I’ve presented the results from a few valuable borrower surveys that give us great insight into the ways first-time and seasoned borrowers view our profession. I continue to highlight these surveys because they drive home how completely crucial it is to keep customer satisfaction high. That starts by understanding what questions and concerns borrowers have; what they perceive as their needs; and how they view our jobs and the individualized service they receive.

The same traits that make a loan officer stand out often apply to realtors as well – and vice versa. Which is why I’m pointing out the results of the J.D. Power 2017 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study.

Take a look at the latest homebuyer sentiments. Do your best to adjust your performance to meet clients’ expectations, and align yourselves with realtors who share your work ethic and solid reputation.

Key findings:

• First-time buyers are most impressed: Overall satisfaction with real estate companies is higher among first-time buyers, compared with satisfaction among repeat buyers.
• Hand-holding is worth it: Satisfaction is strongly influenced by the amount of time agents invest in providing customers with quick responses to questions and concerns vs. when they are not kept informed.
• Word-of-mouth is still vital: First-time home buyers report good reputation and recommendations from friends, family and colleagues as the two main reasons for selecting a real estate company. More than 35 percent of first-time buyers indicate they chose their real estate company based on its reputation, while 24 percent of first-time buyers made their selections based on recommendations.