|
The Reality: Buyers'
Habits
I wish that all buyers would take my recommendations and pick agents
from their most reliable sources. Or, at least, that they would qualify
candidates they find from the least reliable sources. How are buyers
choosing their real estate agents today? From a study by the NAR on how
buyers picked an agent, about 60 percent of the time buyers did choose
an agent to whom they had been referred or whom they knew or had worked
with. Good work. That's the right way to do it. Choosing an agent based
on how he has acted with buyers in prior transactions is the best way
for you to predict the level of service you will get.
What about the rest of
the buyers? About 40 percent chose an agent pretty much by default. They
were searching for properties and got an agent in the process. They
walked into an office and met the floor person (the agent on duty). Or,
they met the agent at an open house, met the agent at a builder's sales
office, or called the number on an ad or sign and continued to work with
that agent. That wouldn't be so bad if they had used some qualifying
criteria. My experience, though, is that they don't. Most of the time,
they didn't even realize they were picking an agent-or that they should
be more careful in choosing an agent. They just worked with whoever was
available from that contact. Generally, this is the group of buyers who
are dissatisfied with the level of service they get. Be sure you're in
the driver's seat by choosing your agent from your best sources.
|
