Consumers choose daily where to place their trust in regard to the products and services they use. When buying or selling real estate, knowing how to identify the best sales agent can make the difference between a quality, professional experience and one fraught with frustration and disappointment.

Brenda Fontaine, owner of Fontaine Family – The Real Estate Leader, says her clients’ quality experience begins and ends with the quality of the agents on her team. Over the years, Fontaine has grown from an office of one to a team of 19, comprised of family members and a carefully selected group of agents and administrative staff who know how to deliver. The Fontaine Family Team agents close, on average, 33 transactions per year compared to eight transactions per year by the average agent.

The building of a better agent begins much like that of a quality building, with a solid foundation and sturdy framework.

Fontaine said, “Most agents spend less than 25 percent of their time helping buyers and sellers. The other 75 percent is spent on essential administrative functions. That’s why our office has a real estate-licensed support staff to manage all the ‘backstage’ details, allowing our remaining sales professionals to build the trusting client/ agent relationships that ultimately result in faster, more efficient sales.”

Speed and efficiency count in a world where immediacy has become a daily expectation. Fontaine keeps pace by staying on the edge of technology and utilizing social media including Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, and Pinterest. Their website, www.brendafontaine.com, is constantly evolving and is ranked in the top 11 percent for websites in the world. Additionally, they were the first to offer a mobile website to their clients.

With team and technology in their professional “tool box,” Fontaine Family Team agents are afforded the luxury of time for their clients, and right on point, Fontaine recognizes the importance of the personal touch.

Technology and efficiency alone do not define the quality of an agent. It is the side-by-side experience, the listening, the irreplaceable human element that defines the quality agent. Personal service is what set sets a Fontaine Family Team agent apart and positions the Fontaine Family — The Real Estate Leader as a front runner in the industry.

“The Fontaine Family Team is second to none in Lewiston-Auburn for ‘most listings sold’ in 2013,” stated Fontaine. The team is also honored to be named among America’s Top 1000 Professional Real Estate Teams, ranking in the top 10 percent of the top 1,000 teams. To their accomplishments, the team also receives top marks for lowest days on the market for their listings. “Our average is 95 days,” said Fontaine. “Our mission, ‘To get your home sold faster for top dollar’ is not just slogan. It’s a fact.”

Over 30 years Fontaine has assisted more than 4,500 families realize the American dream of home ownership. During that time, she and her team have forged client and community relationships that, like a well-built structure, will hopefully stand the test of time.

“Our success lies in the hands of our clients and the communities in which they live,” said Fontaine. “We strive to build relationships that will last a lifetime but, we also recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy community in which everyone can live and achieve their goals. Consequently, we dedicate support for organizations and efforts including cancer research, Make-A-Wish Foundation, United Way, and Safe Voices. It’s our way of giving back. We are all a part of something much bigger than ourselves and we are grateful to our clients and our community for the opportunity to serve them. Every day we commit ourselves to hard work and integrity so that we will continue to be worthy of their trust.”