Associate Broker

I got the word early today that the Arizona Department of Real Estate finally approved my application. This was pleasant news, after the week I had with them. You see, after 90 hours of school, 10 hours of arduous testing and then three more classes as well as a criminal clearance card, I had everything necessary to submit to the department to apply for my broker's license.

So, last Monday (on the way to the Diamondback's opening day, may I add) I drove right over to their office in East Phoenix and slapped down my paperwork on to someone's desk, only to be told my broker needed to initial one little teensy spot. And once he initialed it, all I had to do was e-mail everything in and Voila! I would have my hard-earned designation.

My broker, bless him, has been rushed to the emergency room twice in the past week and I happened to catch him on the one day when he was feeling relatively well. He immediately initialed the document (and gave me an earful on the idiotic bureaucratic policies in place--which I happen to agree with). I then re-submitted, thrilled to be done, done, done! But no.

You see, the department of real estate has rules and forms. On one particular piece of paper, when I was asked on this form how many hours I work per month, I answered 160. Apparently, according to the Arizona Department of Real Estate, that answer does not warrant a broker's license. The correct answer to that particular question turns out to be "172". I know this because the person handling my paperwork told me what to write before I turned it in again. So, I re-wrote the form, re-sent it to my ailing broker and then resubmitted all of the paperwork again--to the same person.

Apparently that wasn't good enough. The Arizona Department of Real Estate then arbitrarily decided they needed the same form (with the same magic "172 hours") signed and initialed by my former broker. They didn't need this initially. But by golly, it was a new burning issue and the only thing standing in the way of having "Associate Broker" at the end of my name.

One would think getting this form signed isn't terribly complicated. We have super-wonderful technology these days that even I can master. One particular program allows me to let anyone in the world "electronically sign" a document. Real estate agents everywhere use this. And, once my former broker clicks on the link (which electrically signs their name) the document is automatically sent back to me. So, piece of cake. The entire process, if one stalls, takes about three seconds.

Now, I know one of you three readers may know my former broker. And I don't wish to make you uncomfortable in the event you two are friends. But, please understand one of the significant reasons I left that particular company because of the childish and punitive behaviors nastiness unprofessionalism of this person. I didn't leave on bad terms, but my laundry list of examples of her poor behavior and unprofessional issues is fodder for a whole 'nuther blog site (Aptly named, "Bad Brokers and Ulcers").

And, in the event I ever thought of going back, I guarantee after this experience, I won't be. You see, my broker documents are time sensitive. My former broker knows this. So, last week I e-mailed this former broker. I called this former broker. I texted this former broker. I even sent her the form which needed attention--a form she has signed many times for other people on many occasions. I did this three times. And for my efforts, I couldn't even get a "I will get back to you." or even a "No. I will not sign this." In fact, when I called her at work twice, she refused my calls. It isn't like she doesn't know who I am. I was with that company for 12 years.

Frustrated, I bandied about a few solutions with others in my office who have dealt with her (there was a mass exodus from old company to my new company, so there are a lot of us who feel the same way). I was given suggestions from driving over to my former office, blocking in her car and not letting her out until she signed my form, to just going over to her home and giving her children copious amounts of candy until she signed my paper. There were a few other ideas which were questionably legal and my colleagues offered to start a Go-Fund-Me account for bail if I felt the need to follow any of their totally reasonable suggestions.

What I did do was a bit more passive aggressive. After giving Ms. Former Broker one more chance to take care of my very normal, and three-second request, I went to the Arizona Real Estate forum site on Facebook. This is a site I happen to know she trolls regularly. I posted asking if anyone on the forum was a member of the Realtor Association's professional standards and practices committee, and if so, would they please contact me because I needed advice.

Three members in the first 10 minutes after I posted contacted me. But even better, within 15 minutes of me posting and asking for assistance, Ms. Former Broker had returned my document. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, I suggested it was a coincidence. I was immediately blackballed by the rest of the folks in my office who had once worked with her. In fact, one of these agents said, "Nothing with her has changed." Nope. It hadn't.

After that headache, I am now an associate broker.

I would like to tell you that getting my business cards was super-simple, but apparently I will have to find another social media site to take care of that issue. But with any luck, they will be arriving next week.