Congratulations on your closing — it has been an honor representing you. If I delivered for you, the single most impactful thing you can do to help my business is leave a review. Reviews build trust for future clients (especially military families relocating to the Gulf Coast who don’t know anyone here), and they directly influence how Google and Zillow rank my profiles when people search for an agent. This guide tells you exactly how to do it so your review actually counts.
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Where to Leave Your Review
Click any link below — the review box will open automatically. If your transaction covered both areas, feel free to leave a review on both Google profiles.
Tip: If a link doesn’t work, search “Gregg Costin Realtor Pensacola” directly on Google Maps or Zillow to find my profiles.
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How to Write a Review That Helps Me Most
Google and Zillow both use algorithms to decide which reviews to show and which to filter out. Detailed, specific reviews survive these filters and help my SEO ranking far more than short generic ones. Here’s what to include:
✓ Mention specifics about your transaction
What type of home, which area, buying or selling, VA or conventional — the details make it real.
✓ Describe a challenge I helped you navigate
Negotiation, inspection issues, PCS timeline crunch, working with remote buyers — whatever stood out.
✓ Write at least 3–5 sentences
Longer reviews are far less likely to be filtered. A full paragraph is ideal. Shorter is fine, but the more detail the better.
✓ Use your own words — no templates
Even rough language is better than polished copy-paste. Authenticity is what Google’s algorithm rewards.
Example of a strong review
“We were PCSing to Pensacola from overseas and Gregg was incredible from day one. He set us up on a video call, walked us through the Perdido Key and Gulf Breeze markets, and helped us put in an offer sight-unseen. He caught an issue on the inspection we would have missed and negotiated a $6,000 credit. Couldn’t recommend him more — especially for military families.”
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Posting Your Google Review — Step by Step
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Click one of the Google links above. The Google Maps review dialog opens automatically.
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Sign in to your personal Google account if prompted. Use an account you’ve had for a while (not a brand-new one).
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Select 5 stars, type your experience in the text box, and tap “Post.”
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Optional: Add a photo of your new home, closing day, or the property — reviews with photos get more visibility.
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Things That Get Reviews Removed
Google’s spam filters are aggressive. Even legitimate reviews get pulled for these reasons:
⚠️ Avoid These — They Will Get Your Review Filtered
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Posting while on the same WiFi network as me. Google detects shared IP addresses and flags the review as potentially fabricated. Post from your own home or phone data.
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Using a VPN when you post. Unusual location signals trigger spam filters. Turn off your VPN before leaving the review.
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Creating a new Google account just to leave a review. Accounts with little or no activity history are almost always filtered. Use an account you’ve had for a while.
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Short, vague one-liners like “Great agent!” or “Highly recommend!” Low-detail reviews have a much higher removal rate. Write at least 3–5 sentences with specifics.
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Including URLs, phone numbers, or promotional language. Google views these as spam and will strip or remove the review entirely.
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Using the same “templated” phrasing as other reviewers. If multiple reviews use identical sentences, Google’s AI flags them as non-authentic.
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How to Leave a Zillow Review
Zillow Premier Agent Profile:
https://www.zillow.com/profile/GreggCostin
Zillow works a little differently than Google:
1
Go to my Zillow profile using the link above.
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Click “Write a Review” (you’ll need a free Zillow account — you can sign up with email or Facebook).
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Zillow will ask: “Did this agent help you buy or sell a home?” Select the type of transaction.
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You may be asked to enter the closing date and property address to verify the transaction. This is normal — Zillow uses it to confirm authenticity.
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Rate your experience (stars) and write your review. Same rules apply — specific, detailed, in your own words.
Note: Zillow reviews may take 24–48 hours to appear on my profile while they verify the transaction.
Thank You
Your review genuinely makes a difference for my business and for the military families and first-time buyers who are searching for someone they can trust. I’m grateful for your time — and if you know anyone buying, selling, or PCSing to the Gulf Coast, I’d be honored if you passed my name along.