Rewind to 2002 Fireside Chat: Why Do Homebuyers Distrust Realtors?

I found the following interesting article published October 30, 2002 in the Realty Times, written by Blanche Evans. It provides a series of reasons why 5 years ago, in 2002, homebuyers might have held a certain level of distrust for realtors.

Here are some of the key reasons identified by Ms. Evans:

1. Generation Gap - That GenX and GenY prejudices pose a serious challenge to realtors hoping to make that sales connection.
2. Service Gap - That it's important to first time homebuyers to know and understand how much home they can really afford, and that other home buyers just want the realtor to find them the house they want and provide strong, favorable price negotiation expertise.
3. Cultral Gap - Too many white agents. Not enough ethnic diversity in realtor ranks.
4. Electronic Gap - That realtors in 2002 don't yet fully understand the significance of the internet and of e-mail communication as powerful tools to tranform their sales activities and success.

All good points brought forward by Ms. Evans.

But I am one who values self-inspection, perhaps some self-criticism. You know, taking a real inventory of one's strengths, weaknesses and character flaws.

It's now 2007. We are in the midst of a national housing downturn. Many who bought homes in 2002 and after may be in serious jeopardy of losing their homes due to reason 2.

So how would we today answer the same question?

Do homebuyers trust realtors more than they did 5 years ago?