The Value of Real Estate Advertising

 

I’ve read some discussions lately about the value of real estate advertising. Some downplay the value of a Realtor®, exposing your home for sale to every possible buyer.  They say this type of advertising is only about creating exposure for the agent, or simply wasted.  I beg to disagree.  Here’s why:

Open Houses.  The argument is that the stream of potential homebuyers viewing your home aren’t necessarily going to purchase your home.  As a homeowner, are you willing to take that chance?  Using similar logic, we could argue that showings are unnecessary – that those visitors aren’t necessarily going to purchase your home.  But we find great value in showings.  Even the neighbors – just wanting to see how their neighbors decorate and care for their home – have friends and family to whom they might recommend your home.  Give up open houses and you give up opportunity. Hey naysayers, explain this away – the Open House section is proven to be one of the most-read sections of any Sunday paper, including the Indianapolis Star.  Who are those readers?  Mostly people in the market to buy a home.  Nicely targeted ad, eh?

Newspaper ads:  The arguments talk about research showing that few people buy a house after seeing a newspaper ad.  No argument there.  But research doesn’t show that any one thing is the primary way people find their new home.  Research also shows that homebuyers don’t discriminate – they are looking everywhere to find their new home.  Isn’t this more about the effort and hard work it takes for a Realtor® to expose that home for sale to as many potential home buyers as possible?

And that’s about the extent of any arguments against the value of actually advertising a home for sale. Is that all you have, you lazy pansies?  Seems to me that the argument is more about how those Realtors® aren’t willing to make the effort; that they’re looking for excuses not to take the extra steps and simply work harder to sell a home they’ve listed.  I personally experienced this once.  My hard-working real estate agent never advertised my home … never held an open house … never called me regularly with any updates.  Just listed my home and moved on to the next target (sucker?), assuming the MLS and the sign would sell my house.  And it took forever.

Real estate advertising is useless?  The argument of a lazy real estate agent.  Select your Realtor® based on the fact that they’ll work harder to sell your home, that they’ll expose it to every potential buyer and that they’ll communicate regularly with news and updates.

 

Posted by: Jim Newell

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