Home buyers rank tech savviness as the least important characteristic in their agent

What buyers want in a Realtor

The 2011 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers surveyed 5,708 home buyers and sellers, and report that almost all Americans now use a Realtor; the percentage is at a ten year high, rising twenty percent in the last decade alone. The average buyer now finds their agent by word of mouth and often only interview one Realtor before hiring.

According to the NAR report, buyers are looking most to trust their Realtor – honesty and trustworthiness ranked as the most important factors when choosing an agent to work with (30 percent). The reputation of a real estate agent follows at 20 percent. It is striking that 15 percent of all buyers choose their agent because they are related or are existing friends.

NAR reports, “aside from personal characteristics like honesty, integrity and responsiveness which are very important skills and qualities that buyers look for in agents, knowledge of the real estate market and purchase process are very important qualities for over nine in ten buyers. Among
adult household composition these attributes consistently remain highly ranked.”

Results were similar for sellers with tech savviness not raking anywhere in their preferred characteristics, with a quality reputation being a seller’s top desired quality in a Realtor followed by honesty and trustworthiness at 20 percent and 18 percent desired their seller agent to be a family member or friend.

With 89 percent of buyers saying they would probably recommend their agent to others, they are most often satisfied with their agents’ honesty, integrity and knowledge of the purchase process but are less satisfied with agents’ negotiation and technology skills. It is important to note, however, that an agent’s technology skills was ranked as the least important attribute to buyers.

Consumers are mostly satisfied with their agent and would recommend them to others and are mainly looking for someone they can trust who is honest and well informed, even if they are not tech savvy.