After a soft launch in January, RankMyAgent.com is gearing up to offer buyers and sellers a fully functioning and user-friendly platform to rate and review real estate agents.
“We’ve been listening closely to what home buyers and sellers and agents want,” Riti Verma, founder and president of RankMyAgent.com, tells REP. “Based on the feedback, we’ve tweaked a few things.”
Now, for example, homeowners can use an interactive map to find a reputable agent in their neighbourhood by searching their address. Users can also write reviews for any agent they’ve worked with and completed a transaction with, even if that agent isn’t a registered member of the site.
When it comes to reviews, Verma says the site went to great lengths to ensure users are fair.
“We put measures in place to ensure that the reviews are accurate, we request more details from the client and every review is verified. If there is a dispute, our internal team reviews that dispute,” she says.
“We are very committed to providing complete transparency for homeowners. We want to provide a mutually beneficial service for buyers, sellers and Realtors.”
Those strict guidelines create a greater sense of transparency that buyers and sellers will benefit from, Verma says.
“[Buyers and sellers] can read credible reviews then decide who best meets their needs. We also simplify the buying and selling process. By choosing the right agent they can limit the stress [of buying or selling a home].”
Realtors, however, will benefit from being recognized for the great work they do. Agents can also receive feedback from their clients and can generate new leads to expand their clientele.
Candace Keeling, a Realtor with Right at Home Realty, found RankMyAgent.com to be a good way to drum up new business.
“I just moved from London to Mississauga, and I thought that if I had some reviews on RankMyAgent, it would be a good way to get my name out,” she tells REP. “Then others can use those reviews to decide if they want to use me as their agent.”
Keeling is just one of many agents who are leveraging the incredible reach of the Internet to build their personal brands.
“Since we are a third party neutral site,” Verma says. “It’s beneficial for Realtors to build their online reputation.”
