▁in ▁the ▁years ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁were ▁diss atisf ied ▁with ▁the ▁performance ▁of ▁real ▁estate ▁agents ▁who ▁bro ker ed ▁their ▁purch ases . ▁ ▁The ▁study ▁involved ▁ 1 7 8 ▁property ▁own ers ▁over ▁a ▁four - month ▁period ▁in ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁face - to - face ▁inter views . ▁ ▁Part icip ants ▁evaluated ▁property ▁bro k ers ▁according ▁to ▁knowledge ▁and ▁skills , ▁eth ics ▁and ▁behavior , ▁consult ative ▁ability , ▁and ▁em path y . ▁The ▁respond ents ▁were ▁asked ▁to ▁rate ▁their ▁individual ▁experiences ▁on ▁a ▁ 5 - point ▁scale ▁r anging ▁from ▁excellent ▁to ▁very ▁poor . ▁Of ▁those ▁interview ed , ▁ 6 1 % ▁of ▁respond ents ▁r ated ▁their ▁bro k ers ▁as ▁either ▁poor ▁or ▁very ▁poor . ▁ ▁Of ▁those ▁interview ed , ▁ 7 3 % ▁had ▁purchased ▁their ▁property ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁re cess ion ▁— ▁set ▁as ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁— ▁while ▁the ▁remainder ▁had ▁purchased ▁their ▁property ▁after ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁( post - re cess ion ). ▁ ▁About ▁ 2 3 % ▁of ▁those ▁interview ed ▁purchased ▁within ▁the ▁last ▁four ▁months . ▁ ▁About ▁ 1 2 % ▁of ▁consum ers ▁who ▁made ▁their ▁purchase ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁re cess ion ▁stated ▁that ▁their ▁experience ▁was ▁excellent ▁or ▁good . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁post - re cess ion ▁period , ▁that ▁number ▁fell ▁to ▁about ▁