Is it true that Buyers Agents work harder than Listing Agents?

Question

Is it true that Buyers Agents work harder than Listing Agents? The Listing agent puts the property on the MLS and can get away with sitting around twirling their thumbs while buyers agents have a brunt of the work having to drive buyers around, orchestrate paperwork and inspection negotiate and so on.

Jay Hinrichs · Answer

no one drives buyers around anymore.. thats a thing of the way long ago past.

they will drive to the home to open it up for the buyer..

But a good buyers agent will have their buyer reeled in they wont just be led around by the nose ring..

Listing agents have to do all the paper work to list the property that takes a good hour or more according to my wife.. and as a top producer I can guarantee you she does not sit around twiddling her thumbs. Your earn it in this business and once you have some years in and your getting your business by referral like she does it does get easier at least on the marketing end she has not advertised in say 20 years all of her business just comes to her based on her quality of work with her clients. 2 years ago she was number one agent out of 600 HUNDRED agents and she does not have a team.. Its just her ..

Corby Goade · Answer

I don't think either work harder that the others on average. Listing agents do A LOT up front, buyer's agents do a lot to get a buyer under contract and help with due dilligence.

That being said, there are many, many agents on both sides who do very little, regardless of the situation. It's rough out there.

Tatum Littleton · Answer

Thats a fair question, James! To answer, I don’t think there is a definitive answer that one side has to work harder.

As a buyers agent, you need to know what the buyer is interested in and what their needs are. The real work does come in with driving around like you mentioned, maybe being creative and showing properties they may not have thought of, and articulating different ways to offer on a property, just to name a few items.

As a sellers agent, you do have significant work to do by putting up the property and doing open houses and talking with buyers agents giving them information. A lot of other work comes in when presenting offers and again articulating and helping the seller negotiate, again, only a few things that have to be done.

I think both need a great deal of people skills being able to deal with multiple different people with multiple different desires in the transaction and being able to balance all of that is hard work in of itself. Those are just a few points and I know many others have more thoughts as well! So, again, in my opinion, I don’t think there’s one right answer but am interested in hearing from others on what they have worked through as a buyer/seller agent.

Mike Dymski · Answer

It takes many years of work and experience to become a well known listing agent of choice at scale (and continued good execution to maintain it).

Lynn McGeein · Answer

The last few years, I've preferred listing agent. You work just as hard, but in a different way, less stress, and 90% sure you're actually going to get paid than as a recent buyer's agent. I used to prefer helping buyers, when you'd schedule a buyer to see a morning or days' worth of homes, lots of choices, maybe schedule a 2nd showing the next day for favorites, then negotiate an offer and be surprised with the occasional multiple bid. Even with the pickiest buyers who took some time, you at least weren't competing with 20+ other offers once you found the right one. Recently, buyer's agents have to jump immediately, each time a new listing hit, due to such limited inventory, huge competition, and listing agents not placing or honoring offer deadlines. So many buyers' agents scrambling to show, place offers, and lose out even with strong offers, just a total waste of time with no paycheck for all the many who didn't win the bid. While listings take a lot of effort, at least I could dictate the timing, place a deadline on offers (which I honored) and still have a life.  I couldn't do that recently any time I had a buyer, constantly dropping everything to scramble, show and write in case they present early (which they did frequently, even if they promised they'd honor a deadline). It's finally calming down with more listings on the market, and buyers settling down, no longer panicking and needing to jump the second one hits the market.

Ryan Dunn · Answer

I know some BAD agents would just get the listing and put it on the MLS and wait. They would not do anything and just collect the check for the sale. But i think it will get better and more competitve with the new rules.

Theresa Harris · Answer

I think it depends on the buyer.  Their agent can do as little as show them 1 or 2 houses if they communicate what they want and the agent is able to find it or show dozens of houses with no sale in the end.  For the seller's agent, I think the amount of work they have to do is more defined, but getting things ready for sale and helping organize inspections can take a lot of time.

Tatum Littleton · Answer

Sure, I mean it may lay it out nicely and compare both but I believe it is all relative in different markets at different times. Who's to say what "working hard" is exactly? Just hours worked I don't believe is the only indicator. Being able to explain things to their client? Being creative in finding properties they may be interested in? Being creative in marketing the property? Being able to work with different personalities. I think the list goes on to define and show "hard work".

Is it true that Buyers Agents work harder than Listing Agents?

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