Home Forum Extra

Seattle Times business reporter Elizabeth Rhodes posts the answers to your real estate questions as they pop up during the week. Join this ongoing discussion, which also features reader reaction to real-estate articles appearing throughout The Times.

Home Forum, Seattle Times, P.O. Box 1845, Seattle, WA 98111

* Sorry, no personal replies.

E-mail | 206-464-8510 | Subscribe | Blog Home

July 31, 2008 7:30 AM

The case of the missing agent

Posted by Elizabeth Rhodes

Q: I found my real-estate agent through a Web site. Now that we've found a house and I've signed a contract with the seller, my agent is ignoring my e-mails and phone calls regarding follow-up details. Who should I contact if I still cannot find her?

A: Marianne Barkman, senior vice president of residential services for John L. Scott Real Estate's Washington offices, says your expectation is spot on that your agent should be answering your questions. She's still your agent, thus you're her responsibility.

your expectation that your agent will continue helping you is absolutely on target.

"If someone is calling and e-mailing and asking questions, in 24 hours max you ought to get an answer," Barkman says. That's standard for full-service real-estate firms.

You didn't reveal where your agent works. But even if it's for a limited-service company, "there still should be some understanding of when this person is going to communicate," Barkman adds.

She suggests you call the broker in the agent's office. That's the boss. Express your concerns and your expectations. "If it's clear it's a case of unmet expectations, and if the broker doesn't help, go to the owner," says Barkman.

Ultimately if you're not getting any answers, you can file a complaint with the Washington State Department of Licensing.

Digg | Newsvine

Submit a comment

Posted by Michael P Lindekugel

8:06 AM, Jul 31, 2008

Could be a "part time" agent that has a "real" day job.

In a market slowdown the part timers tend to spend more time at their real job than in their real estate job because they can't make rain.

Posted by Keely Jared

9:42 PM, Jul 31, 2008

I have deals with other agents that I can't get a hold of, sometimes for days on end. Then they will call and tell me they were in class or at work? In this market I work almost 18 hours a day because that's just what it takes right now so I don't know how these agents manage to get anything done.

I wonder if consumers would honestly choose to work with someone who isn't a full time agent - or are they not aware that real estate is not their agent's full time gig?

I'm complaining I know but it makes me a tad bitter when I end up feeling as though I am doing the work of the other agent, on top of my own.

Thankfully, thus far, this scenario has been an exception and not a rule but I hope it doesn't begin happening more and more often as agents leave the business but are allowed to hang their license somewhere 'part time'. I don't allow part time agents in my office and think it's a conflict of interest for agents to have other jobs at the same time they are attempting to service their real estate clients.