Did you know that buyers and sellers regularly reject honest agents in favor of those who don't care as much about them for precisely those elements that the 1 agent is honest about & that which another agent is dishonest about? Without realizing it, that's exactly what happens quite frequently in the realm of real estate. In this article, I wanted to share how to spot an honest real estate agent, the importance of an honest agent, as well as how to avoid choosing a dishonest real estate agent.
Why is Honesty a Critical Element of a Good Agent?
Top Reasons Why Buyers & Sellers Pick a Less Honest Agent
1. Picking a "Yes Man" (Which is Not to be Confused with an Agent Who Consistently Goes Above & Beyond)
2. Finalizing Decisions Prior to Cross-Examination of Top Agents
3. Failure to Notice Logical Fallacies
4. Getting Caught Up in Emotions Rather than Logic
5. Failure to Ask the Tough Questions (Especially Metrics)
6. Failure to Check Agent Reviews Specifically for Honesty
7. Failure to Check an Agent's Reviews to Sales Ratio (Some Agents have More than Twice the Number of Reviews than They Have Prior Sales)
Only Picking Agents Willing to Lie for Them to Others, Failing to Realize the Liability Inherent in That
Top Reasons Why Sellers Pick a Less Honest Agent
1. Dishonest Agents Are Less Likely to Point Out Negatives of Homes
2. Getting Caught Up in Emotions Rather than Logic
3. Dishonest Agents Are Less Likely to Point Out Disclosure Requirements, Increasing Seller Liability
4. Less Honest Agents Are More Likely to Inflate Perception of Value, Especially If The Seller Has a High Opinion of Value
Top Reasons Why Buyers Pick a Less Honest Agent
Yes Man Agents: Sins of Omission in Search Criteria Optimization
Less Honest Agents Are More Willing to Break the Law
Why Should Agents be Honest?
Honesty Means Seller Clients Can Often Net More $
Honesty Means Buyer Clients Have Lower Buyer's Remorse
Honesty Means Agents & Sellers Face Lower Liability
Honesty is an Indicator of Other Ethical Standards
Honesty is Built into the NAR Code of Ethics from the Beginning
Seller Related:
Buyer Related: