It is important to have a good reputation when working in real estate, just as it is in any other business. The main way someone’s reputation becomes widely known is by word of mouth. People meet people and talk about their dealings and doings. They talk about the people they like and the people they don’t like. And if someone rips them off, they talk about that more than anything. So you can build a word-of-mouth reputation that is either good or bad; it’s your choice.

If you want a good reputation, it is important to be totally fair and honest in all your dealings. You may be desperate to sell a house to those people, but if you are going to tell them that the jet tub is a Jacuzzi and the floors under the carpets are made of expensive timber, and you are really not sure if this is true, then don’t say it. There will come a time that they will find out the truth for themselves and then they will remember you lied. So your reputation will soon be in tatters. And don’t think they won’t say anything. People love to gossip about others - especially if they’ve ‘done wrong’.

Honesty is the best policy when trying to build a good reputation. Don’t gloss over the obvious bad points of a house, but point out what can be done about them, and how much it’s likely to cost. You could mention that the cost of the house reflects what repairs are needed - if this is so. No house will be perfect, but if you stay positive and optimistic, your attitude will go a long way to minimize the bad points. And there will always be good points to balance them.

Another way to build your reputation by word-of-mouth, is to become known in your community in other ways. You can choose an organization to join that helps the community in some specific way that is unrelated to real estate. This will give you a wider people base to interact with. If it is a high-profile organization, so much the better. Just be sure its reputation is good, or it could have the opposite effect of what you are trying to achieve.

Always pay attention to the way you communicate with your clients. Many complain that they can’t access their real estate agent, but in some cases this may be because you don’t communicate with them in their preferred way, so they feel you can’t be bothered with them. They may prefer a phone call to an email, so if you know that an email is the best way for them to receive complicated information - they can print it out or keep it to refer back to - a phone call to let them know you are sending it will go a long way towards making them feel that you have their best interests at heart. If you keep your customers happy, they will soon build up your reputation in a positive way.

Tags: Reputation in Real Estate