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FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agents
Satisfied Clients Choose St. Louis’ FIVE STAR Real Estate AgentsExperts say that at least 90 percent of homebuyers rely on real estate agents for advice and guidance. But with more than 15,000 agents in the St. Louis area holding real estate licenses, how do you find someone who knows the market, represents your interests and operates with an emphasis on integrity and service?
St. Louis Magazine can help. For the second year, the magazine has formed a partnership with Crescendo Business Services, an independent research firm, to find out which real estate agents have most consistently wowed their clients.
The Selection Process
In October 2006, Crescendo mailed nearly 21,000 nomination ballots to St. Louis area residents who had recently purchased homes. An additional 250 ballots were sent to mortgage and title companies, who are often best able to judge a real estate agent’s technical skills and knowledge. On the ballots, recipients were asked to nominate only real estate agents whom they knew through personal experience. They were asked to evaluate them based upon nine criteria: customer service, communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation and overall satisfaction. Only original ballots—no copies—returned in their specially designed envelopes were accepted as valid. By November, stacks of ballots had arrived, and Crescendo began carefully scoring and screening each nominee with the Missouri and Illinois State Real Estate Commissions’ databases to make certain that licenses were up to date and that no disciplinary actions were pending. Then, before finalizing the list, nominated real estate agents were reviewed by a blue-ribbon panel of local industry experts. The panel consisted of realty company executives, professional and trade association officers and others directly involved in housing-related businesses. Although panelists’ comments were incorporated into the final score, safeguards were built into the review process to reduce the ability of panel members to influence the composition of the final list on the basis of company affiliation.
Best in Client Satisfaction
The resulting list of Five Star Real Estate Agents is an elite group, representing less than five percent of licensed agents in the St. Louis area. To make the list more user-friendly, agents have been grouped based on their city or county of focus. Throughout the nomination process, respondents told stories of lasting friendships that have emerged from what is most often a stressful business transaction. Several even wrote essays on why their particular agent excelled. Although this list will certainly be a useful tool for anyone buying or selling a home, it should not be considered exhaustive. Undoubtedly, there are many other excellent real estate agents who, for one reason or another, are not on this year’s list. But don’t be surprised to see them next year. To review the complete list of 2007 FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agents, go to fivestarprofessional.com.
