Find out why an agent with too many unrealistic positive reviews should be avoided. Learn how to find the right buyer’s agent who understands your wants and needs. Discover what makes an agent the best in the business.
Marketing experts who focus on the behavior of millennials have learned that this age group decides more on the opinions of their peers rather than decisions based on traditional advertising techniques. This trend has spread to other age groups as online reviewing sites have gained in popularity.
Who doesn’t turn to Yelp when visiting a new restaurant for the first time? We don’t want to waste our money and time trying a dish that 23 other people rated as mediocre. We want to eat the signature dish that hundreds of diners before us enjoyed.
It’s not a surprise that home buyer’s are consulting Yelp and other review websites before signing with a buyer’s agent. But how do we know whether the online reviews are valid? What do you look for in an online review that proves that real estate agent is good at his job?
Here are five ways things you need to look for in a real estate agent’s reviews.
What should you look for for in realtor reviews?
Find the best real estate agents with Clever.
Understands the Importance of Your Time
It’s incredible the amount of success a person can experience by just showing up on time. This is true in every industry.
If a reviewer mentions that a particular agent canceled appointments a lot or showed up late, this should be a huge red flag. In hot real estate markets, move quickly. You don’t want to miss out on a perfect property because you were forced to peek through the windows when your realtor didn’t arrive to show the property to you.
Understands Your Needs and Wants
Purchasing a home is a time-consuming process. You don’t want to waste your time looking at split-level houses if you struggle with stairs. An excellent real estate agent will understand your needs and wants when trying to find the perfect home for you and your family.
Although not every house your realtor shows you may check off every desire on your list, a good realtor will at least know what characteristics are deal breakers and which are negotiable.
Understands Your Future Plans
While you should interview potential buyer’s agents, they also interview you regarding your long-term plans. While you can find a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house on any real estate website on your own, a good real estate agent will show you a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that will also make a great rental property for you down the road should that be your desire.
Even if you don’t have kids at the moment, a smart agent will ask you about your plans to procreate or not. Don’t be offended by this question. The realtor is just trying to determine if the home’s school district will be relevant to you in the future or not.
Perhaps you plan on living in an area for less than 18 months. A good agent will give you advice on what type of mortgage to seek out for that situation and where to purchase a home that guarantees a fast resell.
An excellent real estate agent just "gets you."
A Good Agent Has No Red-Flag Reviews
What? Not everything you read online is accurate and truthful? Gasp!
Some realtors purchase reviews. Their inboxes are inundated with offers from people promising to write five-star reviews on their websites. Some realtors are outraged by this request, but others shrug their shoulders and send the payment.
The reality is that it is difficult to get clients to write reviews. Only the genuinely irritated or elated usually bother. If one particular agent has 35 five-star reviews while other agents have a 2 or 3 four-star reviews and maybe 1 five-star, the first agent may have turned to nefarious means to get such feedback.
Also, make sure the reviews are on websites that are not labeled as ads. Also, disregard the reviews on a realtor’s actual website. A realtor has access to the contents of their webpage. Lousy reviews would be removed immediately.
The Agent is a Clever Partner Agent
How in the world do you navigate realtor reviews to find the best agent in your area? You can’t go wrong with hiring a Clever Partner Agent. We hand-pick our agents and weed out the shysters who pay for reviews. We only allow the best in the business to work for us.
Another benefit for hiring a Clever Partner Agent is that by doing so you could qualify for a home buyer’s rebate which will entitle you to cash back to spend any way you wish at closing. Check with a buyer’s agent who has 98 five-star reviews to see if they can offer that kind of benefit.
Fill out our online contact form, and we will connect you with a one-of-a-kind agent today.
