Heard a real estate agent say 'freelancers aren't serious' and it got me thinking

I was at a coffee shop in Austin last Tuesday and overheard two agents talking at the next table. One of them said he never hires freelance photographers or stagers because they 'don't have skin in the game' like a brokerage does. That stung because I've been freelancing for 3 years now and I take my work very seriously. I've done 50+ property shoots this year alone and I always show up early with backup gear. But I guess some people still see us as amateurs even when we deliver pro results. Has anyone else run into this kind of attitude from agents or brokers in your area? How do you handle getting dismissed like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

corap615d ago

Oh geez, that's rich coming from someone who probably outsources their social media to a teenager on Fiverr. I'd love to see that agent try to run a whole business on their own, paying their own taxes and health insurance, while still showing up on time with pro gear. The whole "skin in the game" line is just code for "I don't want to pay you what you're worth" if you ask me. You've done 50 shoots this year, that's more proof of commitment than most brokerages have with their own staff. Maybe next time you run into that guy, ask him how many listings he's closed this quarter and see how fast he changes the subject. Keep doing your thing, the serious agents will figure out who the pros are eventually.

maryr435d ago

@corap61 nailed it honestly. 50 shoots in a year is wild commitment, most agents I know barely hit 10. And the tax thing? Man, I spent a whole weekend just sorting my quarterly payments last year. People who never ran their own books don't get how much that stuff eats into your time. The ones who matter will see the difference between someone who shows up and someone who just talks.

adam4145d ago

Used to roll my eyes at people who talked about "skin in the game." Thought it was just another sales pitch. Then I had to eat my words. @corap61 straight up showed me the math once and I couldn't argue. Running your own books changes everything. The tax stuff alone is a nightmare most people never see. Same deal in my line of work. Customers want to lowball you until they watch you climb a tree in a thunderstorm. Then it clicks. You see the difference between someone who talks and someone who actually shows up.