Online Property Reviews: To What Extent They Are Dependable ?

Here is an analysis of pros and cons of online reviews and the best strategy to be adopted while going through such reviews.

The internet is abuzz with reviews on most of the aspects under the sun. A large percentage of such review sites reports significant traffic volume. Are they totally relevant? What could be the ideal approach to such feedback? 

The increasing popularity of online reviews has led experts conduct surveys on their credibility. A 2012 study conducted in USA revealed that about 72% of people looks at them as valuable information source. 

Many property buyers tend to go through these reviews. On one hand, online reviews could be based on personal experience; it is highly possible that people familiar with the concerned area could have posted them. Also, you often get to read many of them on one product, making it easier to arrive at a conclusion. 

If you are looking for a property in a new area, reviews might prove useful sources of information on the prevailing rates, amenities or the nature of locality. If planning to buy a flat from new builder, existing reviews on the builder might prove helpful. Knowledge on the statistics would greatly help while negotiating on a deal. 

Many of these sites include the option for customers to rate reviews. If a certain review was useful or less useful, customers would acknowledge it. The option lets new visitors assess the credibility of each of the reviews posted to an extent. 

These are some of the positive features of online reviews. Yet, it is imperative to look at their negative aspects for a balanced and best approach towards reviews. 

First of all, it is vital to realize that all reviews are not totally reliable. The chances are high that they could be biased or indirect. There have been instances of malpractice where online review sites were misused for tarnishing others.  

According to a 2012 project report by Gartner, a popular research organization, about two to four percentage of such feedback appeared to be fake. The study also indicated more such reviews happening in imminent future. 

One basic aspect of human psychology deserves mention here: negative reviews create more impact than even their positive counterparts. Also, negative reviews circulate more than positive ones. Therefore, such reviews might mislead the customer. It is possible that few reviews could be based on instinct and might be specific. 

At times, genuine negative reviews might end up being constructive criticizers for builders or agents to bring in reforms for better growth. 

In a nutshell, many buyers are now willing to spend time on going through online reviews. Such reviews come with both pros and cons. While many serve as genuine information sources, several of them tend to be biased or with bad instincts. Therefore, to make the best of these reviews, a productive strategy is required. 

A reflective research on each of the reviews would help avoiding troubles to a certain extent. In addition, try to personally meet the builder or agent before blindly trusting the reviews. It is better to stick to them as one source of information, and should not be the ultimate deciding factor in your search for dream property.