When to Break-Up with Your Realtor!
Wait, what? You wanna break up with me? As your Santa Cruz Realtor? Oh, because I never returned your calls, texts or emails, and I never showed up for our appointments? Huh, I guess those are good reasons to break up with me. Okay.
Hi, I’m Shemeika Fox, your Santa Cruz real estate expert, and here are a few signs to look for, and know when it’s time to break up with your Realtor.
If your Realtor has gone missing in action, doesn’t return your phone calls, texts, or emails, has stopped communicating with you, it may be time to break up with your Realtor. If your Realtor doesn’t listen to your needs, doesn’t have time for you, doesn’t show up for your appointments, it may be time to break up with your Realtor. If your Realtor uses high-pressure tactics instead of coaching you through the process, it may be time to break up with your Realtor. If your Realtor’s license is suspended, or they are unable to access the MLS for housing information, and their eKey will not allow them access to properties, it may be time to break up with your Realtor.
So, how do you do that? Is it with a sticky note, like the elusive breakup in “Sex in the City”? Do you send a text or an email, or do you just bite the bullet and have a face-to-face meeting or phone call, or do you just ghost them and never to be heard from again.
If it’s time for you to break up with your Santa Cruz Realtor for whatever reason, remember Realtors are people too and ask yourself, how would you like to be treated? Remember the golden rule, do unto others as you would like others to do unto you. I would suggest if you’re going to break up with your Santa Cruz Realtor, do it early in the relationship. Though if you have signed an exclusive agreement, you will have to ask the Realtor if they are willing to dissolve the contract.
It is best to communicate with your Realtor, that you are no longer interested in their services. Ghosting or withdrawing from all communication can be quite confusing and not effective at all. You can simply thank them for their time and move on. Email, text, phone, call, whatever feels right for you and that relationship.
Here are a few tips to consider when breaking up with your Realtor. Now, I’m not suggesting any of you break up with your Realtors. Realtors work very hard, both on scene and off scene, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I’m just saying if your Realtor is ineffective for you, that you might consider somebody that’s more effective for your needs and desires. I love all of my local Santa Cruz Realtor associates. They’re all amazing, and I feel blessed and privileged to be in this community of real estate agents, working hard with them by my side. But, if you decide to break up with your Santa Cruz Realtor, or any Realtor, recognize your agent’s unseen effort.
When breaking up with your agent, it’s important to acknowledge your agent’s efforts, especially the ones you don’t see. Realtors receive and answer calls seven days a week. They answer calls during their dinner hour, and they answer calls when they just wanna be spending time with their family. I know from experience and my daughter and husband don’t appreciate that very much, but we have to be on the phone all the time. We are putting our client’s needs first. Even though they may have nine to five office hours, they spend countless hours working unseen overtime. In addition to the overtime, your agent probably has spent several hours marketing your home or showing you homes. It may be networking with other agents, and telling them about your home, or asking about off-market opportunities. They also spend significant time using complicated industry software that doesn’t always work, crashes periodically, and loses all of their work. Sure, this is true of every business and every industry, but it’s helpful to recognize your agents hours and effort to sell your home, or help you find your dream home right here in Santa Cruz.
Acknowledge your agent’s out of pocket expenses. Your agent may have spent money marketing your house beyond just putting it on the MLS. Good agents will often pay for services that blast your listing to multiple websites, or they may even pay for pay-per-click ads on Facebook. Open houses also generate costs for agents, whether it be balloons, color flyers, or snacks. In rare cases, agents may even pay for repairs out of their own pocket just to make the transaction work. If you’re going to break up with your Realtor, be sure to say thank you in a tangible way, and ask your agent for a signed cancellation of contract.
My suggestion if you find yourself in a position where you must break up with your Realtor, follow the golden rule, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I’m Shemeika Fox, your Santa Cruz Real Estate Expert, and for a complimentary and confidential consultation, please reach out to me! I’d be honored to help you achieve your real estate goals.
