Special offer

Spam prevention
Ambassador
5,224,095
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Good for them for uncovering this - sadly, it's rampant in our industry as well, Buzz. Reminds me of the old paper & magazine ads, "Million Dollar Producer!"

I have good BS radar and to me, it's easy to read between the lines!

Feb 20, 2018 09:37 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Buzz Mackintosh - inside job!

Feb 20, 2018 09:19 PM
Ambassador
6,380,446
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Tough to trust reviews of any kind.

Feb 20, 2018 09:02 PM
Rainmaker
1,539,715
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

I put little stock in the stars.

Feb 20, 2018 08:07 PM
Rainmaker
899,657
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

I haven't really. I have heard potential clients (especially millennials) don't trust perfect reviews.

Feb 20, 2018 06:10 PM
Rainmaker
2,779,653
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

It reminds me of all the marketing on movies coming out. Must see, don't miss, hit of the year and best performance. I go see it and it falls on its face

Feb 20, 2018 06:03 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I do not wonder. The delete button has lots of power.

Feb 20, 2018 05:57 PM
Rainmaker
399,703
PropertyMinder (AccelerAgent)
PropertyMinder, Inc. - San Jose, CA
Modern Tools for the Modern Agent

Reviewing Reviews. What an interesting investigative story. Thanks for sharing, Buzz Mackintosh

It's great they're making efforts and raising awareness to crack down on the fake stuff. I believe there is a way to certify that the individual providing the 5 Star Review (or any star rating for that matter) is a real person and legitimate customer (at least that's what Trust Pilot mandates when we have customers post their reviews of our company). - Tim 

Feb 20, 2018 05:28 PM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

some readers put stock in reviews and others do not even read them....but one needs them.... 

Feb 21, 2018 05:47 AM
Rainmaker
1,842,961
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I'm not reading the link but I give people 5 stars as much as possible. If they do great, I say so.

Feb 21, 2018 05:36 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

There is not secret.

YOU BUY THEM.

How do you do that?

1. Vlaimir will get you into their 5 Star Plan.

2. Reward others to write a review.

3. Invites everyone to participate in a poll.

4. Understand the opportune time to encourage a meaningful and focused review and rating.

However you slice it, you are buying the stars and reveiws.

Feb 21, 2018 05:27 AM
Rainmaker
1,501,618
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Wow, NBC is VERY late to the party if they're just now uncovering this!  Companies that give 5 star reviews are about as old as review sites!  Not to mention rolling your own reviews or get your friends and family to review you.

Feb 21, 2018 09:15 AM
Rainmaker
5,102,824
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

I don't worry about anyone else... I collect my testimonials and present them and there's no fake news there.

Feb 21, 2018 07:22 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Buzz Mackintosh Sounds like they are writing their own reviews. Most reviews I see are negative. It seems people who take the time to review a business have had a negative experience.

Feb 21, 2018 06:48 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

No, not really.

Feb 21, 2018 06:22 AM
Rainmaker
5,205,874
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

It is so hard to take them all in as fully honest with the pressure from companies today to rank people based on surveys!

Feb 21, 2018 05:51 AM
Rainmaker
4,872,859
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

I don't think abou it.

Feb 21, 2018 05:25 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,011
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I was reviewing some local agents reviews and was amazed and shocked many of them were other6 agents in their own firm. 

Feb 21, 2018 05:19 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Wonder?  No.

Feb 21, 2018 04:57 AM
Rainmaker
1,513,143
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

There are agents giving a gift card for them, with three numbers on them!

Feb 21, 2018 04:30 AM
Rainer
140,560
Richard L. McKinney P.A.
Atlantic Shores Realty Expertise - Port St Lucie, FL
For Results that MOVE you on the Treasure Coast!

Buzz Mackintosh 

As far as the real estate industry goes it depends on what site you are looking at regarding the reviews. For example, reviews on Realtor.com, agents personal site, google business page and facebook business page can be easily faked. However, Zillow reviews are very accurate bc Zillow verifies sales using tax records and the ip address of the submitter. 

Feb 21, 2018 03:42 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Not my problem.

Feb 20, 2018 07:10 PM
Ambassador
2,682,719
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

  Sad but true.  I don't trust review sites.

Feb 25, 2018 01:53 PM
Rainmaker
5,862,877
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Sometimes reviews are hard to trust.

Feb 22, 2018 01:54 PM
Ambassador
3,343,466
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I am generally only concered about the reviews I get.  

Feb 21, 2018 05:11 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Thank you.

Feb 21, 2018 02:20 PM
Rainmaker
1,239,320
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

A local handy person charges $20 a post. You write it he posts it up.  Yelp, Warmart, Ace Hardware.  Realtor, doctor review, what else you want to believe in?

Feb 21, 2018 09:47 AM
Ambassador
2,176,071
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

I know this does go on.  I try to read the good and the bad and make a reasonably informed decision.

Feb 21, 2018 07:40 AM
Rainmaker
7,822,429
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thanks for sharing this link.

Feb 21, 2018 07:19 AM