Much is said about the importance of carefully choosing a real estate agent to work with. You can find many articles and blogs aimed at answering the question of how to choose a real estate agent and will all differ in some fashion. The reason is because choosing a realtor is a very personal choice with many factors driving the decision. There is no “one realtor fits all” type of real estate agent. That is both the beauty but also the scary part of searching for the right real estate agent as there are many things to consider when interviewing real estate professionals.
J.D. Power’s 2014 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Survey found both Buyers and Sellers held a real estate brokerage or firm’s reputation as a key factor in the decision process at 30% and 35% respectively. Past experience with an agent and recommendations were also very important although 25% of Sellers chose their agent based on past experience compared to 21% of Buyers, while 24% of Home Buyers relied on recommendations compared to 21% of Home Sellers.
What I believe buyers and sellers look for when selecting a real estate agent or firm is a sense of peace. Having the expectation that they will be provided with great service and kept informed along the way. Reputation, Past Experience and Recommendations all point to the same questions: What will it be like to work with so and so? This is why Realtor reviews have gained so much popularity in recent years. Reading about past experiences others have had with a real estate agent can be a great indicator of what your experience might be like or at the very least let you know if this is someone you would like to consider among others.
Great Post with nice info-graphic!