How often has it happened that you try to communicate with someone and they simply ignore you? Frustrating, right? Similarly, it could be annoying when your real estate agent does not return your phone calls, text, or emails. Imagine you are on the verge of closing a deal with a potential client and your agent does not turn up! You would potentially lose the deal. But why do realtors not respond?
Let's understand the probable reasons why your realtor won't respond and how to handle communication issues with the agent.
Reasons Why Your Realtor Won't Respond
If you have been trying to communicate with your real estate agent and they do not respond, there might be several reasons behind it.
1. They have too many things on their plate: Most newbie agents have difficulty juggling all their responsibilities. This is true for independent realtors who are running a one-man army. And responding to clients’ calls and messages may not be at the top of their priority list.
2. The call ends up at the brokerage office: If your real estate agent works with a brokerage firm, all client communication may be directed via the office. In most cases, they do not want to have their cell phones ringing constantly and would rather prefer working with clients on the field. In such cases, they may take until the next day to respond to your messages. But if you have a responsive agent, you may expect a call back at the earliest.
3. The realtor is busy working with other clients: If your real estate agent has been busy showing properties to other clients, they may not return your calls timely. Wait and see if they take out time from their busy schedule and get back to you.
4. You are too nagging: According to a WAV Group study, more than 48% of buyer inquiries on brokerage websites like Realtor.com, Zillow.com, and Trulia.com are never responded to. And having a “nagging” client is perhaps one of the reasons behind this. If you call too often or try to communicate with your listing agent beyond business hours, they might ignore your calls. It is important to maintain professionalism when working with a real estate agent.
5. You have a bad agent: Harsh but true, there are real estate agents who simply do not care about their clients. If you are working with any such realtor, a lack of communication might be a big problem. You may not be able to reach out to them when you need to.
What Should You Do if Your Real Estate Agent Ignores Your Calls and Messages?
The real estate market is highly competitive today. Some properties on sale get attractive offers from potential buyers as soon as the listing goes live. If your realtor is not accessible at the right time or isn’t working in your best interests, it is a red flag.
Here are a few tips on what you should do if your agent is unresponsive.
1. Send reminders: If your agent is not returning calls, make sure you send them reminders before you give up on them. There might be genuine reasons why they did not respond. So, try to understand from their perspective and send reminders. Use different forms of communication such as phone calls, text messages, voice mails, or even emails. Persistent communication from your end will persuade the realtor to take you more seriously.
2. Communicate first if you are considering working with another agent: If your realtor is ignoring you despite sending frequent reminders, send them polite messages indicating that you aren’t going to wait forever. Set a deadline to seek their response by that time. This may catch their attention and they may get back to you.
3. Get another real estate agent: If all your efforts to communicate with your realtor fail, you might consider finding a trusted one. In case you have already signed a buyer’s or seller’s representation contract with the agent, get in touch with their brokerage firm and seek termination of the agreement. If you have not signed any contract, get a reliable and licensed agent.
Is Your Agent Ignoring Your Calls? What Does it Mean?
Quite a few times in the real estate buying or selling process, you would wonder why do realtors not respond. Top-notch realtors mostly do not get the time to respond to clients' calls and messages. You are not the only client they are dealing with.
Additionally, more than half of all real estate inquiries are made outside of business hours. If you are one of them and your realtor does not have an automated response system, you should give them adequate time to respond the next day.
But on the other hand, ensure that your agent is being honest and transparent with you. Some instances where they might ignore you are as below:
- They have altered the value of the property that they disclosed earlier
- They may have a lucrative offer from another client and waiting to hear from them
- They are working not in your best interests, but for the seller
How to Avoid Communication Problems with Your Realtor?
Did you know that 87% of real estate agencies fail within 5 years of their commencement? And poor communication is one of the primary reasons behind this. If you want to avoid communication issues with your agent in the long run, keep these factors in mind.
- Talk to three or more potential realtors to understand how much importance they give to communication. Are they available round-the-clock or should you contact them only at a specific time? What form of communication do they prefer?
- From the beginning, be specific about what you want. This will help limit your need to communicate frequently.
- Keep the lines of communication open and make sure they also follow the same principle.
- Maintain track of all communications with your realtor. It will help in case you need to escalate a problem.
How Quickly Should Your Realtor Respond to Your Communication?
How responsive the agent should be will vary from person to person and their work style. In most cases, you can expect them to answer your call right away if they are not busy with another client. If they do not respond to your phone or email, wait until a few hours or by the end of the day. In case you contact them in the wee hours, do not expect a response right away. They will probably get in touch with you in the next business hour.
The Final Thoughts
If your real estate agent fails to communicate with you only occasionally, it may not be a red flag. In such cases, try to understand their perspective and be patient. But if they deliberately do not respond to your communication, you should take a call. If possible, meet them face-to-face to discuss the problem. If they do not turn up, look for another realtor who aligns with your expectations. Where required, you may also get legal help.
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