Hi Sam,

I'm sure there are a large number of buyers and sellers who feel they must have a top agent, or else they will not realize the results they are after. More than the designations themselves, you must ask, "How have they put that education to work to achieve a better result for their Buyers and Sellers". I think more than anything else, they are looking for someone who is respectful, caring and who is not condescending or who fails to validate their feelings in the process. I find most of my customers are reluctant to commit to a relationship until they determine whether I am working for them, or just out for my own gain. Many are very savvy, and they are just looking for someone with the inside track on the market to partner with and who will provide them with the foregoing qualities, along with their expertise. I think a caring, ethical professional with convey that feeling to their customers. Unfortunately, a lot of the experienced Realtors, both with and without designations, do not use their experience and education to the best benefit of their customers. Many top agents simply cannot efficiently handle the volumes of business they take on, yet Sellers will hire them based on the number of their listings. I'd rather have a limited amount of business and do my job well, than to have a lot of business and do nothing well. I have mentored two young Realtors who I feel are some of the best in the business. They are caring and ethical and work very hard to do the best job they can for their customers. They are eager to benefit from the experiences of others, and are too busy trying to build their names to have had time for the designations. I'd put either of them up against an experienced Realtor with a lot of designations. Buyers and Sellers should trust their instincts, or rely upon the referrals of a good agent to them by friends and family. Absent referrals, they should insist upon the names of past customers who would be willing to vouch for them. (And, yes, I have completed designation classes, and I have had a lot of experience. I don't rely on that in order to get hired for the job. I let my testimonials speak to that!)

Wed Apr 30 2008, 16:41

I agree with most of what has been said below, BUT, I don't think being full-time agent necessarily makes a better agent. Several of our part-time agents in our office are our "top producers".

Wed Apr 30 2008, 14:43

A buyer and seller should look for a full time experienced REALTOR that presents the information you need in an honest and caring manner. "No one cares how much you know until they know you care". My FOCUS is on my client. ps FOCUS stands means "For Our Customers Ultimate Satisfaction".

Wed Apr 30 2008, 14:23

I honestly do not believe consumers care much about designations, unless they provide a tangible benefit.

Not to insult my colleagues or the designations, some of which certainly are surely extremely valuable, but as a broker of 16 years (given, I may be exceedingly stupid), I probably could not explain what benefit a CRS, a GRI or ePro would mean to to the client.

I think clients look mostly for experience, integrity, honesty and an increasing amount of counselling.

All the best,

Tobias Kaiser, MS, CIPS (see what I mean?... LOL)
Greater Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Broker + Consultant
Certified International Property Specialist

Wed Apr 30 2008, 14:18

First, find a realtor you feel you can trust. Buying a home or investment property is one of the biggest purchases people make in their lifetimes. Second, find a full-time professional agent that knows the community and local real estate market very well. Designations are nice, but they often do not mean the agent has either of the above traits.

Wed Apr 30 2008, 13:17

Here are some questions you should ask a Realtor before agreeing to work with them.
1. How many homes did you and your company sell last year?
2. How long have you been in residential real estate sales? Is it your full-time job?
3. What types of specific marketing systems and approaches will you use to sell my home? Look for someone who has aggressive, innovative approaches, not just someone who's going to put a sign in the yard and hope for the best.
4. What's your business philosophy? While there's no right answer to this question, the response will help you assess what's important to the agent—fast sales, service, etc.—and determine how closely the agent's goals and business emphasis mesh with your own.
5. Are you a REALTOR®? Members of the National Association of REALTORS®, a trade organization of more than 800,000 members nationwide.
6. Will you represent me exclusively, or will you represent both the buyer and the seller in the transaction?
7. What designations do you hold? Designations such as GRI and CRS, which require that agents take additional, specialized real estate training, are held by only about one-quarter of real estate practitioners. .
8. How will you keep me informed about the progress of my transaction? How frequently? Using what media?
9. What type of support and supervision does your brokerage office provide to you? Having resources such as in-house support staff, access to a real estate attorney, or assistance with technology can help an agent sell your home.

Wed Apr 30 2008, 13:15

I think they are looking for results. The designations don't mean anything unless we show them how it make us a better agent, actually it is the same with experience.

Wed Apr 30 2008, 13:07