More people trust REALTORS’® expertise when buying, selling homes

More and more people are recognizing REALTORS'® expertise in the real estate market and are choosing them for help in buying and selling their homes, according to a National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) survey that measured the effectiveness of the seventh season of the group's public awareness campaign.

According to the survey, consumers particularly like REALTORS'® tendency to use the latest technology (up 14 percent from last year), their expertise (up 9 percent) and their trustworthiness (up 5 percent). Of the 16 opinions and beliefs measured in the survey, eleven improved and none declined during the year.

And most consumers said they'd choose a REALTOR® to help them buy or sell a home than someone unaffiliated with NAR – an increase of 8 percent in the past year. In fact, overall preference for REALTORS® has increased from 58 percent in 2000 to 72 percent today.

"These tremendous results reflect the great work being done every day by the America's million-plus REALTORS® and the success our public awareness campaign is having telling their story." said NAR President Walt McDonald, broker-owner of Walt McDonald Real Estate in Riverside, Calif.

McDonald added that more than half new REALTORS® cite the campaign as a reason that they decided to join NAR.

From February through October, this year's Public Awareness Campaign bought more than 4,300 spots on network radio, network broadcast television and network cable. New this season were sponsorships with ESPN Radio's Major League Baseball coverage of the Sunday Night game and Westwood One's radio broadcast of the 2004 Summer Olympics, featuring a sponsorship position with Bob Costas.

The 2004 buy included early morning programs, like NBC's "Today Show," late night TV and network TV news, all of which have been a part of NAR's national television buy in the past. On cable, the Public Awareness Campaign message was seen on networks like the Discovery Channel, Home and Garden Television, and A&E.

Three new television and four new radio advertisements aired this season. Two of the television ads and three of the radio ads featured actual consumers talking about buying and selling homes.

Additional new TV and radio ads celebrated NAR's million-member milestone and highlighted the value that America's REALTORS® bring to their communities. A fourth new radio spot targeted the commercial real estate market. The new ads conclude with a compelling consumer call to action, "Ask if your agent is a REALTOR®, a member of the National Association of REALTORS®."