Is it rude to laugh at an agent?

**Stuart Brooks** · 10-10-2010, 04:31 PM

I had an agent call me on Friday, mid-day, and ask if I could inspect a house in an area about 35-45 minutes away on Saturday morning (next day). I didn't know the agent. I looked at my calendar and after a few seconds of hmming and clicking, I said SURE! I can do that. (Side bar- things are slow but you don't want to seem too eager)

I was getting information about the client and the home. I asked about the size of the home in finished square feet, the age, and if it had a basement or crawl space. She said it was about half in the ground and half out and 2500 SF. Skipping the brief discussion on the type of home, I told her the price for the inspection was $350.

I could hear her kind of suck in her breath. I asked her if that was more that she was expecting. Pause - a little hmming on her end. I asked, "How much were you expecting it to cost?" "two-fifty?", was her reply. Sorry, but I had to bust out laughing. I asked just who was going to inspect a house in that area with less than 24-hr notice for $250? I knew there were a few low-ballers in the area, but not that low. I told her I wasn't cutting the fee for my inspection and report and did she want to cancel out. I sent her to my web site.

Was it rude to laugh at her?
Never, mind.
Who gives a darn.

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**Markus Keller** · 10-10-2010, 05:07 PM

Rude, from a 'professional business practices' perspective probably. However, I'm no better. I can't help myself but laugh at agents and developers fairly regularly. The things they say or ask ... I can't even get mad because it's usually so ridiculous. If I were deaf, dumb and blind I'd probably still laugh at them.

**Nick Ostrowski** · 10-10-2010, 06:30 PM

This is one of the things that nice about being self-employed.....conventional business behavior may say it is unprofessional to laugh at foolish statements or requests but it sure makes you feel good to tell somebody what you really think and not bite your tongue.

**John Dirks Jr** · 10-10-2010, 07:22 PM

I never laugh a potential client or agent acting on behalf of a potential client. I do sense the pause when I quote my price sometimes. I take that as the prompt to state why I feel confident in what I do. I tell them to call around and I mention that they will probably find a lower quote. I mention that if cheap is what they want...I wish you luck and let them go.

Short notice is never a factor in my price quote. If I'm available, I'm available....that's all there is to it.

**Matt Fellman** · 10-10-2010, 09:31 PM

These days all bets are off..... This last week I drove 40 miles to do a 2200 sq ft house for 275... adding insult to injury they pulled a $20 coupon I have on my Google Places page.. ouch! $255!! Good news is it was a new house with a walk-in crawl and the buyer showed up at the end and was very easy. Even $255 buys a load of groceries and I wasn't doing anything else.

I have laughed at people though, so I can't fault you for that

I'm generally waaaaay more likely to make deals on new (or close to it) houses. The report writing time is just so minimal compared to old dumps.

Timothy M. Barr · 10-11-2010, 05:19 AM

Yes I laugh at some of them( agents). I have some that were used car salesman prior to selling houses. Same mentality, differnet items being sold. Just had one tell me that the radon level of 15 will change in a week or two. So that person didn't belive the test was good, and told the client that in front of me. They are human so we have to remember that

Nick J. Alati · 10-11-2010, 08:07 AM

It's a tough market for some of us, but others are doing fine. Over the weekend I was in a training class where the guy sitting in front of me said his average Inspection runs about $230, but he is performing about 9 inspections a week!

Would I have laughed at the agent, hopefully NOT! I would mention that we could perform a Property Condition Assessment instead of a Home Inspection, When they ask what is a Property Condition Assessment I explain that with this type of inspection we can limit the inspection to what the customer wants inspected and eliminate the areas that their not concerned about, like the Roof, Attic or Crawl Space! Of course they say “Oh no, I need the hole house Inspected” . Sometimes it works, most times Not, but it's like laughing at them and calling them cheap at the same time.

One other point, Why are the Agents so concerned about the price of a Home Inspection but still show 90 day FHA-Flip Houses to Single Ma's?

**Steve Reilly** · 10-11-2010, 10:30 AM

My nature is to laugh when things strike me funny. I like you would hold my price and if the agent persisted, ask her if she was discounting her commission.

I had an agent who had not used me before asked me to cut my rate 4 bedroom 2 bath unfinished basement foreclosure.I reluctantly agreed thinking this was an opportunity to get in with another agent. Flash forward to the inspection 5 bedrooms 4 baths and a full finished basement. The client left before I finished and yelled down stairs to me I left the check on the counter thank you. I was so mad when I finished I asked the agent how she could do this to me. The inspection should of been a lot higher. Her reaction oh we looked at so ,many houses I forgot which one they choose. OUCH and I have not received another referral from her, I guess she did not like being called out on her lie.

**Eric Barker** · 10-11-2010, 11:14 AM

I see no reason to be anything but professional with people - even though some people may not deserve such treatment. In my travels, people have tended to pass on bad experiences just as likely, if not more, than good ones.

As for being taken advantage of - I don't have a lot of tolerance for that. I've worked too hard to get where I am and I don't know very many other professional people who allow themselves to be railroaded into disadvantaged positions.