Agents Trust Level an Urban Myth

20 Oct 2013| Posted by: Geoff Baldwin

The long held view that real estate agents are among Australia's least trusted professions is simply not supported by reality according to RE/MAX Western Australia Managing Director, Geoff Baldwin. “In repeated surveys over several decades it has been reported that the public have a low opinion of the trustworthiness of our Industry but it is worth taking a close look at what is involved in our business to establish if this myth holds any real substance” Baldwin said. “There are few professions where a person would be willing to hand over the keys to their home often after only one or two meetings, allow tours and open homes without them being present, manage their property portfolios, entrust their personal particulars including bank details and, in the case of buyers, allow the agent to hold large sums of money on their behalf. “Yes, every now and again we do hear of a rogue agent doing the wrong thing but let's face it, the thousands of dealings that go through without a hiccup despite the complexity of selling and transferring a property from one set of owners to another is not something for which the industry is given its due credit. “Unfortunately, when something goes wrong in a property dealing or on the rare occasion that an agent is found to have breached the rules it tends to make the news, however the actual percentage of confirmed intentional or unintentional breaches occur in less than point two percent of dealings. “What many people may not be aware of is that the percentage of complaints to actual dealings in the real estate Industry compares favourably to most other professions and trades including lawyers, accountants, doctors, mechanics, plumbers or builders. “Going back 35 to 40 years ago anyone could hang out a sign and call themself an agent however the qualifications and ongoing professional development required to operate successfully in today's real estate industry is onerous and anyone who doesn't meet those standards tends to be weeded out very quickly. “In addition to the huge advance in professional standards the real estate industry is now one of Australia's most regulated and stringently overseen sectors. “There is a genuine focus by the majority of today's agent's to continually improve professionalism and skills and to lift the public's perception of our industry and I for one am very proud to have seen that focus increase each year since I kicked off my career in 1987”, Mr Baldwin said. Ends Media contact - Geoff Baldwin - 0413754414