There may not be a perfect correlation between the two, but there are some characteristics that they both share in common. Both these professions and the people in them need to build a good reputation with the public in order to earn their trust. This trust may take years to build, but only seconds to break. Both, realtors and politicians, understand its importance and are willing to do everything in their power to keep that level of trust and comfort sustained.

But if we were to decide whose word to trust more – a politician’s or that of a realtor, here are some areas we would judge them on.

Promise-Keeping:

A politician rarely keeps his/her promises. During campaigns, they say all those things that the public want to hear, but are only able to pull off half of it, or less, once they get elected. On the other hand, a realtor keeps his/her promise. They may lie about a few things here and there, but they won’t make promises they can’t fulfill. They won’t take you to show you a house that doesn’t have a swimming pool if you specifically asked for one.

Hidden Motives:

The only motive that is on the mind of a realtor is to earn a commission, and perhaps a few referrals. Once you have successfully sold or purchased your house, there is no longer a connection between the two of you; they have no hidden motives. They show you the house and if you like it, they place a bid, earn their commission, and help you get settled in your new home.

Politicians, on the other hand, are not always what they pretend to be. They are often corrupt and care less for their people, or so is the perception attached with them.

Ethical Boundaries:

What sort of ethical boundaries can they both be put into in order to be judged? One key area could involve how honest they are. Politicians aren’t honest; they have been taught not to be for strategic reasons. However, when dealing with a realtor, you expect them to be upfront with you rather than sugar-coat everything in order to add another sale to their target. The reason we would once again trust a realtor’s word is that they don’t have a lot to lie about. They may rip you off slightly by not EXACTLY telling you about all the repair costs involved in a property, but they won’t lie big time as they know they won’t be able to get away with it.

Sincerity:

A politician’s sincerity is not just limited to you or a particular interest group. They have to think about everyone’s welfare, which at times, can backfire. The truth of the matter is that they can’t make everyone happy at the same time, even if everyone wants the same thing.

When you hire a realtor, whether to buy or sell your property, you are solely their client. Everything they do, they do it for you alone. Aren’t the results more fruitful when you get what you want? Yet another reason that makes realtors more reliable and trustworthy.

What Do Australians Think?

We Australians seem to have a different approach in this matter. We are less likely to take the politician’s word on how he/she will bring change and rely on what a realtor promises us in a house deal. Why? It is because the chances of him/her fulfilling their promises are much higher than that of the politicians. They say they encourage free-will, but do we really get to voice our concerns openly, or do we have our problems resolved? When working with a realtor, we get to choose the best of what is available in the market on our own terms. So yes; in a lot of ways, people of Australia will trust what a realtor has to pitch rather than rely on what a public caretaker has to say. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the survey that clearly suggests who wins this classic debate.

This survey was conducted by Ipsos MORI, in which 900 participants of ages 18+ took part and shared their views about the most respected and trusted professions in Australia.