Seller, Your First Agent was Great!

What do you tell your seller about their first agent?  Are there times that you know the initial listing agent quite well and know that they are very good agents?  When that happens what do you say?

There have been a few times when I have been asked to list a house that had been listed by an agent that I respected.  I had no problems letting the sellers know that.  If they complained about the property not selling I have come to the defense of the agent if I know that the agent has done an excellent job marketing the property.  This is especially true when it is evident that the seller was the one that set the high price.  Sometimes there is not much more that I can do to get the listing sold.  If that is the truth, shouldn't we say so?

When the agent has been one that I either do not know or do not feel gives 100% I will reserve my opinion. 

Do you feel any obligation to defend a fellow agent if you know they have done a good job?  It could be as a listing agent or it could be the agent on the other side of a transaction.  Can we gently but firmly be supportive without offending our client?

Being supportive of other agents is not taking away from your ability to perform well.  It is being honest.