After a few real estate clients found me online, I asked how they stumbled across me or my Northern Virginia Real Estate Blog. Often it was a top Google result when they asked a question or one of my home listings showed up on one of the 10,548 “home search/IDX” sites that are out there.
And when they drilled down, they found that my real estate blog was more informative and interesting than the other canned crap marketing blogs that they had found. Luckily, Northern Virginia has a lot of people thinking about real estate and they give me most of the ideas that I blog about.Yes, it’s like Seinfeld… “There’s a show!”
My content reflects what is going on here,
right now!
Online REALTOR reviews have really come of age over the past two years, and the time has come for me to shamelessly share what I see out there on Zillow, Yelp and IncredibleAgents.com (about myself that is). And, basically, I recognized that having some content (Realtor reviews) on these sites is essential for obvious reasons.
Here are two quotes that recent clients left at IncredibleAgents.com , an up and coming site which seems to be national. I believe they must take agent licensing info from the public records and create a page. Having found it myself in a Google search, I did fill in my usual propaganda but my clients added the comments.
Peer Reviews and Recommendations are trends Amazon.com pioneered
When I mentioned to a Internet/blogsales guy from Salt Lake City recently that we have over 13,000 REALTORS in Northern Virginia, he seemed surprised that so many people would be real estate agents in 2012 and still have a 2003 web site. The fact is, REALTORS are sales people, customer service people, marketing people, negotiators and, somewhere down the line, computer people. So I suggested he read my FAQ page or About Me page to understand where I am coming from online in 2012 (and was in 2009 too).
For people who don’t want to write comments, then there are sites like MountainofAgents.com where people simply click to rate me. Seems “thin” to me but someone thought it would be a good idea. Go ahead after we work together and rate me… please!
I really haven’t pushed my past clients to write testimonials online but I probably should. This client (below) wrote a review on Zillow.com because her agent in Maryland had asked her to write one for him. Confidentially, I know she likes me more than him. People can typically tell a story about the home buying or selling experience in 100 words or less, and consumers who don’t know me yet can get the gist about who I am and how I work with people.
Sorry that the print is so small, but you can go to the sites and read the reviews yourself. What do you feel about Realtor reviews online? I feel that we have all grown accustom to seeing a review either on Amazon.com or BestBuy.com for any product we are planning to buy. It is kind of where people are getting insight these days… peer recommendations.
Don’t you Google almost anything?
Thank you Amy Falcone!
Yet another web site holds client recommendations too. That site, LinkedIn.com , is more of a business networking platform rather than a real estate specific web site.
If you are looking for a REALTOR in McLean, Vienna, Oakton or who covers most of Northern Virginia, then take a look at my Online Reviews and tell me what you think. I look forward to hearing from you!
UPDATE: After I wrote this blog post, there was a flurry of articles about real estate agent review site and I stumbled upon a site that puts reviews in one place. Wow! My little Vienna real estate blog seems to have moved the conversation along… take a look at more blog posts now! What do you think?
Zillow, Angie’s List, Yelp!
Also on my mind are promoted reviews, which I am against but need to discuss. Yes, I have had phone calls from sales guys who will promote me as a Pro, Featured or Premiere agent, and position me closer to the top of the results. Since most of these web sites with rating lists are public companies, they have to make sales and people are willing to pay for top billing! One eye opening moment came when a home inspector (who was really only so-so) told me he pays whats-her-name’s list a couple hundred bucks a month for better placement. At that moment, I grasp the fact that some people are gaming the system to have all 5-star or all 3-star reviews.
Let me conclude that I don’t pay clients for online REALTOR Reviews nor do I pay for better placement on third-party web sites.
Related articles
- Will Your Real Estate Offer Make the Cut? (dougfrancis.com)
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- Sweating the Appraisal Contingency? (dougfrancis.com)
- Zillow Adds Real Estate Agent Ratings (webpronews.com)
About Doug Francis
A few years ago I noticed that real estate sites seem to show the same MLS listings, so I decided to create a distinct real estate blog to share my local insight - if you already live here or are relocating. There are topics based on recent client experiences, buying custom homes, and more learned over the past twenty years. Take a few minutes and read a blog post or two to see if my approach matches your goals. I am a real estate agent with RE/MAX, have lived in Oakton and McLean, and live in Vienna Virginia. My goal is to provide you with intel into today's market, candor, practical advice, ideas to get you moving, some humor, geeky stats, the best coffee shop, some video, and a cool way to search for homes. Helping you understanding the process of making an offer, the sales contract and more will come when we meet. Yes, I live here. It is easy to reach me: 
You’re exactly right about the online review thing – it’s become a routine part of just about any purchase. In fact, last week I wasted half an hour reading reviews before ordering a $7 poster for my son’s birthday!
We’ve occasionally asked people for testimonials, and we’ve had plenty of unsolicited good comments. (we compiled them here: http://thephoenixagents.com/our-tribe/) But we’ve never focused on the online review sites. That’s a good idea – thanks!
Chris Butterworth´s last [type] ..How safe is nuclear energy
I saw zilliows.com and saw realcircle.com which I liked buy it was just in San francisco and had no ratings just reviews. I wounder if this online rating things is a new trend. Maybe before all the housing drama they should have been a way to search back then.
The review concept has been around for a few years. I called an agent up a couple of summers ago because, when I Googled her there was one review for her… and obviously she had not shown up to show some guy’s home only to get a scathing comment posted. Yes, she should have called but the damage had been done. Let’s just say she was shocked when I told her…
There is an ad on CNBC for “Reputation Defender” to help people in this type of situation (their example is a dentist). Hey, there’s a business!
Readers have become so accustom to reviews and they want some insight, but can tell when it is too extreme (good or bad). I guess we are all part of the Amazon.com culture.
Thank you for the post. This is very helpful information. I will keep this in mind while I am looking for Maryland Realtors.
Thanks for mentioning us in this article, Doug! We appreciate the coverage. Since our October 2010 launch, Mountain of Agents has undergone quite a few changes in regards to our rating system. As of summer 2011, we now qualify each 1-click tally rating via Facebook Connect and allow the raters to share your profile with their Facebook friends. This update addresses your initial ‘thin’ assessment of the rating system and takes free, viral real estate agent marketing to the next level for our members.