Onslaught of "Free" Listing Services

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Anonymous

Date: May 3, 2008, Number of Replies: 20

How can we as a community band together and say "No" to every new website that comes along wanting our listings? Initially they all allow us to post our listings on their sites at no charge. Most agents and brokers don't even think twice and almost as fast as they got the email they are posting their listings on these sites. What happens months down the road, once these sites move up in the rankings of the search engines, is that we the agents are then asked to pay to post our listings. Agents and brokers are so cooperative with these new sites, and the way the site owners thank us is by charging us to post on their newly ranked site.

Folks, we have what they all need to create their sites. That commodity is our listings. What will it take for brokers and agents to stop giving away the one thing that every one of these sites needs? If we really think about it, the #1 real estate site, Realtor.com, would be nothing without our listings. Yet we are asked to pay to post, enhance, and feature our listings.

Recently I received emails from a number of new sites, asking me to post my listings for free. That has prompted this email. I know that I cannot be the only one out there who realizes this. The next time you receive an email from a new website with a subject similar to "Fee Waived: Realtor Directory Listing" or "Post Your Listings for Free", contact the sender and tell them you want to get paid for posting your listings on their site. Have a contract drawn up that they must sign. If they do not want to pay us, just say "No" to allowing them to post your listings on their site.

Band together now! If we do not, it will not get any better. Eventually we will be paying every ranked site to post our listings.

Regards,
Lee

Lee Presser
Associate Broker, M.B.A., ePro
Coldwell Banker Hunt Kennedy
329 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10023
646.442.7286 Business
646.792.3316 Fax
lee.presser@cbhk.com
www.TheBestApartments.com <http://www.thebestapartments.com/>
www.LeePresser.com <http://www.leepresser.com/>

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localrealestateteam@cox.net

Date: May 4, 2008

Right on, Lee, but you already know that most agents are duped into thinking that this exposure helps them. In reality, giving them your listings and one way links allows these web sites to move up in the SERP's as your site moves down. Brokers are selling us out. Look at what Zillow and Trulia have done...their sites are now found above realtor sites under the guise of helping realtors. Many of these sites give you a "no follow" link which means there is no value to you. Wow, how generous of them to take advantage of us. At some point, it won't matter what you do to your own site.. you'll be far down on the SE's results and blame your web site vendor when, in fact, you helped sabotage your search results yourself. Take a look at this blog about Trulia, as well as how Trulia defends their position. Many of the comments posted are from very tech/internet/SEO savvy agents. Unfortunately, it may be to late to stop the tidal wave. http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=2983#comment-87769 Drew Hartanov

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judi@homeslady.com

Date: May 4, 2008

How right you are! It's getting harder and harder to avoid though. When the big name website providers (like Point2 and Best Image, for example) create affinity arrangements with the ever increasing numbers of such marketing venues (well intended though those arrangements may have been) they are not only giving our listings more exposure...they are helping such marketing venues to CREATE AN EVER INCREASING CRITICAL MASS. The greater THEIR image to the public, the more likely they will soon be charging us for leads on our own listings. BUT WE KEEP FEEDING THE MONSTERS and wonder why they keep getting bigger, more powerful, and more hungry!!! Our listings are not the only commodities they are trying to sell...WE ARE, and OUR PROSPECTS ARE, and OUR BUSINESS IS!!!

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Penelope Hogan Licensed Real Estate Agent, Woodbury, MN

Date: May 4, 2008

In regards to the "free" websites to post your listings, I agree completely that if they are free for now and then want money later they are worthless.

But I have had a good experience with RealBird.com which allows agents to register, and upload their listings. They want to sell you a domain name for all your listings e.g., 123MainSt.com. But it is not mandatory. I never have bought a domain from them.

The listing is disseminated throughout the web and you can link to it from your own website which is how I use it. The listing is given its own page with map, a very nice full page slide show, open house publicity and all the comments you could ever care to put on a listing site as well as links to our website and the visual tour.

We used the slide show for an out of town client who wanted to see more pictures of a home and its neighbor hood. We had difficulty emailing them to him so we just uploaded some 50 pix on RealBird and emailed him the link. He was pleased with the photos and wants to see the home when he comes to town in a couple of weeks.

Not to drone on about RealBird but they also offer a neat trick for getting your listing on to Craigslist. They provide you with the computer code which you copy and paste into the Craigslist site and it uploads all your photos and all the information you entered on their site.

Hope all this was helpful

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Keith Byrd, San Luis Obispo, CA

Date: May 4, 2008

> Recently I received emails from a number of new sites, asking me to post my listings for free.

What are the URLs of these sites?

Keith Byrd

www.SloCountyHomes.com

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MonroeRealty2

Date: May 7, 2008

How 'bout this, Realtalkers? NAR establishes a new listing publication rule as follows:

"Each and every real estate Listing presented to the public in print or by internet or any other form of publication, regardless of the publisher of the listing content, must include the Listing Broker's identity, email address and telephone number for inquiries by the readers. Typeface for this information must be equal to, or greater than, the largest typeface shown in the published listing."

Think something like that might be good for agents and brokers? Isn't it OUR responsibility to market our products in the most effective way? Aren't we the originators of this content? Doesn't responsibility for failure or success of the listing rest with us personally? Don't we

deserve more respect from those who exploit our hard work for their own profit, and devour the content we created?

Jeff Rosenfeld, Broker

Monroe Realty Center, inc.

monroerealty@aol.com

Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food.

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Glenda Cherry Licensed Real Estate Agent, Dunn Loring, VA

Date: May 7, 2008

I just received yet another "invitation" from one of the lead scrapers "allowing" me to post my listings for free. This was my response:

"I would be happy to allow to you feature my listings. The cost is only $100 per listing or you may feature all of my listings for $1,000/year."

I'm really looking forward to receiving a response to this ... but I'm sure I'll be disappointed. :-)

Glenda Cherry, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, REALTOR^®
Weichert, Realtors^®, Herndon, VA
Office: 703.709.0101 Direct: 703.587.3615
mailto:Glenda@GlendaCherry.com
http://GlendaCherry.com
http://www.HerndonRealEstate.net
http://www.RestonRealEstate.net
http://www.YourNovaHome.net

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Glenda Cherry Licensed Real Estate Agent, Dunn Loring, VA

Date: May 7, 2008

OMG, I actually got a response!!!

"Perhaps we could work out a deal for 1% of the selling price."

Well, at least they have a sense of humor!

*********************************************************************************************

I just received yet another "invitation" from one of the lead scrapers "allowing" me to post my listings for free. This was my response:

"I would be happy to allow to you feature my listings. The cost is only $100 per listing or you may feature all of my listings for $1,000/year."

I'm really looking forward to receiving a response to this ... but I'm sure I'll be disappointed. :-)

Glenda Cherry, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, REALTOR^®
Weichert, Realtors^®, Herndon, VA
Office: 703.709.0101 Direct: 703.587.3615
mailto:Glenda@GlendaCherry.com
http://GlendaCherry.com
http://www.HerndonRealEstate.net
http://www.RestonRealEstate.net
http://www.YourNovaHome.net

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Kris Coutant Licensed Real Estate Agent, Hudson Falls, NY

Date: May 7, 2008

How 'bout this, Realtalkers? NAR establishes a new listing publication rule as follows:

"Each and every real estate Listing presented to the public in print or by internet or any other form of publication, regardless of the publisher of the listing content, must include the Listing Broker's identity, email address and telephone number for inquiries by the readers. Typeface for this information must be equal to, or greater than, the largest typeface shown in the published listing."

Think something like that might be good for agents and brokers? Isn't it OUR responsibility to market our products in the most effective way? Aren't we the originators of this content? Doesn't responsibility for failure or success of the listing rest with us personally? Don't we

deserve more respect from those who exploit our hard work for their own profit, and devour the content we created?

Umm Jeff- I can’t tell from your post if you are being serious or sarcastic. On my first reading I took it as serious, but I certainly hope you were being sarcastic.

As primarily a buyer agent, I am probably not going to share your name and contact information with any of my clients, customers or prospects. If you are truly working in your client’s best interest than what does it matter if you do both sides of the deal, or if the buyer is represented by another agent? Your statements came across to me as if you seem to think that as the listing agent, you are the only important part of the transaction. Please explain to me how bringing you a buyer for your seller’s property “exploits your hard work… and devours your content”. Must just be that newbie in me again, but I thought listing agents and selling agents worked together to benefit their clients, not just their checkbook.

As we all know, email is a flat form of communication, and I sincerely apologize if I have misunderstood your post’s intentions.

Kris Coutant

Balfour Realty

Serving Upstate NY – Warren, Washington

and Saratoga Counties

KrisCoutant@roadrunner.com

Editor's Note
Where was this policy stated? Please give us a reference. Saul

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Glory bee Costa Licensed Real Estate Agent, St. Michaels, MD

Date: May 7, 2008

Please explain to me how bringing you a buyer for your seller’s property “exploits your hard work… and devours your content”. Must just be that newbie in me again, but I thought listing agents and selling agents worked together to benefit their clients, not just their checkbook.

As we all know, email is a flat form of communication, and I sincerely apologize if I have misunderstood your post’s intentions.

Kris Coutant

Kris, this was not my post, but I am a listing agent and also a buyers agent (have taken the classes on each). I do not care if a buyers agent sells my listing at all. But if anyone is using information on thier site, that I have taken the time to put together, I want the credit for future business from mainly sellers. When asked by a buyer to see properties in a price range, I will show the properties that meet their needs wheather mine or another agents listing.

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Onslaught of "Free" Listing Services

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