Picking a real estate agent is like flipping a coin for most Ontarians

New study from Zoocasa shows that only half of Ontario home buyers and sellers are confident
they picked the right real estate agent

TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2014 /CNW/ - Ontario home buyers and sellers could use better tools and resources to help pick the right real estate agent. A recent survey release today from Zoocasa and Survey Sampling International (SSI) revealed most (86%) Ontario home buyers and sellers used a real estate agent on their last transaction, but only half (50%) reported being confident that they picked the right one.

"Buying or selling a home is one of the most important decisions a person will make in their lifetime, so it is surprising that Ontarians are settling for what's essentially a coin flip when picking a real estate agent," says Carolyn Beatty, General Manager for Zoocasa. "It's our goal to make buying or selling a home easy for consumers, and a big part of the experience is matching consumers with top agents who have knowledge of the housing market in the specific area they are looking to buy or sell."

A good relationship with a talented real estate agent makes a huge difference in a person's experience buying or selling their home, yet for many Canadians picking an agent is random. In fact, 67% of people surveyed did not interview their agent before hiring them and 17% hired an agent sight unseen.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that only slightly more than half (58%) of Ontarians reported being "very satisfied" with the value their agent provided.

Other survey highlights included:

• Only 12% of those surveyed interviewed 2 or more agents
• Overall, Ontarians had a more positive buying vs. selling experience (79% vs. 63%)
• Ontarians rated agents a lower satisfaction overall in services including providing background information (56%), photos (56%), open houses(53%), negotiations (51%), appraisals (50%), advertising (47%) and staging (43%)
• 86% of Ontarians would look to use an online site to find an agent the next time

Offering a unique and personalized service, Zoocasa has selected top agents from leading brokerages that receive high ratings for client service and have a strong track record of success. To learn more about Zoocasa, visit www.zoocasa.com. 

About the survey

In September 2014, Zoocasa and Survey Sampling International (SSI) interviewed a total of 687 recent real estate market participants in BC (n=240), Alberta (n=147), and Ontario (n=300). All bought or sold a property in the past four years. Findings are considered to accurate within +/-1.9, 19 times out of 20.

About Zoocasa
Zoocasa, a licensed brokerage that has quickly become one of Canada's fastest growing online and mobile real estate destinations, assisting consumers who are looking to buy or sell their home. With over six million visitors a year, Zoocasa provides consumers with the ability to select highly qualified, pre-screened top agents from leading brokerages.  Consumers can review agent profiles online or speak to a Zoocasa Customer Service Representative who will recommend an agent to work with. By pairing consumers with the right agent who meets their needs, Zoocasa increases consumers' chances of having a positive and successful real estate experience.

About Rogers
Rogers Communications is a leading diversified public Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).  For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit rogers.com.

SOURCE: Zoocasa

or arrange an interview, please contact: René Samulewitsch, High Road Communications, Office: 416-644-2287, Email: [email protected]; Charmaine Khan, Rogers Communications, Office: 416-277-0450, Email: [email protected]