They both perform major surgery on people's............... wallets.

Gene. Thank you very much for your kind words. I appreciate it. I agree with your post and I am glad to see there are people out there who understand our business although they are not real estate agents themselves. Thank you again for your post.

Well said Gene...I agree completely.

This is a great topic. You're right--It certainly isn't the educational requirements--But what counts in real estate is experience. Especially in a tough market, longevity and experience are worth quite a bit to a seller or buyer.

As far as the comparison to doctors, I know nothing about medicine. I also know nothing about dry cleaning, tv repair or working on the engine of a yacht. I do know how to change my oil, but I let the dealer do it. For many people buying or selling a home is probably the largest financial endeavor they'll undertake. Even if I weren't an agent, I would recommend finding a professional to look after me in such an endeavor. I suppose some doctors are less experienced or skilled than others, and I like mine because he knows what he's doing. I'd want that same quality in a Realtor. Or dry cleaner.

Brent
Thank you very much for posting this question!
My experience has been that the barriers to entry are very low for real estate. Recently in California we have increased the requirements somewhat, so I agree with you, it is completely unrealistic to compare the education requirements for a doctor to a real estate agents.

OTOH, as a rule, agents are not well-trained nor educated in the craft. Those of us fortunate to make it through four or five years actually attain a level of competence. Working with a brokerage that focuses on lifelong learning enables us to work in an atmosphere where we exchange information, work collaboratively, and strive to offer our clients an exceptional level of service.

So the big issue that most agents have is that the public thinks that we are all the same. The most common question I get is "Why should I hire you? You all say the same thing?"

We are challenged in conveying to the public the value that we do bring to the transaction. As a Doctor, the value is created by society. To be a Doctor takes a lot of study, time, and education. For a Realtor to be successful, the same applies, but most Realtors quit before they reach a similar level of competence.

Realtors that use comparisons to Doctors or CPAs are trying to convey that they are professionals and bring value to a transaction. How many of your patients ask you for a kick back? How many ask you to work for free, then pay their bill to someone else?

Brent, I appreciate your question. We should all strive to operate at the level that doctors do, however the schooling we have available is much different. As my dad said, "experience is the best teacher, however most prefer to be self taught".

What the heck? Just as I submitted my comment, one of my admired realtors, Ute in Sacramento, just posted her response. Way to go Ute.

Tesa: You may not have "heard" of a realtor alluding to their profession as Dr Brent describes it; but if you "read" Trulia, I have to agree with him. These statements are self serving and are made by certain agents to justify their service. There are many...if not most...agents who do not need to compare themselves to other professions--they are professionals in their own right. They don't have to justify their services to either buyer, seller or to the public in general because they are good in what they do. But my suspicions are that there is a fringe element of agents who are barely surviving who have to somehow compare, justify, or elevate what they do to other professions to justify their existence. Yes...the forlorn Dead Agent Walking. Now, before you claim that I do not have the highest regard for the real estate profession either -- my wife worked for Coldwell Banker Realty for years until she retired. Our closest friend is still an agent. My dear cousin and his daughter are all agents. I have the highest respect for them as they conduct their business honestly, professionally, and with personal integrity. They don't have to defend what they do nor do they compare themselves to other professions. If a client won't use a realtor's services, then fine...it's their money, their business, their success and their failure. Life goes on. Please don't take this as a personal rebuke; it is aimed at those agents that do claim a kinship with doctors and attorneys. Why don't they ever compare themselves to car salesmen? or Insurance salemen/women? Why does it always have to be doctors and attornies? Now there are some agents who I consider very knowledgeable based on their responses to questions on trulia; realtors such as Bill Eckler of FL, Don Tepper of Fairfax, Tony Depasquale of Nv and Ute Ferdig of CA. There are many others I admire and none of them have to compare themselves to others or to apologize for their profession.

Hello Brent. Thank you for your question. I see the comparison all the time and I don't think it has anything to do with real estate professionals thinking that they are equal to medical doctors or lawyers. As you mentioned, your patients don't ask you to justify why they need you and as such you don't have to compare yourself to any other profession. There are only so many service professions out there and I think that the comparisons are solely used to get a point across. Sometimes, you just have to go over the top to make people understand. I venture to say that medical doctors have patients that come in with all the knowledge that they obtained on the Internet and they think they know what they are talking about when they really know nothing. Then there are some that might be registered nurses that have some qualifications but just not quite enough to perform surgery on their own. Well in real estate we have highly educated buyers and sellers and some have a pretty good grasp of what's involved in real estate. Then we have those who think they know and others who know they need assistance. Most people want to own a house and they can either try it on their own or hire an agent to buy or sell and some feel that they don't have choice in the matter. They don't seem to feel that way about medical doctors because their health is at stake.

I'd encourage anybody who thinks they can handle a real estate transaction on their own to do it. Just don't hire me and then resent that I get paid or expect me to justify my existence. If you don't think you need me, don't hire me. It's as simple as that.

I think we get tired of answering the same question over and over and it's unfortunate that we have to use the comparison to get the point across. It's not meant as an insult to doctors or other professionals who undoubtedly have to fulfill more challenging educational requirements. I am also a licensed CA attorney and I don't take offense to real estate agents using the comparison to get the point across. Maybe, I am not offended because I am also a real estate agent and I understand the challenges. Walk in our shoes for a while and maybe you too will understand.

I personally don't use the comparison myself. I don't spend a lot of time convincing people that they need to use a real estate agent as there are plenty of people out there who can see the benefits of using a professional when they make such a large purchase or sell one of their biggest assets. It does not take a brain surgeon or rocket scientist to figure out that there are benefits and everybody needs to decide for themselves whether they have the necessary do-it-yourself know-how.

I actually have a real estate agent I work with who is great. He's sold my homes in the past and is great when I buy. He never has onced compared his line of work with mine. And this board is filled with realtors asking "would you perform surgery one yourself" or "would you go into court representing yourself?" If you look around on here, you'll be hard pressed NOT to find what I'm talking about.

Personally, I've never heard a REALTOR compare themselves to a doctor...but a home is typically the largest investment the average person makes. If you are comfortable and feel you know your market conditions and the ins and outs of real estate contracts, many folks can get through a real estate transaction on their own. Studies indicate however, that a high percentage of FSBO's do not close escrow. Why not use a professional to handle what is likely to be your largest asset? Our job is to make the process as easy and as stressfree for you as possible. We have experience with lending issues, title issues, buyer qualifications, inspections and time restraints, disclosures, etc... The choice is yours, of course. Obviously you do not have the highest regard for what we do...however, a highly trained and experienced professional, in any field, can make all the difference. Good luck.