So I called an agent about a rental...

[Hector]

My LL isn't willing to budge much on rent, so I called about a house down the road. Little history on this property in Kent up on the hill:

2500 SF / 4 Bed / 2.5 Bath
Built 2007 - Sold for $373,269
Re-sold immediately as a lease option
1/23/2009: Sold at auction for $230,561
Vacant since January, zero work done.
Currently advertised at $1,750 for rent or $315k to buy

While talking to the agent he mentions a lease option. I have no interest, but was curious to hear what he had to say. He explains to me how it works, what a good deal it is, and that the option to buy after a year will be $325k.

Of course at that point I ask him how he arrived at that number. He replies simply "Because it's value is going up!" (very positively, even scooping the "uuuUPP!"). I had to end the conversation at that point...

No offense to the agents here, but some of your peers are sounding more and more like car salesman and brokerage rep's.

[ira s]

You know, Hector, real estate agents sounding like used car salesmen is nothing new. I experienced it house shopping 20+ years ago, and I hear it all the time from some other agents..All we need is the checkered blazer.
..When I took the "Real Estate Sales Practices" class, one section was devoted to " countering objections", like when a clients says he can't afford a particular house. I figure that when a person says he can't afford a particular house it's because he can't afford a particular house, so I might suggest looking for a less expensive house, or looking in a neighboring area where houses are less expensive area, or waiting until prices drop further, or only seek out those homes that appear to be well under market value...
How can "countering the objection" that a client can't afford a particular home while at he same time looking out for that client's best interest co-exist? It can't, and it's one of the reasons that agents have some culpability in the implosion of the economy.