To learn more about why real estate agents have such a bleak reputation amongst home renters and buyers, we reached out to an experienced realtor and the founder of Sunshine Real Estate, Tanya Lechner. 

With over 97 transactions in her pocket, she guides sellers in the burdensome process of house buying and selling and makes sure they get the most money for their investment. 

Lechner tells us that the main reason why so many clients have a negative experience with realtors is the low barrier to entry, which allows almost any person to get a license. 

“That means there are a ton of realtors with little experience, which leaves buyers and sellers with a bad experience when they work with the wrong real estate agent. There will always be money-hungry people, and that doesn’t help at all,” she explains.

According to Investopedia, becoming a real estate agent can take less than six months (with dedication and depending on where a person lives). The first step toward a license is to research the requirements needed to be eligible for this profession.

Next, the person must go through a pre-licensing course from an accredited real estate licensing school. In Florida, for example, it could take as little as 63 hours. After they complete it, they have to take a computerized, multi-choice licensing exam. If they fail, they have the opportunity to retake it. 

Once the exam is passed, it’s time to apply for the license. When it’s approved, the person can join a real estate brokerage where they’ll be supervised by a team leader. They may also consider becoming realtors by joining the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and subscribing to its strict Code of Ethics, which in turn provides them with extra benefits. Indeed, it sounds simple enough.

Since the barrier of entry is so low, many people come across inexperienced and incompetent real estate agents. The most common complaint they have, according to Lechner, is not putting enough effort into their job. “When I meet with sellers who haven’t been able to sell their home, they tell me the realtor didn’t do anything to get it sold. Some buyers feel like they did all the work looking for the right home, and the realtor just opened doors and got paid for that,” she says.

However, not all things people believe about realtors are true. “There is a perception that realtors get paid too much, but the truth is, we are working for free most of the time. If a seller's home doesn’t sell or a buyer changes their mind about buying a home, realtors don’t get paid. The only time we are paid is at the closing table after all the work has already been done,” Lechner explains.

She believes that the real estate industry can improve its reputation by “educating their clients on what all goes into the home buying and selling process. When expectations are set up front, then there won’t be animosity towards realtors and how much they get paid.”

She further explained, “I think the new rules going into effect on August 17th (no one will be able to tour homes without a representation agreement) will help eliminate the agents who cannot negotiate or explain to buyers why they are getting paid. That will help a lot of consumers if the industry gets thinned out. I would love to revolutionize the industry by teaching other agents how to effectively work with clients and educating them on what they are paying for.”