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Beyond referrals, how can agents expand their reach and become the “default” local expert in 2026? Jim Crisera, veteran software leader and Renowned CEO, shares actionable insights.
At Renowned, we communicate with hundreds of thousands of home owners as part of collecting verified agent reviews. In December 2025, we surveyed over 1,000 recent buyers and sellers to better understand how they identified, evaluated, and ultimately selected their real estate agent.
What we learned confirms what many agents already suspect: the decision is often made long before the agent ever gets a call.
We break the agent-selection journey into three stages:
- Identification – how a home owner first finds an agent’s name
- Qualification – how they evaluate whether that agent is truly a local expert
- Selection – the agent they ultimately contact and choose to work with
Download The Local Expert Marketing Playbook for a breakdown of the seven proven strategies for becoming known as the number one agent in your market.
Agent identification
In Australia, there are an estimated 108,000 real estate agents (KPMG research) and around 250,000 active listings (SQM Research), making it clear why there is incredible competition to win each listing.
Our survey confirmed something familiar: most home owners first identify an agent through referrals or past experience.
Online real estate portals, open houses, and outreach still matter – but referrals and repeat clients account for 55 per cent of how names first get on the list. That makes consistent follow-up and staying connected to past clients and your sphere essential to stay top of mind.
But identification is only the beginning.
Agent qualification and research: The “silent interview”
This is the invisible step that happens before the phone rings.
A referral may get an agent on the shortlist, but it is not a guarantee. Today’s consumer trusts their friend’s recommendation – and then verifies it online.
Here’s the big shift:
Referrals and past experience are powerful for identification, but they are far less important when consumers decide who to actually contact.
Home owners want the local market expert – the person who can clearly demonstrate:
- Deep knowledge of the hyper-local market
- A trusted reputation backed by verified, visible reviews
- Proven ability to negotiate the best outcome
They aren’t looking for a new friend. They’re looking for the agent who gives them the greatest confidence.
Agent selection
This is where the decision becomes real – and where many agents never even get a chance.
More than half of home owners contact only one agent.
Yes, listing presentations and comparative market analysis (CMAs) still matter. But by the time the call happens, the odds are high that the decision was already made.
The problem isn’t that agents aren’t good enough.
The problem is that many good agents simply aren’t known.
To win today, you must be both a great agent – and visibly known as one.
How to win the listing before the call
- Weaponise Your Reviews. Don’t just collect them – publish and promote them. Reviews win the “silent interview” when you’re not in the room.
- Highlight Your Local Market Expertise. Share performance metrics, market insights, and local trends regularly. Don’t just claim authority – show it.
- Optimise for AI Discovery. It’s no longer only about Google. Structure your presence so AI platforms can identify you as the expert in your area.
- For Agencies: If review gathering isn’t automated, your agents’ credibility is left to chance.
Download The Local Expert Marketing Playbook for a breakdown of the seven proven strategies for becoming known as the number one agent in your market.
Jim Crisera is a veteran software leader and the CEO of Renowned, a platform redefining the power of reputation in real estate. Recognised as a RISMedia Newsmaker and Swanepoel "Power 200" leader, Jim combines a background in finance with a passion for building customer-focused technology that delivers results.
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