WHat are your favorite and least favorite aspects about dealing with a real estate agent?  If you never have what do you expect!

I hate everything about them.

Mike Z. says:

Least Favorite:  When they pretend to ask a sincere question on the internet but are really just trolling for clients.
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+1

Especially when they are SO sleazy they include their corporate URL as their Yelp nickname in trolling for clients.

Sideways, there are always exceptions and I would grant you that exception.

This is hilarious!  I am not trying to get new clients.  I was just curious.  Settle down now.

I love your name!  In my family we call each sibling - Donkey Lips!

They are overpaid for doing very little work. Most people can find their own homes and comparables online now. The only thing they do is get the door open when a lockbox is on the door, show up for an inspection, and fax the offers to the sellers. Another thing they do is create artificial, unregulated bidding wars to drive up prices and pressure people into deals benefitting the agents more than buyers and sellers. For this 10 or 12 hours of total work they will make a tidy sum of 25k each on the sale of a 1MM beater bay area SFH because it is in a "good school district".

They are definitely a lovely bunch.

In San Francisco the school district does not matter.  SF public school is on a lottery system.  You pick your top seven choices and pray to your god your child gets picked for one!

Yeah...SF is even worse. Those parasites.

^ John, You have to remember that there are usually TWO agents working a transaction and one of them represent the seller. And although you can submit and offer to purchase at these under priced home, there is absolutely no requirement to accept.

Bunch of vultures.

Almost as bad as Scientologists.

Most of them are crooks... if you find a good one, or have a friend who is one, hold on to them!

I like Redfin.  They rebate a portion of the commission, I got excellent service, and they weren't smarmy.

While there are some good ones...most of the ones I've had contact with in my 10+ years in the mortgage business, have been dumb assholes that just want to get their paycheck for the least amount of work.

^John,
I think you got the concept of Dual Agency incorrect. Dual agency is when the agent represents BOTH the buyer and the seller.