There is a suggestion that real estate agents are the “meat in the middle of the sandwich” and, as a broker or go between, that is inevitable . That they’re paid to represent the seller, but have a duty of care to the buyer. And, by the very structure of the industry, they’re put in a very difficult position to keep people happy.
This is true, sort of! With the parameters within which real estate agents operate, it cab be difficult to be seen to be always providing a totally top notch service to sellers (first and foremost, because they are our contracted client) and sellers (for whom we have a duty of care). However, it is not impossible, in my opinion, provided that there are adequate resources and a willingness to do so. With increasing downward pressures on agents fees and costs, it is inevitable that those resources become a scarcer commodity and service levels deteriorate as a consequence , fuelling an already evident perception (if not reality) that agents are not necessarily deserving of their fees. Again, it comes back to providing value, or adding sufficient value – no cost is excessive, provided that it can be seen to represent value. However, any progress is impossible without change, and that change must start with the mindset of the perpetrators!