PRESS RELEASE

FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agents (SM) Announced

Posted: February 3, 2009

San Diego, CA (February 3, 2009) - In the March issue of San Diego Magazine, the 2009 FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agents (SM) are announced.

San Diego Magazine formed a partnership with Crescendo Business Services, an independent research firm, to identify the “best in client satisfaction” real estate agents serving the San Diego area. In September, Crescendo mailed 24,500 evaluation surveys to recent homebuyers in the San Diego area, who had recent experience with one or more real estate agents; and over 250 ballots to area mortgage and title companies, who know skills of real estate agents that a consumer may not see. Each respondent was asked to select only real estate agents whom they knew through personal experience, and evaluate them across nine criteria, including, customer service, integrity, market knowledge, communication, negotiation, closing preparation, finds the right house, marketing of the home and overall satisfaction.

By October, stacks of evaluation surveys had arrived and Crescendo began scoring and carefully screening each selected agent with the California State Real Estate Commission databases to ensure each agent holds a current real estate license and has had no disciplinary actions. Before finalizing the list, selected agents were reviewed by a blue ribbon panel of local real estate industry experts.

The panel consisted of realty company executives, professional and trade association officers and others directly involved in housing-related businesses. Although panelists’ comments were incorporated into the final score, safeguards were built into the review process to reduce the ability of panel members to influence the composition of the final list on the basis of company affiliation.

This year’s list of “FIVE STAR: Best in Client Satisfaction” real estate agents represents less than 3 percent of actively licensed real estate agents in the San Diego area. We hope this list serves as a referral network for the 370,000 readers of San Diego Magazine. Is this list exhaustive? Of course not. There are undoubtedly many other excellent real estate agents that are not on the list this year, but don’t be surprised to see them next year.

RESEARCH DECLARATIONS:

As with any research or recognition program, it is important that we provide you the following declarations: The 2009 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents do not pay a fee to be included in the research or the final list of FIVE STAR Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agents. The overall evaluation score of a real estate agent reflects an average of all respondents and may not be representative of any one client’s evaluation.

Kind Regards,

FIVE STAR Sales & Marketing Team
Crescendo Business Services

http://www.fivestarprofessional.com