It’s a largely reputation-based business; if they’re not helpful, the “Bob was useless” comments and reviews outweigh the “Bob saved me money/found the perfect

It’s a largely reputation-based business; if they’re not helpful, the “Bob was useless” comments and reviews outweigh the “Bob saved me money/found the perfect house” ones over time. While no individual knows for sure what their next best alternative was, their hunches and hindsights add up to a reliable picture in aggregate (that I’ve seen, anyway.)