Realtors are the stockbrokers of the real estate market but unlike their stock-trading counterparts, they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with saying just about anything. Their job is to provide you with the information they believe will be useful to you and offer their professional opinions.

In doing their jobs, they may jump the gun and say things that can be misleading or downright disparaging. They may say these things with the best of intentions, maybe they just want to speed up closing – but if you’re a realtor, some words should never come out of your mouth. We’ll tell you what those words are and why you shouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. If you’re looking to buy some property, watch out for these red flags.

Below is a list of 9 striking things a realtor should never say to you.

1. “Just trust me on this one”

Right off the bat is a statement all too commonly used by agents and intermediaries of all kinds. In the right situation, there is nothing wrong with the statement in itself. But when your real estate agent says it, it may send the wrong message.

See, their job is to provide you with their professional opinion backed by hard facts – facts and made available to you, the client. Granted, as professionals, they are expected to speak with a certain level of authority, but there’s a thin line between knowledge and fluffy jargon. How do you know when that line’s been crossed? When you ask to see some paper trail and they follow it up with, “I’ve been doing this for many years so just trust me”.

2. “Don’t worry I went ahead to schedule a meeting”

For the duration of your hire, your realtor works for you – not with you, for you. It isn’t a partnership, it’s one less qualified person hiring the services of a professional. As such, all major decisions should be run by you, the client.

Now, some clients prefer to leave the bulk of the decision-making to their agents. However, some other clients prefer to be more involved. As a general rule of thumb, a professional agent should always check with the client before making heavy decisions.

3. A little white lie

In everything, transparency is key. You never want to hide, obfuscate, or hold back information from your client. It simply isn’t professional. It portends other improper behaviour and can break your client’s trust. When there’s a breach of trust, it goes without saying that it’s difficult to mend. Not to mention that it could greatly discredit your career in the long run.

4. Reported speech

If your client wanted a messenger, they’d have bought a pigeon. Your job is simply to represent the client’s best interests to the best of their ability. That means, during meetings and deal negotiations, you have to take charge and steer the conversation in the direction they choose. This skill is number 7 on our list of top 8 qualities great real estate agents should have.

If all you’ve got to say after every meeting is what everyone else said then there’s a serious problem. The whole point of hiring you was for your expertise but if you can’t get a word between what “he said” or “she said”, something’s not right.

5. “This is my first shot”

While there’s nothing wrong with hiring someone who’s new to the game – for all you know, he could be way better than all the old-timers – remember that you aren’t too knowledgeable in the field yourself, so, a recently titled agent is far from ideal. It’s great to give the rookie a shot in the game but if you’re investing your whole life’s savings on a new home, you’d be better off with an agent who’s got some experience under his belt.

However, if you’re an experienced investor, hiring new blood could work out well for you.  You must already have specific properties you’re looking to get so they’ll only be acting on your instructions, you’ll be giving them a chance to gain some experience, and you’d save the extra pennies you would’ve spent had you gone and hired an experienced realtor.

6. A yes man

In an attempt to please their employers, employees turn themselves into yes-men, so they don’t get on their bad side. While this may be a path-paving trait in other industries, it doesn’t work out very well in the real estate industry. See, a vital part of an agent’s job description is to advise, if they go “yes sir” or “sure thing” to everything a client says it’ll be disrespectful to the profession.

Agents should possess the art of respectful disagreement backed by solid logic and hard facts. If every suggestion the client makes is met by an emphatic “yes sir”, then there’s a problem.

7. “I’m fine with reducing my commission”

If a realtor can’t negotiate their commission, why should they be trusted to negotiate anyone else’s money? Negotiation is the bread and butter of the real estate world. If you can talk your agent down on his commission fee, I suggest you hire someone else.

8. “So what do you want to do?”

Realtors should be armed with options and alternatives at all times. They should be able to take initiative and assert expertise – within reasonable limits, of course. Seeking feedback from you is fine, but downright asking you for advice is a no-no.

9. Trash-talking other agents.

You should never work with anyone who feels the need to pull someone else down for their gain. It’s indicative of a host of other moral concessions you shouldn’t stick around for.

The real estate world can get competitive, but as a realtor, you’ll find that interfacing with your colleagues and working together can be beneficial for everyone. If a client would rather go in a different direction, then, by all means, give them your co-worker’s card and a solid recommendation. It shows good sportsmanship.

The bottom line,

These red flags are merely guidelines to watch out for. As earlier stated, these things can be said with the best intentions but can lead to some damning consequences. So, it’s best to avoid them altogether. Let’s have a recap:

1. “Just trust me on this one”
2. “Don’t worry I went ahead to schedule a meeting”
3. A little white lie
4. Reported speech
5. “This is my first shot”
6. A yes man
7. “I’m fine with reducing my commission”
8. “So what do you want to do?”
9. Trash-talking other agents.

Now you know 9 things you should never hear your realtor say. If you’re intrigued and want to know more, Forbes has a great list of 7 other things your realtor should never say to you. However, you can get in touch with Ashley Lyon to hear all the right things a realtor should say. Let us help you find your dream home, call or email us now.