Find an Agent: The Sway (or Nay) of Online Testimonials

Most anyone shopping for something these days seeks out reviews, and there a ton of them online. Whether you’re in the market for a car, a smartphone, a tablet, or any other big-ticket purchase, you tend to comb through the reams of customer opinions on products, alternatives, pros and cons. The same can be said for anyone in the market for professional services. The decision to hire a particular doctor, dentist, chiropractor or attorney is not an easy one, and the online reputations of these individuals can become very handy (and valuable) in that decision process. Anyone in the market to buy or sell a home is also spending a lot of time on the web, not just searching for homes, neighborhoods and moving companies, but for the real estate agents themselves. Real estate agent reviews can go a long way in swaying prospects one way or another. But how much do people actually believe what they’re reading?

The other day I was combing through online reviews for a gadget, when I saw an extremely long and well-informed review. The amount of time and research and documentation it took to put together must have been considerable. At the end of the review, the reviewer wrote, “and no, I don’t work for [the manufacturer].”