Most real estate agents aren't very good at their jobs because almost nothing about getting the license requires them to be.

I've held that license for more than 20 years, so I get to say it.

Most real estate agents aren't very good because the license is easy to get, plenty of people treat the work as a side hustle, and the skills clients care about most are never required training. That shouldn't scare you, because you only hire one agent and you get to choose. A few direct questions will show you who has real expertise.

Years ago I had a website that asked if all real estate agents are idiots. We also ran a recruiting site that asked if you have to be a putz to be a Realtor. Both existed for the same reason. More often than not, the answer was yes.

We talked through all of this on an episode of DFW Real Estate Weekly. It sounds like bad news for anybody about to buy or sell a home in Dallas-Fort Worth. I'd argue it works in your favor.

Why Are So Many Real Estate Agents Bad at the Job?

The bar to get in is low, and nobody raises it once you're in.

The public sees real estate as a way to make $10,000 every now and then without much effort. A lot of people get licensed believing that. It frustrates me because the work is hard when done right, and the side-hustle crowd is who many buyers and sellers meet first.

Then there's training. In Texas, you can get a sales license or a broker's license without taking a single class on negotiation. The National Association of Realtors surveys consumers about why they hire agents, and negotiation lands at or near the top nearly every time. So people are paying for a skill most agents were never taught. I've written on why real estate negotiation matters and what it looks like when someone has studied it.

There are people running entire brokerages who have never had formal negotiation training. This is real.

That gap between what you expect and what the license guarantees is where average comes from.

What Do Most People Expect From a Real Estate Agent?

Most people expect things that are easy to see and worth very little.

When we ask why someone wants an agent, we hear some version of these.

  • Someone to open the door and get me into houses
  • Someone to find the house
  • A bulldog who gets me the best price
  • The neighborhood specialist everybody knows
  • A big brokerage brand behind them
  • A face I recognize from signs and mailers

I've covered why opening doors is the least valuable thing an agent does and why finding the house is the easy part of buying one. The neighborhood specialist, the big brand, and the familiar face all get their turn in my post on how to choose the right real estate agent.

Every item on that list is something an average agent can deliver. That's why average agents advertise them.

What Does an Average Agent Cost You?

An average agent costs you in the places you can't see.

What you can see usually looks fine. There's a sign in the yard, a nice photo, and a friendly person who has lived in the neighborhood for 32 years. The trouble shows up when our team is on the other side of the deal.

We make an offer on a listing and wonder why it was priced so badly. The counteroffer comes back on the wrong documentation. In conversation, the agent tells us things about their own client they never should have.

The client has no idea any of it happened. They liked their agent, and they still do. They paid for it in price, time, or leverage, and they'll never know how much.

Other agents notice, though. Your agent's reputation follows your offer into every deal.

Sellers get fooled in the other direction too. Across the whole market, a home that sells in a weekend was often priced too low. So when our team sells one in the first weekend at an all-time high price, some sellers assume we should have asked for more. We shouldn't have. Fast sales at high prices are what a good strategy produces, and it's rare enough that people don't recognize it when they get it.

Why Shouldn't That Scare You?

It shouldn't scare you because you don't hire the average. You hire one agent.

Think about needing a law firm. There are thousands of them out there, and most would be wrong for your case. You only need the right one. Nobody loses sleep over the firms they didn't hire.

Real estate works the same way. A crowded field of average agents makes the good ones easier to spot, because the good ones can answer questions the rest can't.

Average agents aren't hiding, either. They tell you who they are when they say they can help you buy, sell, rent, and handle commercial, residential, and land. That sounds like a lot of service. Stop for a second and ask what that person is world-class at.

How Do You Tell a Great Agent From an Average One?

Ask what they do that other agents don't, and notice how long it takes them to answer.

A few questions do most of the work.

  • What do you do that others don't?
  • What are you uniquely good at?
  • How can you help me in my situation?

A great agent talks about expertise, systems, process, specialization, and a proven track record. Some will even guarantee their results. An average agent talks about how long they've lived in the area and how many people know their name.

Watch for one more thing. A great agent will sometimes tell you no.

What Does the Todd Tramonte Home Selling Team Do Differently?

We train for the things you can't see, and we say so when we aren't the right fit.

Every agent here is full-time and fully dedicated, and each one works exclusively with either buyers or sellers. New agents go through a six-week, all-in, boot camp-style training, and the training continues for years after that. Negotiation comes up in nearly every team meeting. I've bought the Harvard negotiation courses, read Herb Cohen, and gone through Chris Voss's FBI negotiation material, and our agents get all of it.

Buyers work through our 13-point buyer program. Sellers get our seven-step proprietary marketing system.

We start by finding out what you need and what you want. If someone asks us to do something we don't believe is valuable for them, we tell them. We won't do whatever a person asks just to get their business. Sometimes that means saying we're not a fit, and that's okay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are most real estate agents bad at their jobs?

Most are average at best. The license is easy to get, many agents treat the work as a side hustle, and skills like negotiation aren't required training. Good agents exist at every kind of brokerage, and you can find one by asking better questions.

Do Texas real estate agents have to take negotiation training?

No. Texas doesn't require a negotiation course to get a sales or broker license. Any negotiation training an agent has is something they chose to pursue, so ask about it.

Is working with a real estate agent like what I see on HGTV?

No. I've been involved with a couple of HGTV shows, and a long process gets cut to 30 minutes with three houses and one big decision. A real purchase or sale has far more steps and far more places for an agent's skill to matter.

What should I ask a real estate agent before I hire one?

Ask what they do that other agents don't, what they're uniquely good at, and how they'd help in your specific situation. Clear answers about systems, training, and specialization are a good sign.

What does it mean if an agent says we're not a fit?

It usually means the agent is being honest about where their expertise helps and where it doesn't. An agent who will walk away from your business is more trustworthy than one who agrees to anything.

Interviewing Agents in Dallas-Fort Worth? Put Us on the List.

Call us before you sign with any agent.

In the first conversation, we'll ask what you need and what you're trying to accomplish, and we'll tell you plainly if we're a fit. It can be a phone call, a Zoom, or a sit-down in our office. If you come in, we'll show you how our systems work and introduce you to one of our full-time specialists.

We guarantee to sell your home over the average price and under the average time. We also guarantee to help you buy a home and save at least $5,000 throughout the purchase process. Our Over/Under System and our Buyer Advantage Program are what produce those results. More than 900 people have left us five-star reviews on Google.

To buy or sell a home in Dallas-Fort Worth with the Todd Tramonte Home Selling Team, visit DallasHomeRealty.com or call or text 214-216-2161.

You only hire one agent. Make it a good one.