When a Sellers Market Breeds Laziness
In today’s sellers’ market, it has become increasingly clear that some sales agents are becoming complacent. With properties selling quickly and competition among buyers fierce, the level of service and professionalism from certain agents has noticeably declined.
Too often now, we are seeing agents schedule just one open home, usually on a Saturday, and refuse to offer any flexibility for genuine buyers or buyers agents who cannot attend that specific time. There seems to be little willingness to accommodate serious, qualified buyers who may have unavoidable diary clashes.
This lack of flexibility is more than inconvenient, it is short-sighted. While agents may still achieve a sale, sellers could be missing out on a better offer, better contract conditions, or a more qualified buyer purely because their agent was unwilling to put in a small amount of additional effort.
When an agent relies solely on the strength of the market instead of their own professionalism and initiative, it can cost their client, the seller, both financially and strategically. A strong market should never be an excuse for lazy practices.
For buyers, and for buyers agents representing them, this behaviour creates unnecessary barriers. When agents are unwilling to facilitate reasonable inspection opportunities, buyers are missing out on properties that could have been ideal. In some cases, buyers are even resorting to purchasing sight unseen. A risky move that can lead to regret.
To those agents who refuse to arrange inspections outside of a single open home, understand that professionalism matters, even in a sellers’ market. As a buyers agent, I will always walk away from a property if I am not permitted to personally inspect it. My clients deserve informed advice based on firsthand experience, not guesswork.
And to sellers, it is worth remembering: if your agent is not willing to put in the work to show your property to serious, qualified buyers, you may not be getting the best possible outcome.
