I love the responses of I'll only really give you the service you ask for if you sign an exclusive agreement. They actually want you to think they will work harder after they have a written guarantee and your stuck with them. Let me sign right up?
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Jared, in many states buyer's agency agreements (and preapproval letters) are s.o.p. You seem to think that everythig is done the way YOU want it to be done, but it isn't. You're going to have to deal with that.

You should check out jclist, kannekt, or one of the other Jersey City oriented community discussion boards. There are tons of people's experiences and opinions on there. What it really comes down to is trust and who you sort of click with.

I did have a less than stellar experience with Weichert, however, but every agent will certainly connect with you differently.

I love the responses of I'll only really give you the service you ask for if you sign an exclusive agreement. They actually want you to think they will work harder after they have a written guarantee and your stuck with them. Let me sign right up?

Every service professional will give you the service that you need and appreciate. I learned long ago that to get good service I needed to ask for it and say thank you after it was received. The tone of the relationship is a two way street.
I think J's problem stems from his belief that we have very little value. The tone of this post resonated distaste. If you are the professional that he describes in the postscript and contact him, what would you expect from him? Do you think he would apreciate the time and effort you've put in to get the knowledge that you bring, would he thank you for sending him the property that would be ideal for him? He asks for and can't get an acceptable answer to very basic questions! He's probably asking in the same tone as this post.
J, there are far more good agents in the millions of Realtors out there than bad ones. The skill level runs the gamut. Just as there are more good clients out there than bad ones. There is nothiing wrong with high expectations. If you expect great service and communicate that correctly you can get great service, but only as long as you appreciate it.

IN MANY INSTANCES we can never please a client... if you work positively in concert with your real estate agent I am assured you will have solutions to all of your questions resolved. Good luck http://www.lynn911.com

Read all these responses, they're good! But find an agent you can work with and stick with them. Look for some one that is an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), that person has been trained to work with buyers. Ask any agent what on going training they've had...NJ is the only state that does not require real estate licensees to update their education!

Seems like you have had some tough luck.

I find it real hard to find good buyers. Seems to me that some just email 40 realtors and ask to see properties, then they tell you they want to see homes worth 400,000.. they say they want to put down 100k on the house.. you take them all over the place, find a house and then they tell you that they actually want to spend 310,000 and they say ( I love this part) I was watching TV and they said that given the current market I should offer 100k under asking price, so lets do that.. even though we supply comps that the properties are still selling for 390k... and oh yes, I really only want to put down $5,000 and I want the seller to pay my closing cost.

it goes both ways.. so hit or miss.

Hi J, my recommendation is that you make your expecations clear to the agent you are working with and measure them accordingly. If the agent measures up, reward them with your loyalty. Engaging with multiple agents just dilutes the process - if you are only giving the agent a partial picture of your interests for instance then it is more than likely that there effort will reflect an incomplete view.

I'm always amazed at how few people ask for references - and then fewer still actually follow up and talk with them. Do both, and specifically ask about performance expectations you have.

The benefit of good Buyer's Agent is tremendous - in guiding you through the Buying Process, assisting wht the search, analyzing pricing and market dynamics, negotiating price and terms, and keep the deal on track for a successful close.

In sum, be clear about your expectations and find an agent that best meets them. Provide feedback, information and loyalty so that your agent can/will do the very best job for you. It doesn't sound to me as though you have found your agent yet, keep looking.

Find a good one and stick with 'em.

Best,
Jeannie Feenick
Weichert Realtors
Search and connect at http://www.feenick.com

J,

Can it be that you are just bouncing around from agent to agent but haven't decided to commit to work with just one of them? Keep in mind that we meet plenty of buyers at open houses, on the internet, during floor time calls, etc. and we send them information requested and we never hear back from them and they never turn into being a client. In essence, not get paid for any time expended. Should you choose to work with one agent and commit your loyality to that agent, I am sure that agent should provide you with the services you are seeking. Your demands in an agent do not seem irrational -- they are what what we do each and every for our buyer clients. I don't ask my buyers to sign a Buyer's Agreement instead I meet with them, we discuss their needs, we may see a few properties and then at the end, I ask them if they feel comfortable working with me (not everyone is a perfect fit). If they say yes, all I ask them for is their loyality. My buyers never need to call another agent on a sign, go into an open house not knowing of the property, see a property online and not already know the details, etc. I can honestly say that I am my buyers single source for property information.

With all that being said, if you've decided to work with an agent and they cannot provide you what you are requesting, then you do need to find an agent that does. Your expectations are what us realtors do every day but perhaps you are looking in the wrong place for an agent. Get a few referrals from friends. Interview them -- tell them your expectations. Quiz them on the market - you've been looking so you know what's out there - ask them - see if they are as knowledgeable about the market as you most likely are at this time.

I'm not in your area but if you would like a referral for an agent in your area, contact me directly and I can provide you with an agent in that area. Please note that any agent who provides a referral to another agent, will be paid at referral fee at the time of closing from the broker (at no cost to you). [disclosure]

Good luck.

Gina Chirico, Sales Associate/Realtor
Prudential NJ Properties
973-715-1158 cell
973-239-7700 ext 132
GinaChirico@PruNewJersey.com

Hi J;

Don't know why you keep on finding those Realtors. I know a lot of good Realtors that do much more than that, and they continue to get referrals and clients who come back to them.

I am sure you are not the ones I sometimes see at open houses, who basically said they like me but asked if I would give discounts (their first criteria), and when I said, no, they said they'd look for another agent who would. Two of those came back to me later and are extremely happy with what I did for them and I am getting referrals from them. .

Ask for some referrals from your friends/relatives/colleagues. Interview them with a set of criteria in mind and find the best realtor to represent you, make sure you convey your expectation to them and hold them up to it (although for a good realtor, you should not need to do that).

Sylvia

It sounds like you are speaking with realtors at random. Realtors provide professional advice and opinions to clients. A client is someone who has entered into an agency agreement with me. Until we have an agency agreement, the law prefers that realtors do not share their professional advice and opinions. As for the objective data you are requesting, this requires research, time, work. Besides being conscientious of operating within the law, I prefer to be paid for the work I do. So, if you want a Realtor to work for you, find one who will enter into an agency agreement with you. Most will tell you how they work, what to expect from them, and what they expect from their clients before signing an agreement with you. There are rights and responsibilities on both sides of agency.

J, it sounds as though you may have run into a less than competent, or relatively inexperienced Realtor. There are many that will provide you with all of the information that you seek, but like any important relationship, the first, second, and sometimes even third encounter won't always produce the right fit. Keep talking with people- when you find someone willing and able to provide all of the answers you seek, your experience will be much more efficient. Good luck- they're out there.

It seems to me that the only thing Realtors do is to perform an MLS search, Email you the list of available properties and then show you the ones you like to see.
That’s it!

JR: That's it? I've been working too hard.
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They can’t tell you how much the other properties on the block are worth, can’t tell you the previous sales price of that particular property, can’t educate you about flood damage in the area, and sometimes can’t even manage to show you the right apartment in the building.
JR: Sure they can. Now your're just trying to flame.

I've been selling in 07302 since 1994. I regularly answer questions like the ones you pose for my clients. I do not volunteer such information to non-clients . I'll be happy to forward information to you about how I work if you contact me directly.

Joan Prout, MBA
Broker Associate
RE/MAX Villa REALTORS
Jersey City, NJ
mailto:Joan@JoanProut.com
800-671-0596x1

J,

You aren't expecting too much, you just haven't found the right realtors. Keep looking friend, their are many fantastic agents that will be able to do everything you ask and more. I would recommend calling the broker of a couple of local firms, explain your experiences and have them make a recommendation. You might also ask some friends and family for a referral. After all is said and done, pick three and interview each one of them. You'll come up with a good agent, I assure you. I hope that helps

Cameron Piper