Consumers: Do you prefer a real estate brokerage to have a brick and mortar office? (documents, agent)

[MikeJaquish]

Set aside laws requiring a physical address in some states.
And this isn't about brokers and licensed agents who don't care about whether their brokerage has an office.

Home buyers and sellers:
Do you prefer that your real estate broker maintain a brick and mortar office, for meeting you?

[Hemlock140]

I have bought 3 houses and sold 2 and never set foot in an office. They come to you, so whether they have an office or not makes no difference. Why should I drive to an office if the agents will drive to my home?

[jamies]

In the past three years I've signed an offer once in a realtors office just because it was nearby and the papers were there. Usually we either e-mail or fax back and forth or I issue my own offers directly.

[Racelady88]

While I am all for the convenience of doing things by e-mail I would be less inclined to trust an agent who did not have an actual office in an actual building. Skewed thought it may be, my perception of agents in their office makes them more trustworthy and stable.

Over the years I have found that while many agents are difficult to reach by phone, the ability to walk into the office and leave papers/info/messages with a real live person is somehow soothing. I once had an agent who was the owner/broker and did not have a receptionist. This particular agent proved to be unreliable and not all that competent.

So my vote goes for brick & mortar, with a live person up front.

[MrRational]

Mostly... I just want an actual live person to answer the phone...
and if I have reason/need for something to have a place to go get that.
Knowing these things exist somewhere is reassuring w/r/t the agent being real.

So... NONE of the four poll options is even remotely useful.

[bbronston]

Mike, of course I didn't answer the poll but it will be interesting to see what you get. My broker is struggling with this question right now. We must have some kind of office space but do we need desks and offices for agents? I would argue, though, that the people who tend to frequent C-D will probably skew a bit more to the technically capable demographic or, at least, more likely to feel comfortable using electronic means of dealing with documents.

[accufitgolf]

I voted safe and quiet as I will tell them where to meet me. Otherwise phone/online is fine if unable to meet.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by bbronston

Mike, of course I didn't answer the poll but it will be interesting to see what you get. My broker is struggling with this question right now. We must have some kind of office space but do we need desks and offices for agents? I would argue, though, that the people who tend to frequent C-D will probably skew a bit more to the technically capable demographic or, at least, more likely to feel comfortable using electronic means of dealing with documents.

This was prompted by a blog on ActiveRain by Rich Jacobson.
Of course, AR is agent-centric, and the comments were from agents and brokers and from their personal perspectives.

I'm curious how consumers feel about brick and mortar vs. casual meets and/or virtual offices.
Where to turn, but CD?

[Laurie Matthias]

I, too, am very interested in the results. I work for a broker who has offices in the home state, DE, but here in PA, they are more of what I can hubs or for meet 'n greets. No receptionist (live answer on 800 #), but fully equipped to hold settlements. Honestly, I see it as a way of the future.

[davecj]

Our office is located on a really nice intersection of Fell's Point in Baltimore where there is a lot of foot traffic. Most of our new clients simply walk in and start asking questions to the AOD.