The #1 reason clients walk away is because they don't like the Realtor. Based on more than 2,000 surveys and countless focus groups, it turns out that most people don't buy a house because the salesperson fell down on the job.

These buyers weren't just asking "should I buy a home"? 75% actually purchased a home within 6 months. They didn't NOT BUY. They just didn't buy from that Realtor.

After looking at so many homes, especially condos, it's often difficult to distinguish one from another. A frequent comment was that the home didn't matter anymore because they all began to look the same. Those buyers ended up buying from a Realtor they liked, not necessarily the home they wanted.

So what is it that buyers say they don't like about Realtors?

They hate the fact that the Realtor doesn't take the time to listen to what they want. It's, "Hi, how are ya, come into my office or else I don't have time for you." Then the customer is taken on a home tour to see homes that only barely fit their criteria.

It's the #1 complaint. "I've got this, and I've got that, come see my list of homes for sale" but they don't really bother to find out what the buyer wants, or guide them in how to buy a home. And the Realtor takes him out to show him a bunch of stuff he didn't want to see.

Selling is a dialogue, not a monologue. Yet many agents don't even take a breath.

A very close second to not listening is that the agent was just too high-powered, only interested in their real estate for sale (not what the buyers want). "We felt very uncomfortable" is a frequent comment. So are, "We didn't trust him/her" and "They were in too much of a hurry and too impatient with us."

"We want to find a home to buy, but he never showed us what we wanted to see," and "He/she was just not friendly."

House hunters aren't just looking for homes for sale. They have questions -- and don't like it when agents don't have the answers to their questions, or worse, give the wrong answers.

Agents should never give out incorrect information. But they shouldn't have all the answers, either. That way, an agent has a golden opportunity to get back to the client who is interested in buying a home.

The #3 reason people get upset is that agents rarely follow up when they are more than ready to buy a home.

And another thing: House hunters detest the information they have to give out every time they call a Realtor. They know they should, if only to make the house hunting go better. But they absolutely abhor giving out so much information. It's a real pain. They want to go out and find real estate, but don't want to tell their story until the agent's earned the right to know.

And buyers don't mind seeing a fully upgraded home, upgraded to the hilt. But they should also see a bare-bones home with just the basics so they can make a valid comparison before buying a new home.

In Summary --

1) Buyers want to be treated properly.

2) Buyers want to give out the simplest information about themselves.

3) Buyers want an agent who listens, not attacks.

4) Buyers want to deal with positive, friendly agents.

5) Buyers want to be able to look and ask questions without feeling pressured to make a commitment.

6) Buyers want to see what's advertised. If the advertised home has been sold, there should be some others available both more expensive and less expensive, or it looks like the ad has been misleading.

7) Buyers want to create a short list of homes they like through a process of elimination.

Wonder if you have the right agent?

Did you answer "yes" to 1-7 above?

*The above was based on 2,000 surveys and countless focus groups, as reported by the Los Angeles Times