Why Realtors are so Low on the Professional List

I just read an article in which Realtors were ranked with other professionals.  As a profession we came in dead last.  I can tell you why we do.

1)Brokers want large numbers of sales people and they will take almost anyone into their sales' force.

2)In Minnesota it does take some time and money to get licensed but it is nothing like other professions.

3)Brokers do not watch dog their sales force.  They wait for a complaint and then take action.

4)There really is not a probation period when you join a real estate firm.  Once you are licensed you can hold an open house, take buyers around, list a house, and carry on your business as your desire.

5)The test you take for the state has little to do with selling  a house.  There is not one question on the test as to styles of houses, how long a roof lasts, how to measure a room, or how much is appropriate earnest money.

6)There are part time agents that do not work that often in the field of real estate.

7)Brokers are more interested in hiring an agent based on who they know and not what they know.

A person who is a fast talker with lots of personality is often told to go into sales.  If that were to be true as to how successful they would be then, a person who likes to cut meat and wear a white mask would make a good surgeon.  I just don't understand how you can determine who will be good in real estate by just having them sit across your desk.  I feel a broker should see the agent out in the field before they take them into their office.  I feel managers should review the listings we take as to if we are doing a correct job of representing the house.  Training an agent one on one would mean you have a sales force that meets a standard. Oh, I forgot Realtors are independent contractors and therefore brokers should let them do their own thing.

Parents are very selective of the teachers for their children, but those same parents will let their son's basketball coach lest their largest financial investment, their house, because he is a nice guy. Then the parents get unhappy with the coach/Realtor and say all Realtors are bad.  There is a reason why this career is on the bottom.  That means the career is there and not all of us.  I pride myself on being a very good Realtor.