Hello! Newb Here...

[JeffsSS]

I'm a big fan of the GS400, trying to get myself into one.

I never thought i'd go import but alas i need a 4 dr car to cart people around in since my new profession is real estate.

gotta have something with power and class since all i drive is 2 dr sports cars.. can't give up acceleration.. :whistles: :)

[99lsguy]

Real Estate..............

Man, you need an LS................

[denslexusgx470]

I'm a big fan of the GS400, trying to get myself into one.

I never thought i'd go import but alas i need a 4 dr car to cart people around in since my new profession is real estate.

gotta have something with power and class since all i drive is 2 dr sports cars.. can't give up acceleration..  :whistles:  :)

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Man, if ur a realtor, u shouldn't use a luxury car to escort clients to show properties. It just gives them an idea someday to file a lawsuit if there's a small loophole in the contract, cuz they know you've got the $$$

[ArmyofOne]

I'm a big fan of the GS400, trying to get myself into one.

I never thought i'd go import but alas i need a 4 dr car to cart people around in since my new profession is real estate.

gotta have something with power and class since all i drive is 2 dr sports cars.. can't give up acceleration.. :whistles:  :)

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Man, if ur a realtor, u shouldn't use a luxury car to escort clients to show properties. It just gives them an idea someday to file a lawsuit if there's a small loophole in the contract, cuz they know you've got the $$$

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drive a nice car, but nottoo nice. my GF uses a Honda Accord V6 w/ leather to do her showings...already has 220K on it...and its a 2000!

[denslexusgx470]

Man, if ur a realtor, u shouldn't use a luxury car to escort clients to show properties. It just gives them an idea someday to file a lawsuit if there's a small loophole in the contract, cuz they know you've got the $$$

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drive a nice car, but nottoo nice. my GF uses a Honda Accord V6 w/ leather to do her showings...already has 220K on it...and its a 2000!

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yeah, that's what i meant. you can drive a nice fully loaded car/van/suv, but nothing in the luxury level of BMW/Lexus/Benz/Jag/Land Rover/etc.

[bartkat]

Would you buy a house from some seediy looing dude in a Yugo? I'd prefer someone who look successful.

[denslexusgx470]

Would you buy a house from some seediy looing dude in a Yugo?  I'd prefer someone who look successful.

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see, what some of you don't understand (no offense) is that the realtors have to take some precautions with clients, especially if they meet the clients at an open house or at a floor call. Now if ur dealing with a long time friend, yes u can use a Lexus or luxury car. But if it's someone u just meet at a open house, or picked up from a floor call, take precautions!

people always try to find loopholes to file a lawsuit against realtors. My dad's a realtor and he never uses a Lexus in the business. WHY? well a good friend of my dad is also a realtor, gave my dad a precaution about how clients are and that we shouldn't be driving luxury cars when showing properties.

and let's put it this way, the top agent in my dad's office, who earns more than what a doctor earns in a year, drives a PRIUS! seeing him in a prius, would u think he was making a lot of $$$? NO!

[blake918]

Den, I know what you are saying. My aunt is a very successful sales rep for her company, but she still drives her 95 Maxima w/ 175k for her appointments. She says that if clients see you pull up in a Lexus, Jag, BWM, they will think you are so well off that whether or not you get their bussiness doesn't really make a difference. Makes sense! She saves the '05 LS430 for the weekends. B)

Welcome Jeff! ;) I've driven my neighbor's '01 GS430, and what an awesome car!!!! :D She flies and has excellent brakes!

[ArmyofOne]

Den, I know what you are saying. My aunt is a very successful sales rep for her company, but she still drives her 95 Maxima w/ 175k for her appointments. She says that if clients see you pull up in a Lexus, Jag, BWM, they will think you are so well off that whether or not you get their bussiness doesn't really make a difference. Makes sense! She saves the '05 LS430 for the weekends.  B)

Welcome Jeff! ;)  I've driven my neighbor's '01 GS430, and what an awesome car!!!!  :D  She flies and has excellent brakes!

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heh, my GF took my Lex today fo ra showing...that was funny!

[SW03ES]

I disagree, I'm in sales and my father has been in sales for 30 years and he is the top of his field. While you don't want to appear "rich" as if you make TOO much money you do want to be successful. People like to do business with successful individuals. A Lexus, a Cadillac, or a Lincoln is really the perfect car for sales because its an expensive car, comfortable for your clients, but its not austentacious or showy like a BMW or a Mercedes or something of that nature.

My business is doing well and is taking up less and less of my time and I'm considering getting my real estate license and selling some properties while I'm not working on my business. I've had meetings with several of the big brokers in the area and they all drive things like Cadillac Devilles, Lincoln Town Cars, Lexus LS' etc. Real estate isn't a business for Brioni suits and S600s, but a Hart Shaffner and Marx and a Lexus are well suited to it, IMHO. If you're afraid of looking successful to your clients you shouldn't be in sales. Sales is all about confidence.

Of course it also has to do with your area and the types of clients that you're going to be coming in contact with. If you're in a less affluent area thats one thing, but people around here don't want to be shuffled around in a Maxima with 175,000 miles on it.

As for lawsuits, real estate sales does include risk that most people don't realize, its actually fairly similar to being a doctor. BUT, you don't see doctors pretending to be poor to keep from having their patients sue them. Doctors have malpractice insurance, realtors have errors and omissions insurance to protect them. Whats important is your skills as a salesperson, the ability to size people up and know how to act around you. A doctor, his wife and his little girl sally in pigtails shopping for a million dollar house in Potomac isn't going to sue you over something frivilous just because you drive a Lexus, but that guy with the leather jacket who'se not too friendly and is looking for a condo in Silver Spring might. Personally? I just wouldn't do business with people that rub me that way. I know if I were shopping for a house, I'd be plain more comfortable being driven around all day for several weekends in a large car, like a Town Car or an LS that rides well and is comfortable.

Welcome to the site!

[MikeP]

Most potential customers are looking for a solid, trouble-free product that has value, whether it's real estate or a widget. In my opinion, a sales rep who drives a Lexus shows he/she understands and appreciates those qualities. I think Lexus is a perfect car, plus its reliability will ensure it won't be in the shop when a customer calls.

Mike

[SW03ES]

Exactly.

Not all companies feel that way though, my dad sells commercial printing paper and he has a customer ( a printing company) that didn't allow their sales reps to drive luxury cars until recently when they changed that policy). Its really two schools of thought and its up to the individual salesperson which one they subscribe to. Personally I don't want customers to buy my product because they think I NEED the sale or that I'm starving or that they feel sorry for me, I want them to buy my product because its the best and I'm the best at what I do, and I am, and they do ;)

There are plenty of ways to protect yourself as a realtor from lawsuits that don't involve pretending to be poor, keeping good records, offering home warranties and home inspections, having legal documents checked by lawyers to avoid loopholes and keeping everything in writing. If a customer declines something, they decline it in writing. That paired with good E&O coverage will protect you from underhanded lawsuits, Lexus or no Lexus.

[denslexusgx470]

Den, I know what you are saying. My aunt is a very successful sales rep for her company, but she still drives her 95 Maxima w/ 175k for her appointments. She says that if clients see you pull up in a Lexus, Jag, BWM, they will think you are so well off that whether or not you get their bussiness doesn't really make a difference. Makes sense! She saves the '05 LS430 for the weekends.  B)

Welcome Jeff! ;)  I've driven my neighbor's '01 GS430, and what an awesome car!!!!  :D  She flies and has excellent brakes!

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exactly my point! well i guess it's "my fault" on this. We're dealing with Filipino's (cuz i'm Filipino, duh! B) ) and if u really understand what a Filipino would really love in life, is cars. Yes, they get really jealous when they see other people, or ESPECIALLY OTHER FILIPINOs driving a nice car, they want one too. Now in real estate, since dealing with Filipinos, they try to find loopholes in the contract.

there was this one client, had a credit score of the lower 500s (very bad! ) and only had one loan package. Now the 17 days of loan contingency was removed, the appraisal hasn't arrived yet. Came back on the 18th day, bank DISAPPROVED the property. Now she couldn't find another loan package with the same payments. It was like, this is it or never thingy. Now she couldn't get out of the countract. THEN SHE WAS MENTIONING ABOUT A LAWSUIT, including the realtors, which was uneccesary becuz it was the loan people's fault. But it turned out to be ok in the end.

This person, if u met in the beginning, wouldn't appear to be aggressive. the other day we had a loaner, used that to show her another house, SHE NOTICED (in a jealous way)! <_<

that's what i mean about now driving in a luxury car. What is appropriate is a new van with leather seats and everything, expedition (most realtors in the office use), suburbans (quite a few also), or a toyota avalon (which the top agent of the area and our office was using before, now uses a new PRIUS! imagine that downsizing! ;) )

[SW03ES]

there was this one client, had a credit score of the lower 500s (very bad! ) and only had one loan package. Now the 17 days of loan contingency was removed, the appraisal hasn't arrived yet. Came back on the 18th day, bank DISAPPROVED the property. Now she couldn't find another loan package with the same payments. It was like, this is it or never thingy. Now she couldn't get out of the countract. THEN SHE WAS MENTIONING ABOUT A LAWSUIT, including the realtors, which was uneccesary becuz it was the loan people's fault. But it turned out to be ok in the end.

This person, if u met in the beginning, wouldn't appear to be aggressive. the other day we had a loaner, used that to show her another house, SHE NOTICED (in a jealous way)!

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Why would you and your dad do business with this person? Thats why most of the brokers and realtors around here I've been talking to do pre-qualification before they even start talking to clients so that they can make sure that their time and the client's time won't be wasted. If she had filed a lawsuit it would have been the failure to do pre-qualification and carefully choose your clients that caused it, not whatyou drove. I was told to refuse to do business with anyone without at least high tier two credit score (680 or so) because of the difficulty in getting a loan and the nature of the person (irresponsible, spending outside their means, etc) in question.

[denslexusgx470]

there was this one client, had a credit score of the lower 500s (very bad! ) and only had one loan package. Now the 17 days of loan contingency was removed, the appraisal hasn't arrived yet. Came back on the 18th day, bank DISAPPROVED the property. Now she couldn't find another loan package with the same payments. It was like, this is it or never thingy. Now she couldn't get out of the countract. THEN SHE WAS MENTIONING ABOUT A LAWSUIT, including the realtors, which was uneccesary becuz it was the loan people's fault. But it turned out to be ok in the end.

This person, if u met in the beginning, wouldn't appear to be aggressive. the other day we had a loaner, used that to show her another house, SHE NOTICED (in a jealous way)!

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Why would you and your dad do business with this person? Thats why most of the brokers and realtors around here I've been talking to do pre-qualification before they even start talking to clients so that they can make sure that their time and the client's time won't be wasted. If she had filed a lawsuit it would have been the failure to do pre-qualification and carefully choose your clients that caused it, not whatyou drove. I was told to refuse to do business with anyone without at least high tier two credit score (680 or so) because of the difficulty in getting a loan and the nature of the person (irresponsible, spending outside their means, etc) in question.

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well here's the thing, we had the loan of the lady done here in our office (since it's the #1 in the central valley of california ) so we have a loan company, title company, insurance company, several branches, heck even a store in our office. So we had here pre-qual here at the office. The loan lady said that she's good, has a good score, and is a-ok to continue the offer. Now as i mentioned that the appraisal didn't come within the 17 days, she was screwed. the seller, of course, didn't want to back out. now here's the thing (which we didn't know, not even our manager knew), the loan lady who was doing it RESIGNED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONTRACT, and ditched the whole thing! now we had the loan company's manager peek at the file, turned out that the credit score, as i mentioned, was around lower 500s, and only had 1 LOAN PACKAGE AVAILABLE AT THAT SCORE FOR THE KIND OF PAYMENTS THE CLIENT WANTED. and that's how the whole mess turned about.

although it was the loan lady's fault, still makes me wanna stay "low profile" as much as possible!

[denslexusgx470]

guess what SW03ES, I may sound like a dumb-a** doing thios, but I'm doing business with that lady with the score of 500, but NOW she is aware of the 17 day loan contingency, or 20 as we have agreed, and if she does file a lawsuit (becuz her new loan company sux.) , my manager told me that the lawsuit will only be applied and valid against the loan company handling it, since it wasn't done here in our office this time.

[SW03ES]

But thats an extreme set of circumstances, again I don't see how driving a cheaper car would keep someone like that from filing a lawsuit. It may make you feel better about it but I doubt it actually makes it any less likely. If a person has a low 500s credit score and is jealous of what kind of car you drive they're just not worth doing business with in the first place. Anyways, if you have E&O coverage who cares? Let he file her lawsuit.

Personally I feel a Lexus is about as low profile as you get in the "real" luxury car game, hence why its well suited for sales. Plus, most people don't care enough about cars to even notice what you're driving. You sit a typical person in a totally loaded Avalon or an LS I doubt they would know the difference, or even care.

[denslexusgx470]

But thats an extreme set of circumstances, again I don't see how driving a cheaper car would keep someone like that from filing a lawsuit. It may make you feel better about it but I doubt it actually makes it any less likely. If a person has a low 500s credit score and is jealous of what kind of car you drive they're just not worth doing business with in the first place. Anyways, if you have E&O coverage who cares? Let he file her lawsuit.

Personally I feel a Lexus is about as low profile as you get in the "real" luxury car game, hence why its well suited for sales. Plus, most people don't care enough about cars to even notice what you're driving. You sit a typical person in a totally loaded Avalon or an LS I doubt they would know the difference, or even care.

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actually, i got the idea from a very successful realtor who's been in the business for 15 years ( a friend of mine) who said that realtors shouldn't show off their cars as much as possible becuz u do appear "rich" and if they are really mischievous people, oh boy, and besides, the top guy here in central cal is driving a new PRIUS! (earns more than what a doctor earns in a year, remember that!) ;)

well all in all, i guess it's really up to the person themselves what they feel like. Use a Lexus (if it's ur only car) but i strongly suggest buying a new big car w/o the luxury name! ;) food for thought

[SW03ES]

I just don't understand why, especially when E&O coverage will take care of any lawsuits that may be filed against you, especially if they're frivilous. As long as you don't do anything wrong, let the people file their lawsuits and let your insurance handle it. Thats what doctors do. Doctors don't worry about keeping a low profile to keep from being sued for malpractice, they just make sure they do a good job and keep their malpractice insurance paid up to take care of any losers that might try and rip them off. Why worry about it? Drive whatever you want.

Maybe its just different where you are vs where I am, but central CA I don't see how.

My guess is whats gained in the appearance of being successful outweighs any risk of people being out to get that wealth. In the end I'm sure its the quality of the service your provide and the skill with which you provide it that makes you successful, not what you drive. That may be that one realtor's philosphy but to say that driving a luxury car WILL get you sued is a little extreme IMHO.

[blake918]

If you're afraid of looking successful to your clients you shouldn't be in sales. Sales is all about confidence.

Of course it also has to do with your area and the types of clients that you're going to be coming in contact with. If you're in a less affluent area thats one thing, but people around here don't want to be shuffled around in a Maxima with 175,000 miles on it.

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It's about looking too successful-seeking pity is hardly the idea here; I'll start critiquing her sales methodology when I can pay cash for a new LS430 and live in an affluent neighborhood when I'm 35. Her Maxima is in superb condition; it's not in the condition that you are imagining.

In the end I'm sure its the quality of the service your provide and the skill with which you provide it that makes you successful, not what you drive. 

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Precisely!!! :D

[SW03ES]

It's about looking too successful-seeking pity is hardly the idea here; I'll start critiquing her sales methodology when I can pay cash for a new LS430 and live in an affluent neighborhood when I'm 35. Her Maxima is in superb condition; it's not in the condition that you are imagining.

I still wouldn't drive customers around in a Maxima, even a brand new one, unless I had no other choice.

I totally agree about looking "too" successful. People like doing business with successful people but not neccisarily people who appear to be more successful than they are. Thats why I feel the Lexus is well suited to sales, its very comfortable and smooth riding, is expensive but not TOO expensive and it isn't flashy or concieted like an MB, Benz, Jag etc. My dad drives a new LS430 too, he's in sales and drives his customers around in it, he could have paid for it cash but his company actually bought it for him. I'll start critiquing him when I can do the same also ;)

Like I said before, I'm sure it makes a difference the area in which you live. For instance you might not want to take people to see $150,000 homes in a $65,000 car, that may make them uncomfortable but I can't imagine the kind of people that buy homes here, $500,000 on the low end all the way up to 2Million being put off because their realtor, whom they know makes a 3-6% comission off of these properties, drives a $65,000 car. Odds are they have something similar, or could afford one if they wanted it.

No doubt that your aunt is successful, but would she be just as successful driving her new LS430 to work and driving customers around in it? Probably, especially now that she's established. I remember when my dad got his forst LS400 in 1998, I took it to have something done at the dealer and I found a business card in it that said "Great car! I'm gonna have to raise my rates!" when I asked him he said it was from a merchant that he buys from who had parked next to it when they met for lunch. He was concerned that he would get problems from his customers about driving such an expensive (And foreign, he had a Cadillac before) car, but he didn't. The same question bodes for my dad, would he be as successful as he is if he drove a Maxima? Again probably.

So, in the grand scheme of things does it REALLY matter, thats all I'm saying. Drive whatever makes you feel successful. For me, driving the expensive car, having the nice suits, and being able to buy the things and do the things I want to do with my family are what make me feel successful. The more successful I feel, the more successful I am.

[denslexusgx470]

OH one thing, did i ever mention, I am a very meticulous guy, and those clients, when they get in ur car, don't care whether their shoes hit the sidings, and they slam the doors too hard!!!

That is one of my main concerns in this also. A lot of em liked the loaner though! (and they slammed the doors on the loaners too, OUCH!) B)

[93lexuses]

I never even thought about a real-estate agent getting sued. I don't understand people. <_< Are you saying that they can sue you if they can't get a loan or is it cause of the contract? Oh man this is so weird. I guess there is more to it then i thought.

[ArmyofOne]

OH one thing, did i ever mention, I am a very meticulous guy, and those clients, when they get in ur car, don't care whether their shoes hit the sidings, and they slam the doors too hard!!!  

That is one of my main concerns in this also. A lot of em liked the loaner though! (and they slammed the doors on the loaners too, OUCH!) B)

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i hate it when peopl;e do that crap, it drives me nuts, especially cause i have frameless glass, i can just picture my glas shattering when the door is slamed *SHUDDERS*

[SW03ES]

I hate it too, but thats just part of having other people ride in your car. The doors aren't a big deal and they make covers for the door sills lol

Jill- Get this, even TRAVEL AGENTS more and more are taking our errors and omissions insurance because they're being sued, lots of people sued their travel agents because they got sick on cruise ships for instance.