Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
- Business Insider asked real-estate agents around the country about what it’s really like working in their industry.
- We asked agents to tell us about the worst parts of their jobs.
- Several agents said managing clients’ unrealistic expectations was the worst part, while others mentioned dealing with the frustration of getting "ghosted" by clients and having to be available 24/7.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Many real-estate agents may love their jobs, but in any career, there are certain parts that are less than ideal.
Business Insider asked real-estate agents around the country about what it’s really like working in their industry, including the worst parts of their jobs.
Several agents said managing clients’ unrealistic expectations was the worst part, while others mentioned dealing with the frustration of getting "ghosted" by clients and having to be available 24/7.
Here are 13 of the worst things about working in real estate, according to 17 agents.
1. Clients with unrealistic expectations
REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
Eric Goldie, an agent at Compass who sells $1 million to $5 million homes in New York City, said the worst part of his job is dealing with clients with unrealistic expectations.
"50% of my job is managing expectations," Goldie said. "When a client wants a two bed/two bath for under $2,000,000 downtown, it’s not fun breaking the news to them that they are actually in a market for a 1 bed/1 bath in their price point."
2. The endless emails and paperwork
Robert Alexander/Getty Images
Brian K. Lewis, an agent at Compass who sells $2 million to $10 million homes in New York City, said responding to emails has become one of the worst parts of his job.
"Although I pride myself in solid, good, and accurate communication, and although I love technology, emails have become very burdensome," Lewis told Business Insider. "I spend so much time on emails — time that would be better spent with people and the building of relationships — time that would be better spent marketing for my clients."
Gill Chowdhury of Warburg Realty said it’s the paperwork that gets to him.
"I hate paperwork," Chowdhury said.
3. The inconsistent income
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Noemi Bitterman of Warburg Realty, who deals with homes in Manhattan and Brooklyn with prices between $500,000 and $1.75 million, said the worst part of her job is the lack of a steady income.
"Some months are great and some are not, and the volatility can be hard to budget around," Bitterman said.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- One of the most expensive homes for sale in the Hamptons got a $30 million price cut. Take a look at the massive estate that’s been on the market for almost 2 years.
- I toured a $39.5 million triplex penthouse in an iconic NYC building that’s beloved by celebs and musicians. From the futuristic lobby to the Elon Musk-inspired study, it was unlike anything I had ever seen.
- Meet Mohammed bin Salman, the 33-year-old crown prince of Saudi Arabia, who is at the center of human rights issues and drops hundreds of millions of his family’s fortune on yachts, mansions and paintings
SEE ALSO: 13 easy things you can do to increase the value of your home, according to real-estate agents
DON’T MISS: 10 things real-estate agents wish they could tell you — but won’t
Source: Business Insider – kwarren@businessinsider.com (Katie Warren)