Sandy Prenger

I agree Steve! Unfortunately it is the same problem found in every single profession out there! No matter what field you are in or what service professional you are looking for some graduate at the top and some slide by. Three years ago I sought the help of an ENT surgeon to remove a cyst that ended up comming back - I recently had it removed again by a different surgeon who explained to me why it came back and what was not done that should have been done! A relative of mine just basically wasted a lot of money on a lawyer that "specialized" in bankruptsy only to find out from the next lawyer she had to hire that most of what she had been through could have been avoided had the first lawyer done certain things. My point here is that I think there is only so much an industry can do to educate and train people -- it is up to the individual as to what to make of their education and training, how to apply it and improve on it by seeking continued education and experienced training opportunities. So where does that leave the consumer? How do we know which one is the best one to pick? Many times I have asked friends and collegues to recommend someone, other times I have used the internet to research. In your case, it sounds like you picked the agent who gave you the highest valuation on your home, instead of qualifying them by their track record of conversion ratio, days on the market and advanced education of a GRI and CRS degree. Agents that have invested the time, money and worked for the success of these programs are the educational equivalent of a Masters degree or Doctorate. Earning a real estate license in two weeks by attending class and passing a test is the equivalent of Graduating from High School. So the Real Estate Industry has stepped up in training, unfortunately the general public has not become aware that there is a difference. - Fri Jan 9, 2009