The bridges we cross on the way to the closing table are always in danger of being burned. There are multiple parties, with multiple motivations, involved in every deal. It is fertile ground for bad blood. Fellow agents representing other parties might drive you insane, they might do things so seemingly inconsiderate, that you come close to losing your cool.
Before you do anything drastic, check your motivation against theirs. Try to see things from their perspective. At first glance they might seem to be acting selfishly, and at the end of the day, there may be nothing more than avarice at the core of their actions. That doesn’t mean that you have to jump in the mud with them. If that happens, both agents come out dirty.
Real estate is a team sport, and your reputation proceeds you in every arena. Even if you are justified, pull your punches anyway and lose the battle—you’ll win the war. This can be hard to do, but solidifying your reputation is always worth it. Busy agents move onto more deals, but the petty agents, the ones who throw low blows, just gossip. Don’t make it easy for them.
Take the loss. It can be a hard lesson to learn, but agents have to live with each other a lot longer they will ever have to live with buyers or sellers. Typically, the harder it is to keep your cool, the more important it is that you do.
There is a very good chance that the agent bothering you thinks that they are somehow doing the right thing. People employ a wide variety of rationale when it comes to validating poor behavior. Most likely, they don’t even think they’re out of line. Try to have a level-headed conversation with them. Try to find out how they feel, and why they are acting the way they are. Chances are, you’ll walk away from that conversation with a lot of insight and a refreshing perspective.
Who knows? You might come to an amicable solution.