For those of you who know me even a little bit, you have often heard me say, “I can’t STAND real estate agents” as I roll my eyes in utter disgust. Ugh… My life would be so much easier if it weren’t for so many of those “people” that have those “real estate licenses”. Yes. I can be quite the little ranter. Someone once called me down off of my soapbox long enough to tell me that I should call become a Renegade Realtor®. Pretty sure they were joking, but it DOES have a nice ring to it …
A couple days ago I read REALTOR MOST DESPISED – AN OPEN LETTER (an absolute MUST READ) where RE comrade (and fellow Genius) Realtor® Benn Rosales looks at the current real estate agent “situation” through the eyes of the public and makes some dead-on observations about the perception of Realtor®.
That post got me thinking, and those who know me, know that me=thinking is not always productive and often gets me into trouble. Well, this time it brought back some memories, as well as an itch that still needs to be scratched.
If you have read my “real estate rants” for any amount of time, then you probably read: Perception = Reality: Real Estate Agents Suck – in which I go off on the awful, yet well-deserved reputation that has followed real estate agents throughout the decades. (Funny thing, if you type “Real Estate Agents Suck” in to Google, a version of this post pops up as #1. I outrank an agent-hating FSBO. Gotta love that Google-Juice, there!?!)
Of course, I AM a real estate agent, a Realtor® in fact. Many of my BFF’s are in “the business”, too. (For those of you without the “luxury” of raising a teenager (lucky you) and having to learn the “code”… BFF= Best Friends Forever.) And, I completely stand behind what I wrote. But I also stand behind the small-but-growing population of RE agents that seem to “get it”. Maybe a “new wave” of agents will become the motivating force in the paradigm shift that NEEDS to take 
place in the world of real estate and rebuild a better reputation… a better business.
Now, I have found (over the past year) that many of the others who share my view are mostly here, in the Blogosphere – other real estate agents whose skins crawl at the current image propagated by a large chunk of “our” industry. (Is there a correlation between “those who blog” and “those who promote stereotype busting“? Hmmm … Maybe.)
Anyway, so now what?
What needs to happen now? We all know that things need to change. (I can say “we” because I know that there are not any of those “other” agents reading this.) What forces need to rise above the Blogosphere … enter into the real-world of real estate and hijack the current reputation and turn it into something that we can all be proud of? What are YOU actively doing to change OUR reputation?
Are YOU a Renegade Realtor®? … just wondering.
ines
October 23, 2007 at 3:39 am
Woooo Hoooo!! Pretty awesome Mariana! I can tell you that you are probably right about the blogging Realtors…..we’re a different breed.
I am a Renegade Realtor and will blog away until I have bloody fingers.
Mariana Wagner
October 23, 2007 at 3:54 am
A different breed indeed. Now, let’s go take over the world.
Todd Carpenter
October 23, 2007 at 3:59 am
It’s funny, because I’ve had so many RE agents and Loan officers ask me about blogging, and how they can get business through it. I’ve also had a relative handful ask me about blogging because of their advocacy of the industry. It’s the advocates who go on to blog.
The greatest thing about blogging is that it’s a affordable and effective marketing tool that only the “good guys” seem to have the creativity and thoughtfulness to implement.
Vicki Moore
October 23, 2007 at 4:11 am
You are awesome. I’m getting a feed right now.
Mariana Wagner
October 23, 2007 at 4:21 am
Hi Todd – You said it perfectly. The advocates ARE the ones out there blogging.
Hey Vicki, Thanks!
monika
October 23, 2007 at 10:37 am
Mariana…You ROCK! That original post took on a life of it’s own! LOL!
I’m one of those REALTORS whose skin crawls when I hear and see what some other agents do. Change happens but it sure does seem to going slowly!
Lovely
October 23, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Did someone say “Renegade”?? I’m in 🙂
Carey
October 23, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Mariana congratulations on being a genius!
Part of the reason your skin crawls when dealing with the “other” agent is because they do not know who they work for. It has become so much about getting a check (especially in this market) and not so much about doing what is best for the client. I love it when I get a new agent or a discounter(who only gets part of the cooperating compenstaion) making offers on my listings. I know I can beat them into submission because it is only about the bens for them. The referrals keep rolling in when you know who you work for and communicate that through action and words to the client.
Benn Rosales
October 23, 2007 at 1:49 pm
haha Mariana, what a kick ass post, and a kick ass way to kick off your contribution to agent genius- absolutely fantastic! I heart renegades.
Mariana
October 23, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Monika- HEY THERE! I just hope that at some point some critical mass is obtained and the current slow-go turns into a hurricane of action.
Lovely – OF COURSE you are in! Duh.
Carey- You hit the nail on the head: Are you working for your client? Or are you working for the Benjamins? It makes all the difference in the world.
Benn- Wow! Thanks! Your recent post really re-fanned that fire that I have in my head about this issue. I *heart* renegades, too!
Bonnie Erickson
October 24, 2007 at 1:54 am
Hmmmm. Out of the box, into blogging, like quality, look out for the client instead of me? Sounds pretty revolutionary to me! Quality, professional, REAL? Has anyone thought about putting the REAL back into REALTOR? If all of that makes me a renegade, then I’m in, too!
Mariana - Springs Realty Scoop
October 24, 2007 at 3:36 am
Putting the REAL back into REALTOR… I like that.
Nicole Mills
November 1, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Geez, I’m so glad I’ve started hanging out here! Great Post, Mariana!
I found AG through Bloodhound (I think, anyway…the memory isn’t what it used to be), and I have to say that AG is definitely more my speed. Bloodhound is wise & worldly, but doesn’t quite feel like home to me. If there’s room for one more Renegade…
Toby & Sadie
December 17, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I love it! Renegade REALTOR®! I think I am one and didn’t even know it. Wait till I tell my wife 🙂
Mariana
December 18, 2007 at 10:04 am
I think it should be an official NAR Designation: Renegade Realtor…
Lesley
September 26, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I am a complete renegade realtor! After this post I am ready to leather up and kick some bad realtor butt!