Work with someone who will work with you

Homebuyers and sellers today, more than ever, view their real estate professional as a partner, not just an agent. Consumers are looking for a partnership with their professionals and service providers, rather than someone who takes care of every detail for them.

The proliferation of the Internet, which allows consumers to help themselves to information, combined with the increasing complexity of the real estate deal, has changed the way today's homebuyers and sellers use a real estate professional.

In 2000 we began to see a major shift in consumer behavior toward a new, more collaborative style of working with REALTORS® and other professionals. Dubbed "strategic control" by the highly regarded national research company Yankelovich Monitor, this trend has important implications for how REALTORS® do business.

The Yankelovich research, along with other comprehensive studies of real estate professionals and their customers, inspired the National Association of REALTORS® to launch a new set of television, radio and print ads in 2002. The new ads carry the tag line, "Work with someone who will work with you. We're Realtors®. Real Estate is Our Life."

The new ads dramatized the collaborative style of working with customers, showing how REALTORS® and homeowners work side by side, in a team effort, to get the job done.

Different customers want different attributes in their "REALTOR® partners. Some customers see their real estate professional as a white water rafter-helping them get through the wild ride to closing; some see their agent as a social worker, focusing on the interpersonal relationships that make a deal go through; others see their agent as a financial planner or marketing expert, while some are simply looking for a level-headed negotiator.

However, the attribute everyone is looking for is trust. And it's the REALTOR®'s adherence to a strict Code of Ethics that sets them apart from licensees who are not members of the National Association of REALTORS®.

Whether you're buying or selling a home, you should first find a REALTOR® who makes you feel comfortable and assured that you will get to the end of the deal successfully.

Ask friends and neighbors about REALTORS® they have used to get informed referrals. Drive your neighborhood and others with similarly priced homes to see who has them listed. And, most importantly, interview at least three Realtors® before making your selection.

Real estate is one of the most competitive businesses in America, so local REALTORS® must fight hard to succeed in each community. That puts you in the driver's seat, when it comes to finding the right real estate professional for you. Take your time with your selection and find someone you are comfortable with to be your partner in this process.