Consumers are devolving real estate

Consumers choose their agents
Consumers directing real estate industry (infographic from househuntnetwork.com)

The National Association of Realtors annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (nar.realtor) reveals insight into consumer real estate trends.  It provides an understanding into home buyers’ and sellers’ experiences and what they want.  One aspect of focus from the Profile is how consumers choose their real estate agent.  The survey consistently indicates that a referral from a friend, neighbor or relative plays a big part in their choice.  But how do buyers and sellers view real estate brands?

There are reams of research about the relationship between brands and consumers.  However, recent data regarding millennials suggest that brand loyalty may be changing.  Jeff Fromm’s article for Forbes (Why Label Transparency Matters When It Comes To Millennial Brand Loyalty; forbes.com; December 13, 2017) points out what consumers are looking for and what they deem important.  Fromm states

If the brand doesn’t provide the information they need, millennials will look elsewhere… when millennials make purchase decisions, they’re considering more than the traditional drivers of taste, price and convenience.  They value authenticity, and make decisions based on the way they perceive brands to impact their quality of life, society as a whole, and how that brand may be contributing positively to the world.”

Real estate brokers and agents should pay close attention to the new consumer research.

This evolution of brand loyalty and how consumers perceive brands may explain the growth of independent brokers.  A 2015 Special Report by Inman Select (inman.com) The Shift Toward Independent Brokerages indicates that the number of real estate agents affiliating with independent brokerages (not affiliated with corporate or franchise real estate companies) grew significantly over the last decade.  The percentage of agents affiliating with independent brokers jumped from about 45 percent in 2006 to about 55 percent in 2015.  About 80 percent of real estate brokerages are independent.  And the trend is expected to continue.

According to the Special Report, the major advantage cited for affiliating with a brand name brokerage is brand awareness.  However, there may be a limit to the influence of a real estate brand.  Unlike retail brands, real estate brands do not have total control over the consistency and quality of the services provided.  That is left to the individual agent.  Independents, on the other hand, cite the ability to quickly adjust to consumers’ needs and being focused on the local real estate market as an advantage.

Yes, the real estate industry appears to be devolving.  Another example of the devolution is a decreasing reliance on the MLS for home listings.  It’s not to say that home sellers are not listing their homes with agents, because an increasing number of sellers are looking to agents for their expertise.  However, brokers and agents are maintaining control over their inventories through alternative means of selling homes, such as pocket listings.  An increasing number of brokers are also restricting their listings from internet syndication to increase the quality of information provided to consumers.  Although it may sound counter-intuitive to not widely broadcast a home for sale on the MLS or internet, however, a lack of transparency remains a problem for some real estate aggregator portals.

Are real estate brokers and agents listening?  The business of real estate is changing and devolving.  Control over the industry has slowly been transferred to real estate consumers.  Real estate consumers are savvy and intelligent.  They know if a broker/agent is really focused on revenue streams, gimmicks and salesy techniques.  Real estate consumers want agents and brokers who are authentic, transparent, and provide a quality service.

Original located at https://dankrell.com/blog/2017/12/29/consumers-devolving-real-estate/

Copyright© Dan Krell
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