First-time sellers and buyers: Realtor® reputation key when choosing

Your reputation matters, maybe even more than you think.

The top reason first-time buyers and sellers choose a real estate company is based on their reputation, according to the J.D. Power 2018 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study. The report found that 44 percent of first-time sellers and 39 percent of first-time buyers cited reputation as the No. 1 reason they went with a real estate firm. Twenty-eight percent of repeat sellers and 23 percent of repeat buyers said firm reputation is second only to prior experience with a Realtor®.

However, most homebuyers and sellers are taking the beginning steps into their own hands. Nearly 90 percent of buyers start their home search on their on before reaching out to an agent. Still, 81 percent of repeat buyers, 86 percent of repeat sellers, 87 percent of first-time buyers and 91 percent of first-time sellers use a Realtor® to help with their transaction eventually.

Buyers and sellers aren’t just using the internet to find local housing information, they are also surfing social media to look for agents. Forty-seven percent of buyers and 55 percent of sellers said they used social media to scope out potential Realtors®. So, if you’re not keeping your Facebook and Instagram up to date, make an effort to update more regularly.

If a customer is happy with your service as a Realtor®, chances are high that will help expand your business. More than half of customer recommendations turn new clients on to a Realtor®. According to both buyers and sellers, the best way to keep them happy is to provide timely responses to questions, keep them informed of key points in the transaction and share comparable properties.