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Brendan Wong
Agents should not be worried by attempts from their competitors to poach their clients, according to one agent.
Responding to Real Estate Business' story on the issue last week, sales manager and auctioneer at AMG Real Estate Vasco Horta said he had no problem with such actions.
“I totally believe that if I’m doing the right thing, my clients will keep me,” he said. “I just don’t fear it. I just don’t understand it. If I miss out on a listing, I congratulate the person for making a decision.”
While he did not engage in the practice, Mr Horta said agents had the right to do so.
“It’s like why shouldn’t your competitors advertise to your clients in the form of direct mail, a door knock, a phone call? Why shouldn’t they be allowed to do that? Of course they should be able to do that," he said.
“It’s up to your client, they’re the ones who have freedom of choice for who they use. Just because you’ve signed an agreement and that gives you security for a period of time, doesn’t stop other agents talking to them."
He explained that those who targeted their competitors’ clients were only making themselves look unprofessional.
CEO of Real Estate Plus Group Milton Rendell told Real Estate Business that attempts to target opposition listings were expected in the current competitive age.
“I’ve been in real estate for 25 years, and 25 years ago there were unwritten rules that you couldn’t go behind signs and you couldn’t door knock and that sort of stuff," he said.
He said the practice was being encouraged by some of the major franchise groups.
“It’s part of their training now. They educate them and supply them with letters on how to follow them up," he said.
Mr Rendell said it was an issue that would continue to persist in the industry.
“The ACCC doesn't like the fact we have exclusive agencies as they see that as anti-competitive, so we have no real course to change this," he said.
However, he added that while it was difficult to deal with, it was only a problem for agents who did not have a strong relationship with their owners.
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