The vast majority of real estate agents are exemplary professionals – considerate, punctual, and a genuine pleasure to collaborate with. They are the backbone of a successful transaction, guiding clients through what can be one of life’s most significant decisions. However, as is true in any fast-paced industry, a small percentage of individuals sometimes operate in ways that can be frustrating, inefficient, or even unprofessional for their colleagues. These are the “pet peeves” that seasoned agents encounter, hindering seamless cooperation and, at times, impacting the client experience.

Navigating the Real Estate Landscape: Common Pet Peeves Among Agents and How to Elevate Professionalism

Understanding and addressing these common frustrations is key to fostering a more efficient, respectful, and ultimately, more successful real estate environment for everyone involved. By shining a light on these issues, we aim to encourage better practices and stronger professional relationships. Jennifer McIntosh, a distinguished real estate agent with eXp Realty in Calgary and the passionate owner of The Big Pink Chair Real Estate, candidly shares some of her primary annoyances when interacting with fellow agents:

• Communication Breakdown: The Text-Only Approach. “Agents who refuse to engage in a phone conversation when navigating a complex offer, relying solely on texting or emailing. While digital communication has its place, crucial details and nuances can easily be ‘lost in translation’ when not discussed verbally. A quick call can often clarify more in minutes than a lengthy email chain.” This often leads to unnecessary back-and-forth, potential misunderstandings, and a slower negotiation process, ultimately impacting both sets of clients.
• Disregard for Health Protocols: A Modern Concern. “Individuals who fail to adhere to established health and safety protocols, such as not wearing masks when mandated in homes or exceeding visitor limits during showings. This isn’t just about professional courtesy; it’s about ensuring the safety and well-being of sellers, buyers, and fellow agents, especially in health-sensitive times.” Compliance with these guidelines reflects a fundamental respect for others and property.
• Delegating Showings: A Question of Commitment. “When agents instruct their own clients to directly contact the selling Realtor to arrange a showing because they claim to be too busy. This practice not only shifts an agent’s core responsibility but can also place undue burden and confusion on clients and listing agents alike. It raises questions about an agent’s availability and dedication to their buyers.”
• Adversarial Negotiation Tactics: The Counterproductive Approach. “Agents who believe that every negotiation must be an adversarial battle. Experience teaches that a collaborative, ‘win-win’ approach, often described as catching ‘more bees with honey,’ leads to smoother transactions and better outcomes for all parties involved. Aggression can often create unnecessary tension and jeopardize a deal.”
• The Case of the Missing Keychain: A Small Detail, A Big Problem. “It’s incredibly frustrating when showing a home, and the key in the lockbox lacks a keychain. It seems minor, but a bare key is ‘CRAZY EASY TO LOSE.’ It can slip through porch cracks or get misplaced, forcing the need to hire a locksmith, which is an unnecessary expense and inconvenience for the seller. And yes, this has indeed happened multiple times!”
• Intellectual Property Theft: Stolen Photography. “When professional photos you’ve invested in or painstakingly taken yourself are brazenly ‘stolen’ from a previous listing (e.g., an expired or terminated listing) and reused by another agent for their own purposes. This is a blatant disregard for intellectual property and professional ethics.” High-quality photography represents a significant investment of time and money, and its unauthorized use is a serious issue.

Expanding on the subject of listing visuals, a pervasive pet peeve among agents is the excessive or misleading use of photo editing. Many agents can recount an experience where a buyer expresses enthusiastic interest in an MLS listing, only for the actual property to bear little to no resemblance to the images online. Photoshopped to an absurd degree, these listings create false expectations and lead to wasted time for buyers and their agents. The frustration isn’t limited to images; equally irksome are property descriptions that are vague, hyperbolic, or simply inaccurate, failing to honestly represent the home’s true character and features.

Amber Jenings, the highly respected broker of record and owner of Peak Point Real Estate in Sauble Beach, Ontario, (the charming backdrop for my current Netflix obsession, Motel Makeover), shares anecdotes that perfectly illustrate some common agent frustrations. One particularly memorable call left her chuckling, though perhaps more from disbelief than amusement. “It absolutely triggers me,” Jenings recounts, “when agents from out-of-town call and genuinely ask if Sauble Beach actually has running water and electricity. (Insert hand slapping own face emoji here.) Good Lord.” Such questions underscore a profound lack of basic market research and an assumption that can be quite insulting to local professionals.

The Minefield of Offers and Showings: Respecting Time and Process

Incorrectly drafted offers represent a monumental source of annoyance for virtually every agent surveyed for this article. Jenings articulates this perfectly: “The sheer volume of offers I receive from other agents that are so poorly written is literally mind-blowing. It makes me question the effectiveness of the multiple-choice exams new registrants take. Back in my day, we actually had to formulate full, comprehensive answers on exams, not just haphazardly pick ‘C’.” Poorly written offers not only create legal risks and delays but also reflect poorly on the submitting agent’s professionalism and attention to detail. Equally frustrating are offers that go unacknowledged or ignored for extended periods, disrupting the momentum of a deal and creating undue stress for all parties.

Showings are another arena ripe with potential for frustration among agents. Punctuality and adherence to scheduled appointment times are paramount in a busy market. Being late for a showing, or worse, overstaying past the allotted time, creates a domino effect, causing subsequent appointments to be delayed and inconveniencing multiple agents and their clients. Even more egregious is the “no-show” scenario, where an agent fails to appear for a booked showing without providing any advance notice to the listing agent or anyone else involved. This demonstrates a blatant lack of respect for everyone’s valuable time and a disregard for professional courtesy.

Jenings highlights a particularly audacious pet peeve related to showings: “It genuinely triggers me when agents from out of town call to book a showing, then casually mention they’ll just provide their clients with the lockbox code because they can’t manage the three-hour drive this weekend. ‘Ya no, sorry bro,’ is my internal response. Is this an alternate universe? In what professional world are we empowering clients to view properties unattended, let alone providing lockbox codes to non-registrants? This practice is not only unprofessional but also fraught with immense safety and liability concerns that simply cannot be overlooked.”

MLS Listing Integrity: Accuracy, Timeliness, and Quality

The management of MLS listings is yet another deep well of frustration when it comes to the practices of fellow agents. A significant irritation is the failure to promptly update a listing’s status once a property has been sold. Agents sometimes lag on changing a listing to “sold” or even intentionally leave sold listings on their personal websites for months, hoping to generate new leads from inquiries. While this strategy might appear beneficial to the individual agent, it creates confusion for buyers, wastes the time of other agents showing unavailable properties, and undermines the overall integrity and accuracy of the market data. Transparency and efficiency in updating listings are crucial for a healthy real estate ecosystem.

Jenings also voices her exasperation regarding the quality of listing photography. “I truly ‘love’ (sarcasm intended) when I encounter pictures posted to MLS featuring dimly lit rooms, images that are literally upside down, or those where it’s glaringly obvious the agent has simply snapped a quick photo with their smartphone,” she states. “This level of unprofessionalism inadvertently, yet powerfully, underscores to the public the immense value and necessity of employing a professional Realtor who understands the importance of presentation and quality marketing.” High-quality visuals are paramount for attracting potential buyers and showcasing a property’s best features.

Behind the Scenes: Unspoken Frustrations Among Colleagues

Beyond the publicly shared frustrations, a number of agents were eager to share their pet peeves about other agents, albeit off the record. Their collective comments reveal deeper concerns about ethical conduct, client care, and fundamental business practices:

• The “Clueless” Agent: A Disadvantage to All. While it’s a small minority that casts a shadow, agents who are evidently inexperienced or “clueless” but refuse to seek guidance or mentorship do a disservice to everyone. Their mistakes can complicate transactions and negatively impact client perception of the industry as a whole.
• Money Over Clients: Misplaced Priorities. Agents who are solely fixated on maximizing their commission, showing little to no genuine concern for the best interests or needs of their clients. This short-sighted approach damages trust and reputation.
• Lack of Identification: Basic Professionalism. Agents who initiate phone calls without properly identifying themselves and their brokerage. This basic courtesy is essential for efficient communication and professional engagement.
• Hobbyist Mentality: Real Estate as a Side Gig. Agents who treat real estate more like a casual hobby than a serious business. They are frequently impossible to reach during typical business hours, often because they are attending to their primary “day jobs,” leading to significant delays and frustration for all parties.
• Unfounded Statements: Speaking Without Knowledge. Agents who confidently make statements or give advice on subjects they clearly have no expertise in. This can mislead clients and create significant problems down the line.
• The Echo Chamber: Never Returning Calls. Agents who consistently fail to return phone calls or respond to inquiries in a timely manner. This fundamental lapse in communication can bring transactions to a grinding halt and signifies a lack of respect.
• Poor Communication Skills: A Transactional Obstacle. Realtors who generally exhibit weak communication skills, whether in writing, verbally, or in follow-through. Clear and effective communication is the cornerstone of successful real estate.
• Unqualified Buyers: Wasted Efforts. Agents who submit offers to purchase without first properly qualifying their buyer. This wastes the time and effort of the listing agent, the seller, and potentially other interested buyers, as the offer is likely to fall through.

Boyd (Cowboyd) de La Boursodiere, a dynamic figure who serves as president of Cowboyd Realties in Montreal, vice-president of the West-Island Brokers Association in Montreal, and a real estate agent with Sun Realty in Naples, Florida, shares one of his chief annoyances with fellow agents: “It would genuinely trigger me when agents would call me about one of my listings, and their very first question, without any context, was, ‘Why is the price so high?'” This immediate challenge to the listing price, often without having seen the property or understood its value, can be incredibly irksome.

Cowboyd vividly recalls his response to such questions: “I would then calmly answer them, ‘Do you actually have a legitimate buyer for my property, or are you just calling to irk me?’ Inevitably, they would concede that they did indeed have a buyer. At that point, I would strategically pivot and inquire, ‘Why don’t you take a moment to consider the generous 3.5 percent commission you stand to earn on this sale?’ This usually prompted their follow-up, ‘How do you manage to work on only a half percent commission yourself?’ My straightforward answer would then be, ‘That’s not the case. My sellers are exceptionally generous and compensate me a full seven percent, not four percent, which is precisely why you are receiving 3.5 percent. Now, why don’t you simply allow your prospective buyers to decide for themselves whether they wish to visit the property or not? And following that, let them autonomously decide if they are inclined to make an offer?’ This direct approach often helps clarify expectations and refocus the conversation on the buyer’s interest rather than a premature challenge to pricing or commission structures.

Ultimately, these moments of frustration stem from a relatively small percentage of real estate agents who, perhaps unwittingly, seem to make it their life’s mission to annoy everyone else within the industry. While these interactions can certainly test one’s patience, it’s crucial for seasoned professionals to maintain perspective and not allow these minor irritations to derail an entire day. As the wise Cowboyd aptly advises: “Don’t let anybody irk you, nobody.” By focusing on professional conduct, clear communication, and mutual respect, the real estate community can continue to elevate its standards and ensure smoother, more positive experiences for agents and clients alike.