Comments on: The Search for Perfect Agent http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent Internet, Web 2.0 and Real Estate Marketing Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:50:38 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Real Estate is Personal - Portland Real Estate Blog http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-28970 Real Estate is Personal - Portland Real Estate Blog Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:53:37 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-28970 [...] on this one I think he is right). Joel Bruslem, on the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog asks, “How do you find the perfect Realtor online?” It’s a good question when you consider that at the end of the day, though we have known each [...] [...] on this one I think he is right). Joel Bruslem, on the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog asks, “How do you find the perfect Realtor online?” It’s a good question when you consider that at the end of the day, though we have known each [...]

]]> By: Perrfect Agent Match http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-15944 Perrfect Agent Match Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:34:08 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-15944 I've read through this article and most of the responses and I think my company (Perfect Agent Match) seems to do what everyone asks except for one thing, we don't list the agents on our site. We agree that the real estate agent landscape is ever changing and no one agent will fit the needs of every client. This is why we have taken a very hands on approach to helping real estate buyers and seller find the perfect real estate agent for their needs. We profile the buyer or seller over the phone or through our online questionnaire. Once we know the buyers or sellers needs, we actively go out into the market and look at sales data, marketing, past client testimonials, license status, if they have ever had any disciplinary action and finally finish off with a personal interview with the top agents we find. The result is a truly awesome agent that is custom fit to this specific buyers or sellers needs. The best part is that this service is free for the buyer and seller and we don't rely on memberships or up front fees from agents. In fact, we get paid through the existing informal referral system that virtually all agents are part of. I invite you to visit our website to learn more about our service and see customer testimonials, or feel free to call toll free at 877-906-2824. I’ve read through this article and most of the responses and I think my company (Perfect Agent Match) seems to do what everyone asks except for one thing, we don’t list the agents on our site. We agree that the real estate agent landscape is ever changing and no one agent will fit the needs of every client. This is why we have taken a very hands on approach to helping real estate buyers and seller find the perfect real estate agent for their needs. We profile the buyer or seller over the phone or through our online questionnaire. Once we know the buyers or sellers needs, we actively go out into the market and look at sales data, marketing, past client testimonials, license status, if they have ever had any disciplinary action and finally finish off with a personal interview with the top agents we find. The result is a truly awesome agent that is custom fit to this specific buyers or sellers needs. The best part is that this service is free for the buyer and seller and we don’t rely on memberships or up front fees from agents. In fact, we get paid through the existing informal referral system that virtually all agents are part of. I invite you to visit our website to learn more about our service and see customer testimonials, or feel free to call toll free at 877-906-2824.

]]> By: Mike Davin- CataList Homes http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-13454 Mike Davin- CataList Homes Sat, 04 Aug 2007 00:47:20 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-13454 There is a new site launching next week called agentmatch.com which I think will be the type of site you are looking for. Total clarity on the talent and cost of the agent is disclosed to the consumer upfront. Nobody wants to be introduced to three total unknown agents....they want to see the agents. Imagine match.com where a woman posts her profile and the internet sets her up with three blind dates? I think that woman would rather do the searching for herself. AgentMatch has very few agents as it just got turned on live yesterday, but there are some for zip code 90277 if you want to look at the technology. There is a new site launching next week called agentmatch.com which I think will be the type of site you are looking for. Total clarity on the talent and cost of the agent is disclosed to the consumer upfront. Nobody wants to be introduced to three total unknown agents….they want to see the agents. Imagine match.com where a woman posts her profile and the internet sets her up with three blind dates? I think that woman would rather do the searching for herself.

AgentMatch has very few agents as it just got turned on live yesterday, but there are some for zip code 90277 if you want to look at the technology.

]]> By: Shackprices Sheds the Shack | Future of Real Estate Marketing Blog http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11964 Shackprices Sheds the Shack | Future of Real Estate Marketing Blog Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:39:29 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11964 [...] however. Agents are all prescreened by Estately and buyers can view ratings on every agent (see The Search for Perfect Agent). Buyers can identify their needs and agents can bid for their business (much like BuyerHunt). [...] [...] however. Agents are all prescreened by Estately and buyers can view ratings on every agent (see The Search for Perfect Agent). Buyers can identify their needs and agents can bid for their business (much like BuyerHunt). [...]

]]> By: Real Estate Blog - Real Estate Agent Rating Sites and Systems http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11861 Real Estate Blog - Real Estate Agent Rating Sites and Systems Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:16:37 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11861 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] will always be a part of the process to help you choose. For more on this topic, read "The search for the perfect Agent" [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] will always be a part of the process to help you choose. For more on this topic, read "The search for the perfect Agent" [...]

]]> By: Ken Horst http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11853 Ken Horst Thu, 21 Jun 2007 02:52:32 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11853 I don't think anyone will ever build the perfect ranking/rating system for real estate agents, by perfect I mean a system that is all I need to be SURE I chose the best agent. Choosing a good agent will always involve feedback and information from different sources and related to different critieria. Geographic location is important, whether I'm buying or selling a home, I want a local expert. Testimonials are a form of user feedback but as many of you pointed out, it is not hard to "game" the system on most agent referral sites. That said, I think a simple measure such as "number of recommendations" is slightly more useful than a system that uses only a 5 star rating. Anyone can give themselves a 5 star rating and using a system that uses an email address for verification, if this same agent has 3 or 4 different email addresses, can give themselves 3-4 five star ratings. Even asking your friends to cheat the system for you is going to run dry after a few of your lying cheating best friends anti up their fraudulent reviews. When you see an agent with somewhere between 10 and 40 testimonials, you have to wonder if at least a few of them aren't real. Also, the longer you have been in the business and exceeding client expectations, the easy it will be for you to get to a higher number of clients willing to take the time to visit a site and give you a testimonial. As I said above, I don't think agent ratings will ever be enough to insure a perfect choice but they will always be a part of the process to help you choose. I don’t think anyone will ever build the perfect ranking/rating system for real estate agents, by perfect I mean a system that is all I need to be SURE I chose the best agent. Choosing a good agent will always involve feedback and information from different sources and related to different critieria. Geographic location is important, whether I’m buying or selling a home, I want a local expert. Testimonials are a form of user feedback but as many of you pointed out, it is not hard to “game” the system on most agent referral sites. That said, I think a simple measure such as “number of recommendations” is slightly more useful than a system that uses only a 5 star rating. Anyone can give themselves a 5 star rating and using a system that uses an email address for verification, if this same agent has 3 or 4 different email addresses, can give themselves 3-4 five star ratings. Even asking your friends to cheat the system for you is going to run dry after a few of your lying cheating best friends anti up their fraudulent reviews. When you see an agent with somewhere between 10 and 40 testimonials, you have to wonder if at least a few of them aren’t real. Also, the longer you have been in the business and exceeding client expectations, the easy it will be for you to get to a higher number of clients willing to take the time to visit a site and give you a testimonial. As I said above, I don’t think agent ratings will ever be enough to insure a perfect choice but they will always be a part of the process to help you choose.

]]> By: MerchantCircle http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11728 MerchantCircle Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:59:48 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11728 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] about us on his popular website and blog - Future of Real Estate Marketing. You can read the blog here. It's filled with information and technology that helps real estate professionals. Joel also [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] about us on his popular website and blog – Future of Real Estate Marketing. You can read the blog here. It’s filled with information and technology that helps real estate professionals. Joel also [...]

]]> By: Charles Turner http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11715 Charles Turner Fri, 15 Jun 2007 01:49:03 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11715 [Aside: I am working with Charles Turner of the Portland Real Estate Blog, with whom I am very happy - this post is more a general musing.] That's a relief. Judysbook.com attempts to offer user ratings of Realtors but their navigation is so messed up the system is almost inoperable. Search Portland, OR and it asks you to narrow down you search by selecting which Portland you mean- did you know there are 11 states with a city named Portland (the one in Oregon isn’t an option!)? Biggest problem is that you have to register as a Realtor and then drive your past clients to the site to rate you. I'm not overly motivated to send an unhappy client (it has happened once) to rate me. Our company sends out surveys via a third party (Quality Service Certification). Return rate is about 30%. We rate in the high fours out of five. The danger I see of rating Realtors is the comparatively low volume. In most markets, a Realtor is probably making a living closing six transactions a year (we aim for that in a month). Outliers in the survey skew the results drastically (as Joel points out). You could argue that Ebay's system works at all level of volume or at least throws a red flag for low volume sellers if there is a negative. References are great but I'm not likely to post about the client who thought I was the devil incarnate on my website. At the end of the day, real estate is personal. If it wasn't there would be no need for Realtors. You may not want to work with me and I may not want to work with you (ask an agent that has been in the industry less than two years and ask them if they have ever turned away a potential client). I can tell more on the phone with a potential client (or a potential tenant) than I can over weeks of email. Eventually, as a buyer, you are going to get in my car and we are going to have to talk. But at the end my day, I'd probably rather shoot you an email than pick up the phone! [Aside: I am working with Charles Turner of the Portland Real Estate Blog, with whom I am very happy - this post is more a general musing.]

That’s a relief.

Judysbook.com attempts to offer user ratings of Realtors but their navigation is so messed up the system is almost inoperable. Search Portland, OR and it asks you to narrow down you search by selecting which Portland you mean- did you know there are 11 states with a city named Portland (the one in Oregon isn’t an option!)? Biggest problem is that you have to register as a Realtor and then drive your past clients to the site to rate you. I’m not overly motivated to send an unhappy client (it has happened once) to rate me.

Our company sends out surveys via a third party (Quality Service Certification). Return rate is about 30%. We rate in the high fours out of five.

The danger I see of rating Realtors is the comparatively low volume. In most markets, a Realtor is probably making a living closing six transactions a year (we aim for that in a month). Outliers in the survey skew the results drastically (as Joel points out). You could argue that Ebay’s system works at all level of volume or at least throws a red flag for low volume sellers if there is a negative.

References are great but I’m not likely to post about the client who thought I was the devil incarnate on my website.

At the end of the day, real estate is personal. If it wasn’t there would be no need for Realtors. You may not want to work with me and I may not want to work with you (ask an agent that has been in the industry less than two years and ask them if they have ever turned away a potential client). I can tell more on the phone with a potential client (or a potential tenant) than I can over weeks of email. Eventually, as a buyer, you are going to get in my car and we are going to have to talk. But at the end my day, I’d probably rather shoot you an email than pick up the phone!

]]> By: Davd Bethoney http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11598 Davd Bethoney Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:40:51 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11598 Here s an update on Avvo - over at John Cook's Venture blog. Apparently, they are taking some pretty heavy fire. http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/116417.asp Here s an update on Avvo – over at John Cook’s Venture blog. Apparently, they are taking some pretty heavy fire.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/116417.asp

]]> By: MaureenFrancis - MyBlogLog http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-11568 MaureenFrancis - MyBlogLog Sat, 09 Jun 2007 16:01:47 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/the-search-for-perfect-agent#comment-11568 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] how do you find that great agent (futureofrealestatemarketing.com) [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] how do you find that great agent (futureofrealestatemarketing.com) [...]

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