Bubblegum, Verbal Offers & Doing Your Job

Let me ruffle a few feathers today (lovingly, of course). I’m seeing way too many agents hop into Facebook groups to publicly vent about poorly written offers, missing addenda, or heaven forbid—a verbal offer. And listen, as someone who’s been in this business for almost 20 years, I get it. I’ve seen it all. I’ve had agents send offers in screenshots. I’ve received offers that looked like someone wrote them during a red light. I’ve seen "buyer to pay cash" in the same offer as a financing addendum. Trust me, it’s not ideal.

But here’s the thing: an offer is an offer. Verbal, written on a napkin, scribbled on the back of a receipt. If it communicates intent and terms, it’s your job to present it. You don’t get to decide if it’s worth presenting. That’s not how this works. Your job isn’t to gate keep. Your job is to work.

And this is where the magic happens. Because if you're a good agent—like really good—you don’t throw a tantrum and cry into the MLS. You piece that thing together with bubblegum and a paperclip if you have to. You pick up the phone. You clarify. You confirm. You turn chaos into clarity. That’s the skill part. That’s the job.

Plot twist? When you’re dealing with an inexperienced or lazy buyer’s agent, you’re now in a power position. You’ve got control. You can help guide the transaction and tighten up the terms to protect your seller while possibly getting them even better terms because you know exactly what you're doing and the other side, well... doesn’t.

So instead of ranting in a Facebook group and sounding like a real estate Regina George, redirect that energy. Present the offer. Get to work.

And if you’re the buyer’s agent sending sloppy, incomplete, or verbal offers? Do better. Not because you owe it to the listing agent, but because your buyer deserves better. You're putting them in a weak negotiating position, and quite frankly, you risk their offer never even being taken seriously.

Quit wasting time whining about something that could be turned into a win if you’d do your job.

You want to be respected? Act like a pro. Present every offer. Clean it up. Negotiate. And if the other side fumbles? Congratulations—you're already winning.