After 26 years in real estate, I’ve met just about every type of agent imaginable.
The truly incredible ones.
The ones who disappear the moment things get difficult.
The ones who insert themselves into every conversation like they’re auditioning for a reality show.
The “motivational speaker” agents who somehow turn every sentence into “Let’s gooooo!” or “We’re getting this to the closing table!” like they’re coaching a football team instead of helping people through one of the largest financial decisions of their lives.
And then there are the agents who genuinely care.
Those are the rare ones.
Now before anybody in real estate starts clutching their pearls, let me explain what I really mean when I say, “I don’t like a lot of people in my industry.”
It’s not because I think I’m better than anyone. Quite the opposite, actually.
One thing 26 years in this business has taught me is that the second you think you know everything is usually the exact moment you become dangerous to your clients.
Real estate changes constantly. Contracts change. Technology changes. Marketing changes. Buyer behavior changes. Financing changes. Insurance changes. Hell, even Zillow changes every five minutes.
That’s why I’ve never been comfortable calling myself an “expert.” Usually the loudest self-proclaimed experts are the ones creating the biggest headaches for everybody around them.
Experience matters. Absolutely. But experience without adaptability can become arrogance really quickly.
I’ve met brand-new agents who were fantastic communicators, empathetic, responsive, organized, and willing to learn. I’ve also met agents with 30 years in the business who make every transaction feel like a hostage negotiation because everything has to be done “their way.”
That’s exhausting for everyone involved.
And honestly? A lot of what frustrates me in this industry has nothing to do with contracts or negotiations. It has to do with authenticity.
Early in my career, I struggled with that too.
When you first get into real estate, you’re terrified. You’ve spent money on licensing, classes, MLS dues, lockboxes, signs, photography, software, marketing, association fees, continuing education, and enough subscriptions to make your credit card cry itself to sleep every month.
You wonder when the next paycheck is coming.
You wonder if you’re even going to survive in the business.
You wonder if everyone else knows something you don’t.
That pressure can make people act differently.
Sometimes it makes agents overcompensate. Sometimes it makes them overly aggressive. Sometimes it turns them into nonstop salespeople who literally cannot have a normal conversation without redirecting it back toward real estate.
A good friend of mine called me out on that years ago. I was probably three years into the business and finally getting some traction. One day he looked at me and said:
“I really like you, but if you don’t stop talking about work, I’m going to stop talking to you.”
That one stuck with me.
Because he was right.
There has to be more to your identity than your job.
We work to live. We don’t live to work.
Unfortunately, some people never figure that out. Everything becomes transactional. Every interaction becomes an opportunity. Every relationship becomes a lead source. And after a while, you can feel it when you’re around those people. It stops feeling genuine.
That’s the part of this business I dislike the most.
Not the hustle.
Not ambition.
Not people wanting to succeed.
I respect all of that.
What bothers me are the people who are willing to say absolutely anything to get paid. The agents who pressure people because they need a commission check. The ones who treat consumers like numbers instead of human beings. The ones who take advantage of people simply because the client doesn’t know any better.
That part makes me angry.
Because buying or selling a home is emotional enough already. People are stressed. They’re excited. They’re nervous. Sometimes they’re grieving. Sometimes they’re divorcing. Sometimes they’re relocating because life forced them to.
This isn’t just sales.
At least it shouldn’t be.
The agents I respect most are usually the calmest people in the room. They don’t need catchphrases. They don’t need theatrics. They don’t need to remind everyone how successful they are every five minutes. They simply know how to listen, communicate, adapt, and help people feel comfortable during uncomfortable situations.
That’s the goal.
And honestly, I didn’t fully get there until much later in my career.
Ironically, stepping away from being the broker/owner of a company and going back to focusing primarily on clients made me appreciate this business even more. Less noise. Less management stress. More actual human interaction. More focus on what matters.
Helping people.
That’s it.
Not “crushing it.”
Not “dominating the market.”
Not filming TikToks in front of exotic cars while pretending every transaction is an episode of Selling Sunset.
Just helping people.
And maybe that’s why I sometimes say I don’t like a lot of people in my industry.
Because the good ones remind you how obvious the bad ones really are.
If you’re looking for somebody who’s going to give you a real conversation instead of a sales pitch, I’m always happy to help.
📍CENTURY 21 Carioti
2747 Maguire Road
Ocoee, Florida 34761
📞 407-948-8295
📧 david@daviddorman.com
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