The Key-Less (Clueless?) Realtor

There may be a good explanation why a full-time, professional Realtor doesn’t have a smart key . . . but I don’t know what it is.

For the uninitiated, a lockbox is how Buyers’ agents access an MLS-listed, “For Sale” property.

lockbox2While there are two kinds of lockboxes — electronic and manual — the former are more secure (and more expensive).

To access an electronic lockbox, Realtors (as well as home inspectors and appraisers) can either rent a small, electronic device, or, download (proprietary) software onto their smart phone, which they then have to update daily.

Cost of Doing Business

Surprise, surprise, both options require a subscription fee — about $300 a year (coming down, but still too high).

Which brings me back to the key-less Realtor.

Best guess?

He’s a part-timer, who’s trying to keep his overhead down.

Nothing wrong with that* — there are still some of those out there.

But, it’s not the job of the listing agent (representing the Seller) to help the Buyer’s agent do his job.

P.S.:  Full-time, professional Realtors do occasionally have smart key software glitches.

In that case, they can obtain an emergency password, or — failing that — borrow a colleague’s smart key.

*OK, I’ll admit that I have a negative association with part-time (vs. merely new and inexperienced) agents.

In fact, it’s two-fold:

One.  Serious Buyers are usually represented by serious (full-time) agents.  Which means un-serious Buyers often work with . . . ; and

Two.  What I’ll call the, “there’s never just one cockroach” theory.

Namely, a Realtor who hasn’t mastered such basic skills as accessing an electronic lockbox probably doesn’t know other things as well (like, which Addenda go with a Purchase Agreement — or how to fill them out).

Which sort of begs the question, “exactly how are they helping their client??”

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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