escrow on a transaction. The larger the transaction, the more time and personal money they are willing to invest in a listing.

Call this specific realtor up and thank them for giving you the opportunity to work with them and casually bring up the fact that you recently inherited a large sum of money and that you were looking to "upgrade" to a larger home with acreage... Something in the $2.5 million range. That it was a good thing that you didn't commit to their project as you had just decided to retire as soon as you could clean up loose ends at the office.

Ask if they can show you some listings. Offer to meet them for lunch to go over their listings on paper, then go out and look at the favorites. Before you meet, go on the internet and research their listing. Find the most expensive one and pick out some distinctive traits that you will use as bait during your lunch.

Choose a nice steak house. The realtor may offer to buy you a glass of wine or a beer. Graciously accept the offer and order a second one when the waiter comes back. Before looking at all their listings, let them know what your "dream home" would look like. Here is where you cast some bait. Describe their largest listing. Be sure and mention that you really do not have the time to look at a lot of houses and that you will have enough money after the estate is settled to renovate whatever you decide to purchase anyway.

If the realtor thinks they have a decent chance at getting a sale through you, they will probably offer to pick up the tab for lunch. Of course it would be rude to decline.

Excuse yourself from the table to use the restroom. Set the alarm on your phone to go off in 10 minutes.

Sit back down and resume discussion about how excited you are to look at homes.
Your phone alarm will probably catch the realtor mid-sentence. Look down as if you are seeing who is calling you, apologize and tell him you have to take this call. Pretend to answer the call right there at the table in from of them. "Hello..."

I'll let you finish the sentence.

I have stopped doing any looking past my memory of things when giving quotes.

Realtors have wasted so much of my time and only want fast, not caring if it is good, right or whatever, just don't find any problems.

If they are not paying, I don't give out info unless the actual client has contacted me.

Sure, I've had them do that and worse -- but I give yours brownie points for candor. Many would have made up some BS story about how they were forced to hire the other guy against their will.

They're probably fishing, and it wouldn't surprise me if they pocketed the difference.

> I have no respect for 99% of the realtors. Just salesmen, you know like the people that drove around the countryside selling life insurance when I was a kid.

I don't get it, realtors and life insurance salesman = no respect

Does not add up to me...

Surveyors are so far down the food chain moneywise on land transactions that most can not see that the realtor works pretty darn hard for their little bit of money. They do lots of tasks that they get paid $0 dollars.

One thing I like about realtors is that you know right up front that they are in it for the money and have negotiated themselves into a great position as a group, I respect that fact, from their point of view it sure beats the alternative.

However the bottom line is that investors use realtors, lawyers, CPAs book keepers, and surveyors as support staff to make the real money.... These professions are servant to making rich people rich while they are happy with crumbs, trained to expect not much, and even what they think is doing well is still tiny comparatively speaking..... if you are selling your time or the time of a handful of people then it is already written in the stars, your fate is to not make that much money.... comparatively speaking to full time investors. They are leveraging the time and talent of others..... so their time is free to do whatever they want.

My conclusion is that surveying is pretty fun but honestly too expensive to practice.

Word.