[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Are TV's real estate agents employees or are they independent contractors?

Aren't most real estate agents 1099 independent contractors?

TV agents are 1099 independent contractors although they do have to abide by company guidelines.

[Nucky]

I'll bet the Farm That the Following kind of idea directly applies to this Thread. I can't believe anyone was discharged without cause from an organization like that. I would think we had a Failure to Communicate. Cool Hand Luke (1967) - The Captain's speech " What we've got here is failure to communicate" - YouTube. My Mom got cancelled from Exxon with 31 other people who were better than 60 years old so I guess it's possible.

Sales is a funny business. If you don't make 'Em then they don't need you. When I had a Copy Machine Sales and Service Business I gave people way to much time before I canceled them. I was young. On the Other Hand The Villages is a Well Oiled Machine and they break sometimes but I'll bet it wasn't the machine that broke in this instance. Time will tell!

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by dnobles

That’s strange my realtor called me to tell me she had been asked to train realtors. So she wouldn’t be selling but if I need someone she’ll see that I’m taken care of. Love my Realtor 😘

Your comment is vague and not clear.
Are you speaking about TV agents or MLS Realtors? Which?

TV agents are NOT Realtors.

There IS a difference.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

It is not illegal to fire someone for "no" reason. "No reason" is not a protected class.

It IS illegal to fire someone for age discrimination but the burden is on the person who is fired, to prove that's why they were fired. Incredibly difficult to prove even if it's 100% true.

Employment At Will allows employers to terminate for no reason.


New Info:

Employment At Will: What Does It Mean?
If you are employed at will, your employer does not need good cause to fire you.

By Lisa Guerin, J.D.
Need Professional Help? Talk to an Employment Rights Attorney.

Job applicants and new employees are often perplexed to read--in a job application, employment contract, or employee handbook--that they will be employed "at will." They are even more troubled when they find out exactly what this language means: An at-will employee can be fired at any time, for any reason (except for a few illegal reasons, spelled out below). If the employer decides to let you go, that's the end of your job--and you have very limited legal rights to fight your termination.

Your Rights in the Workplace

If you are employed at will, your employer does not need good cause to fire you. In every state but Montana (which protects employees who have completed an initial "probationary period" from being fired without cause), employers are free to adopt at-will employment policies, and many of them have. In fact, unless your employer gives some clear indication that it will only fire employees for good cause, the law presumes that you are employed at will.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Employment At Will allows employers to terminate for no reason.

"Employment at Will" is not as cut-and-dry as you make it sound.

In most cases, the employee must sign that he/she agrees with that type of employment.

Without signing that kind of agreement, an employee could file a lawsuit if terminated without being given a reason.
That does not mean the employee would win the lawsuit but without an employer having that kind of signed agreement certainly leaves them wide open for such a case.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

It is not illegal to fire someone for "no" reason. "No reason" is not a protected class.

It IS illegal to fire someone for age discrimination but the burden is on the person who is fired, to prove that's why they were fired. Incredibly difficult to prove even if it's 100% true.

I don't think it is very difficult for a competent lawyer to prove age discrimination. It happens all the time. All they need to do is to ask the court for the employer's hiring and firing records. And, if they are, in fact, firing older employees and hiring younger ones, it will stand out like a sore thumb, and they will easily win the lawsuit.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

"Employment at Will" is not as cut-and-dry as you make it sound.

In most cases, the employee must sign that he/she agrees with that type of employment.

Without signing that kind of agreement, an employee could file a lawsuit if terminated without being given a reason.
That does not mean the employee would win the lawsuit but without an employer having that kind of signed agreement certainly leaves them wide open for such a case.

A swing and a miss..............



Very cut and dry.


No need to sign anything.


People file suit even if there is a reason.


Oh wait, this is the internet...........all posts are factual.

[Chatbrat]

Again, they are not employees--they are sub-contractors

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

"Employment at Will" is not as cut-and-dry as you make it sound.

In most cases, the employee must sign that he/she agrees with that type of employment.

Without signing that kind of agreement, an employee could file a lawsuit if terminated without being given a reason.
That does not mean the employee would win the lawsuit but without an employer having that kind of signed agreement certainly leaves them wide open for such a case.

Even if an employee signs an "employment at will" agreement, it has no effect on the Federal anti-discrimination employment laws. It does not allow the employer to discriminate based on things like race, color, creed, national origin, and age.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by ~Jojo~

I just got in touch with my TV agent who sold us 2 houses. I was shocked to learn she was let go after so many years working for TV and so have other agents, those older or with more years on the job. They were dismissed without any warnings. What is going on?

If this is true:



Most successful businesses have productivity expectations and targets for employees and IC's. GE's program under Welch was to churn the bottom 10% and improve the overall efficiency.


Sales = Productivity.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

Wow! That is horrible but there has to be a reason. Could it be that they weren't producing enough? Or should have been doing something, but didn't.

That is usually the reason that will happen with real estate agents.
Or perhaps there was a situation and the broker had to take the heat?

I think there probably are many strange things about what goes on within The Villages real estate.

At one time they cooperateD with outside brokers and then they suddenly seemed to get too big for their britches and decided they wanted the entire pie as opposed to splitting it with another broker (the MLS Realtors). They quit belonging to the local Assn. of Realtors and the National Assn. of Realtors, as well, and decided to do business on their own.

That, of course, made it more troublesome for buyers, but particularly sellers. If you list with a TV agent, an outside agent could no longer show or sell your property. That cut out ALL MLS Realtors -- an entire segment of agents from selling within the real estate market. By adhering to this practice, they are doing a horrible disservice to all sellers. It's really a shame.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Not strange that a business doesn't want to give away dollars when they don't have to.

Yes, it is strange and you don't seem to understand how the real estate business works!

The real estate industry through its affiliation with their MLS Association of Realtors (local Board) and the National Association of Realtors conducts their business relationships by cooperating with one another. That means that any Realtor/member can show any listing to their customer, regardless of the person or broker (office) who actually listed the property. ALL MLS brokers (Offices) cooperate with one another and this benefits ALL of them.

Some years back The Villages decided not to continue being part of the MLS and to not cooperate with outside brokers.
This, of course, meant that they would not be listing or selling properties outside of TV unless it was a TV-related property. By not cooperating they decided their prime focus was to sell new inventory and this is what they concentrate on. They also would list Villages resale homes but in neither case could an outside broker participate in any showings or sales. Conversely, a TV agent could not show, list or sell property outside of TV.

So -- by not only NOT cooperating with outside brokers they are limiting themselves to TV and TV only and it is the poor TV seller who is paying the price because of this limitation. They are forcing potential buyers to work with two separate agents (both TV agents and MLS Realtors), and regardless of what you think, by not permitting TV and MLS agents to list and sell everything and work together, they are limiting all agents from doing a complete job and are cutting down the exposure to all buyers and sellers alike.

Why do you think in a city or shopping mall there were always at least two department stores.
WHY??? Because they feed off of one another and it is a sound business practice.
Real estate is a similar thing. It's the cooperation between all of them that makes each of them successful.

Now, do you get it?

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

Why do you think in a city or shopping mall there were always at least two department stores.
WHY??? Because they feed off of one another and it is a sound business practice.
Real estate is a similar thing. It's the cooperation between all of them that makes each of them successful.

Now, do you get it?

And how is the department store industry doing these days??

[graciegirl]

I can't see ANY advantage to being a "realtor". People can easily sell their own home here in The Villages,with a good closing company for a fee of about $700. Villages homes are much in demand. If a home is clean, doesn't smell, staged a bit and at a reasonable price, they sell quickly here.

I haven't heard of Villages rep(S) being fired.

I think this could be a rumor, blown out of proportion. People do get fired for any number of legitimate reasons. In order to keep any job you have to fulfill the employers expectations.

The Villages is in no way hurting. Their homes sell quickly. Their numbers are astounding. No one needs any kind of "hard sell" here in TV. And certainly have NO competition in this area....or anywhere.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

And how is the department store industry doing these days??

I guess you didn't notice that the word "were" in the past tense. Please excuse my use of two tenses; my error.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

I guess you didn't notice that the word "were" in the past tense. Please excuse my use of two tenses; my error.

Swing and a miss.










I noticed.