Do Brand Names Matter?
America is the land of Brand. People are
attracted to names they know such as Coke, Chevrolet, Hewlett Packard, Sears,
McDonalds, etc. Why? Because of a perception of better quality and greater
consistency in the products or services associated
with those names.
The question: Is it the same in Real Estate? Is
the service, performance and quality provided by the well known "brand
names" better than that found with smaller or independent providers? The
answer is a resounding NO !!!
In real estate, "brand names" are
merely marketing tools. The actual service (getting a home bought or sold) is
the product of the individual agent and his or her individual efforts and
expertise. Since all agents are Independent Contractors, and NOT employees of
the "brand name", they all perform independently with minimal
quality controls and supervision. More often than not, agents using known
"brand names" are under pressure to produce volume in order to
support the extremely high marketing costs of that "brand name". The
result is often poor quality of service.
The best solution is to pick an agent that you
trust to provide the quality of service and expertise that you desire. That
agent may be with a "brand name". More likely, however, you will
find that agent with a smaller or independent firm.
First Published 5/10/00 (1/2)
