Top 5 Real Estate Agent Stats that Matter in Today's Market

Realtors are more than facilitators of real estate transactions. They’re dream-makers, savvy negotiators, and expert advisors. 

And those who do their job particularly well—helping buyers and sellers have flawless, beneficial transactions—stand out in the statistics.

If you’re considering hiring a realtor for an upcoming sale or purchase, you’ll want to work with the best in the real estate industry. And looking for those standout stats that set agents apart is a great way to guide your search. 

Here are five of the top real estate agent stats and why they matter in today’s housing market (and your search for the perfect realtor). 

Sell-through rate (STR)

If you’re a seller seeking a listing agent, then sell-through rate (STR) should be a statistic that tops your list. STR is a marker of how well an agent moves properties in their inventory. 

STR is calculated by dividing the number of units sold by the number of units in inventory—in other words, the number of homes an agent has sold in a certain period versus the number of units in inventory in that same period. If a realtor lists 20 homes in a quarter and sells 18 of them, they have a 90% sell-through rate, which is high. 

Titus, a lender that partners with top-notch listing agents to offer home sellers credits for pre-market renovations and repairs, only works with professionals who have an above-average sell-through rate, like the one in the above example. When you work with a Titus-affiliated agent, you can rest assured they’ll leverage their expertise to move your property quickly and at the best possible price. 

Sales velocity 

If you’re a home seller, chances are you’ll put a lot of time and effort into getting your property ready for the market. And once your listing is live, you want your home to sell fast, swiftly earning back any investments you made to renovate or repair the space, plus something extra, too. So, it's wise to compare listing agents’ sales velocity stats—that is, how quickly they sell homes.

Several factors influence how fast a home will sell, including the state of the real estate market, the property’s price, and the house’s attractiveness to potential buyers. You can help foster a sale by upgrading your home.

Your listing agent’s prowess also contributes. According to data from HomeLight, top listing agents sell homes more quickly than their peers—and for around 10 percent more money.

High-value home sales

Selling quickly can be important. Perhaps moving to your next home depends on doing so or, maybe, the sale will give you a much-needed financial boost. But even better than a swift sale, is one that’s both fast and high-value. So, if you plan on listing your home, seek out an agent who regularly sells properties for top dollar: at rates better than the competition or over the asking or listing price. 

Help your real estate agent help you by prepping your home for a high-value sale. Get advice from your agent about renovations and staging work that’ll make your property more attractive to homebuyers. When you work with a Titus agent, not only do you team up with one of the best realtors in the game but you also gain access to a unique financing tool to cover home upgrades. Titus’s closing lines of credit (CLoCs), which you can only access by working with an affiliate agent, are loans for pre-sale upgrades.  

Online ratings

Whether you’re buying or selling, online ratings are a metric that can help you sift out the best local agents. People who have had a particularly positive or negative experience take to the internet to write about it. One report shows that half of the world’s consumers post a review every month.

A great star rating on Yelp, Google, RateMyAgent, Angi (formerly Angie’s List), or social media sites (like Facebook) speaks volumes for real estate businesses. And the more ratings there are for an agent, the more reliable this metric becomes, seeing as many people have had a similarly excellent experience. For example, if an agent has an average 4.9-star review compiled from hundreds of entries, you know that the grand majority of people who’ve worked with this real estate professional (and left a rating) had an experience worth raving about. This said, quantity isn’t everything: a handful of solid ratings accompanied by stellar testimonials can be a marker of a talented, new agent who’s taking off.

Before reaching out to a realtor, check out their brokerage’s standing on the Better Business Bureau, too. This consumer protection agency grades businesses and informs you of any potential red flags. 

Finally, if you’re a realtor, keep your ratings pristine. Online ratings not only help potential clients form favorable opinions of your business but they also drive website traffic, and in tandem, lead generation. 

Testimonials 

Good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth referrals remain a golden recommendation metric. While numerical statistics and ratings can quantify how well an agent works, testimonials qualify their experience, adding nuance. 

As you read ratings, scan for traits and skills you think would be particularly useful in your transaction. For example, if you’re a first-time homebuyer, check for testimonials from others in your position who felt well-accompanied in this new experience. Or if you’re a seller who wants an expert negotiator in your corner to help secure a high-value sale, read with an eye for this skill. 

Partner with an agent with excellent stats through Titus

Titus, a unique financing company that offers homeowners closing lines of credit (CLoCs) only partners with the best real estate agents in the industry. We ensure that all partner realtors have an above-average sell-through rate and a proven track record of moving homes at top dollar while providing quality interpersonal services. 

Plus, when you work with one of Titus’s expert partner agents, you gain exclusive access to a CLoC, which you can use to renovate and repair your home or pay for moving and storage fees. Credits of up to $25,000 are zero-interest, and Titus never asks homeowners for money out-of-pocket or upfront. Find out how it works here.