Need Advice From Locals! (Lexington: for sale, real estate, broker)

[ttyl1979]

Ok need advice. This could have been posted in the real estate area, but I need to know what the local Lexington people think......Due to reasons beyond my control, I am going to change real estate brokers. Living in Lexington my entire life I understand that sometimes brands matter. If you were in need of a Realtor, would it matter to you if they were with a we'll known company, or not? I can see the benefits from an agent standpoint, but there are pro's and con's and right now a smaller company, I believe, would be a better choice for me, BUT as a prospective client in Lexington, would it matter to you to have that "big name" company? If you got a flyer in the mail would you pay more attention to the logo? or does it matter to you at all?

Thanks in advance....

[sandman1]

It wouldn't matter to me at all. If I were a prospective buyer and I got a flyer in the mail and it said real estate agent I would check it out brand name or not. I may ask you a few more questions about your success in the past just because I haven't heard of your company but other than that if we ride around and you seem like you know what you are doing then I could care less what company you work for. If you send out flyers or something I think you would be fine...if not it may be hard for you to get your name out there because most people probably open the phonebook and look for Remax or a place they have heard of before.

[timelesschild]

Eh, I understand your concern. I have to say that when I drive by a perfect house and want to find out about it, which is how I bought all my Lexington houses, I didn't care who the company was, or who the realtor was.

When I wanted to SELL my houses, I sold them myself. However, on this latest one, I did consider a realtor because I wanted out, because husband had already moved. The way I selected the realtor of my choice, is I noticed that his listings sold FAST. I saw his name on signs that didn't stay up long, and then interviewed him and was satisfied that he knew his stuff.

So I guess from my perspective, I look for houses to buy, and people to sell them, and don't consider companies until last. I hope that helps you in your decision! And I hope that lots of other people weigh in, because I'm sure everyone will have their own ways of looking at things.

[nlschr0]

I agree that it all comes down to the individual realtor, but honestly I also pay attention to the "name brand". When selling, I tend to keep an eye on homes for sale that I feel are similar to mine, in style, price point, etc, and I usually note the brand name of the company on the sign.

When buying, I look more for an individual that I feel can understand me and my preferences.

[LEXpert]

Steph,

How about something in the middle. I have talked to the managing broker at GMAC. They have alot going for them. If I were not so happy with my office, I think I would be over there. They have some decent office leads that they pass out too!

It is my experience that most of the buyers you get either know you, know somebody that knows you, or you just end up meeting them somehow. They dont care who you are with since they never really see the company.

RHR Tates Creek is a wonderful environment. It may be worth talking to Susan Webb. The office # is 269-7331. The office schedules the showings for you, so you don't have to worry about missing calls from other agents. They have admin people to make your flyers, stamp your envelopes, etc. I like having all that. It frees up alot of time to do other things.

[bluegrassgirl]

I could care less about the name of the company as a buyer or seller. I would suspect that maybe it makes a difference on the end for the realtor? When I sold my house many years ago and bought a new one, I used a realtor from a small no name company. What I cared about was the integrity, knowledge, and work ethic of my realtor.... not the name on the sign going in my yard. I think I and most people tend to find our realtors through word of mouth.... someone who knows someone.

As a matter of fact, there might be some that would prefer the "feel" from a small company. Perhaps small business vs corporate kind of mentality.

[ttyl1979]

Hey..Thanks so much to everyone that responded. It really helped! I decided today to go with my instinct and your responses! I listed with a smaller company, whom I know the owners and trust very much. It was your responses that made my final decision. Thanks!