Hi Pam,

I too am a realtor. I work with the Hasson Company in Portland Oregon. Word of mouth is my highest priority. People just seem quickly at ease when they've been referred to you by somone they trust. Otherwise I think it important to be liked, respected, professional, and knowledgable. Stick to who you are and what you represent as a professional agent...and the business will come.

Hi Pam,

I am a Realtor (New York City) who writes about real estate a lot.

I am interested to see what the buyers and sellers responding to this question say, but I can tell you what the national research says -- consumers select the first Realtor they meet. If they are responding to a web posting, you can generally capture them by returning their call/email within two hours.

Once you have met them, they are generally yours to impress with your dedication, energy, knowledge, etc. -- or yours to lose through communication mishaps.

Alison Rogers
author, "Diary of a Real Estate Rookie"
"Witty" -- Newsweek
http://tinyurl.com/2ag28z