Stop Asking Me to Do Your Job

I built my business by working, not by passing the buck

One day, I got a message from a Toronto agent looking for showing help with a client in Hamilton. She didn’t want to make the drive because, according to her, “the traffic will be insane (there was an event that weekend) and I don’t want to drive to Hamilton.” This was a client she had committed to working with, but when a minor inconvenience like traffic popped up, suddenly she wanted another agent to open doors for her.

She got my number from another agent and said she’d pay me a flat fee for my time. But here’s the thing: my time isn’t for sale. I make more per hour running my business, not playing Uber for someone who should be handling their own clients.

I’m always here to collaborate with colleagues and help where I can, but this was a punch in the face. If you don’t want to drive? Refer the business. If you’re too busy to serve your clients? Refer the business. The industry is full of agents who want full commission with minimal effort, and quite frankly, it’s embarrassing.

Lazy Agent Behaviours That Need to Stop

This kind of attitude isn’t just about avoiding traffic - it’s a pattern among certain agents who cut corners while expecting top dollar. Here are some of the worst offenders, in my experience:

The “Can You Open a Door for Me?” Agent

If you’re too busy to show a property, you’re too busy to work with that client, or you’re lazy. Period. If you don’t have time to physically serve your buyers, refer them to someone who will. Asking another agent to step in and handle showings like an errand service is not only unprofessional but also an insult to those of us who take the job seriously.

The “Throw It on MLS and Wait” Listing Agent

You know the type. They take a few bad photos (still on an iPhone 6, somehow), slap the listing on MLS with zero marketing strategy, and then sit back waiting for buyers to magically appear.

• No professional photos.

• No staging advice.

• No social media or targeted ads.

• Just vibes.

Then, when the property sits stale, they blame the market instead of their lack of effort. Oftentimes I’m scrounging to find information that can be entered on the listing easily by the listing agent, but alas, another instance of me, a competent agent, doing the work of a lazy dumbass.

The “Never Answers Their Phone” Agent

Imagine this: A buyer agent calls to book a showing or ask a question about a listing. Crickets. No response. Hours go by. Maybe days.

These agents exist in every market, and they’re the reason deals fall apart. If you can’t pick up your phone, return a call, or at the very least reply to a text in a reasonable timeframe, then what exactly are you doing? This leaves me no resort - I end up chasing them. If you don’t reply, I’m calling your Broker of Record. This again leaves me pulling unnecessary weight.

The “Favours” Agent

This is the agent who expects me to quarterback the entire transaction - their role begins and ends with getting a signature.

• “What do we do now?” (You mean, what you should be doing now?)

• “Where do I send the deposit?” (Did you even read the instructions?)

• “Do we need to waive conditions?” (Yes.)

I am not your transaction coordinator. I’m all for helping out an inexperienced agent but I’m not here to do your job for you. If you don’t know how to handle something, maybe ask a mentor, your broker, or literally anyone not actively involved in the deal.

Case in point: a cooperating agent once had to send me a waiver for conditions, but instead of doing her job, she had the audacity to ask me to write it for her AND send it to her clients to sign—because she was at a party.

Respectfully? Absolutely not.

Meanwhile, I can’t count the number of times I’ve been crouched in a dark corner at an event, glued to my phone, frantically chasing signatures because, unlike some people, I actually take my business seriously. If I can find the time to get things done, you can too. Or better yet, at least pretend to care. Hardworking and competent agents have all been there, at a concert, on a date, putting kids to bed - yet we still make the deal happen because we’re committed. This means you have to sacrifice your joy for 30 mins. You can handle it. My joy has been sacrificed since I got my real estate license.

The “Ghosting” Agent: When Emails Disappear Into the Void

Last year, I spent weeks helping a cherished client secure a lease in Oakville. Lease applications take time - gathering financials, writing cover letters, ensuring every detail is airtight. It’s a high-stakes process for tenants who just want a fair shot at housing. My clients were so organized and streamlined - they prepared all documents for me to send easily.

I submitted dozens of applications, carefully crafted, professionally presented… and yet, many of them went completely unacknowledged. No response, no confirmation of receipt - just radio silence with my client’s sensitive personal information sitting in an agent’s inbox like an afterthought. Disgraceful.

Here’s the thing: if you list a property, you have a duty to respond. Even if the application isn’t accepted, acknowledging receipt is the bare minimum. Not replying is not just lazy, it’s outright negligent.

The “ghosting” agent is the one who:

• Lists properties but doesn’t check their email (or worse, ignores it).

• Fails to update colleagues on offer deadlines, multiple bids, or next steps.

• Leaves clients in limbo, waiting for news that never comes.

This is how good agents get burned out and clients lose trust in the system. It takes two seconds to respond with, "Thanks for your application, we’ll be in touch soon," yet some agents act like email is a one-way street.

If you can’t handle the responsibility of communicating like a professional, then maybe listing properties isn’t for you. Ghosting is for bad dates, not real estate transactions.

The “Can You Show My Buyer?” Agent

Ah, the classic move, an agent calls you up and casually drops, “Hey, any chance you could bring my buyer through your listing?” Translation: “I don’t feel like doing my job today.”

Let me get this straight - you’ve got a buyer who is interested in my listing, and instead of booking the showing and doing the work you were hired to do, you want me to step in and handle it for you? Not only does this blur the lines of proper representation, but it’s also just plain unprofessional.

If you can’t make the time for your own client, refer them to someone who will. If you’re double-booked, send a colleague from your brokerage. If you just don’t feel like it, that’s a you problem, not mine.

Meanwhile, I’ve been out here hustling, marketing the property, managing showings, negotiating offers, making calls, and now I’m supposed to take on your job too?

Being an agent isn’t just about collecting a commission, it’s about showing up and doing the work. If you’re not willing to do that, why are you even here? Some agents will argue that sometimes this is what needs to be done to get your listing sold. Unfortunately, I agree, but it’s still not right.

The “Offer Night is at 7pm… Just Kidding” Agent

Nothing like chatting with the listing agent, preparing a strong offer for your buyer, following all the listing instructions… only to find out the seller accepted an offer.

Have the decency to communicate when things change. Some of us are out here actually playing by the rules. In Ontario, real estate professionals are legally obligated to handle offers with transparency and integrity. Failing to communicate the registration of offers not only breaches this duty but can also lead to significant disciplinary actions. Maintaining open and honest communication regarding offer registrations is not just a professional courtesy, it's a legal requirement designed to uphold the integrity of Ontario's real estate market.

Do the Work or Get Left Behind

Real estate isn’t a passive income stream, a weekend side hustle, or a profession where you can just coast and collect commissions. Yet, time and time again, I see agents outsourcing their responsibilities, dodging basic duties, and expecting others to pick up the slack.

From the ones who won’t drive to show their own clients a home, to those who ghost emails or ignore registered offers, —the industry is evolving, and lazy agents are getting exposed.

So if you don’t want to do the work? That’s fine. Just have the decency to refer the business to someone who will. Send referrals to madelyn@madelyntownes.com