The Importance of Marketing and Advertising Listings - 2

Some real estate agents don't like it when I point these things out publicly, and I understand that. Some home owners appreciate it when we point out that agents need to monitor ALL of the advertising, marketing, and publicity they put out when representing a property.

Let's take this bungalow for sale in Salt Lake City:

As you can see when you look at the first link (from Realtor.com), this is a more than 100 year old bungalow with two bedrooms and one bath, including a photo spread.

The description copy, frankly, could make this property seem a lot more desirable, even though it is written more for other real estate professionals than for potential buyers. (Note the "Easy to show" at the end of the description.)

Starting a description sentence with "Garage can be used for car and storage" is a head scratcher. Show me a garage that can't! Then, it tells us that this home is "minutes from the Columbus Library".

How do those facts make this home unique?

There are a few more facts about the home, however non-distinct it appears, along with several photos which do make the property look better.

Although not exactly a standout ad in terms of appealing to potential buyers, it is far from a disaster.

However, this is what appears to someone searching by way of Realtor.com. Another national web site, Homes.com, also features this same property.

That's where the importance shows. The listing agent clearly, after 37 days listed (as of this writing) failed to monitor its appearance on Homes.com.

The Homes.com version, even on the area search page, shows "Photo Not Available" in every one of the 12 available photo slots for this property. Although the description copy is the same, lifted from the one on Realtor.com, being told that "Garage can be used for car and storage" and "minutes from the library" within further edited copy make the Homes.com ad a total head scratcher.

Anyone searching this area and price from anywhere in the country on Homes.com probably won't even click on this ad, since it shows "Photo not available" on the search page. If someone does click on it, thinking maybe it's a brand new listing, the primary description says little about the interior or any specific selling benefits.

Yet, the Homes.com page also says this listing has been on the page for 37 days (as of this writing), even though this very ad was "Most recently changed on 10/31/17".

Thus, if that change date is accurate, it means that the listing agent or someone authorized "changed" this listing ad more than a month later. Yet, there is still NO photo available??

Makes me wonder if the listing agent is too busy complaining about the lack of inventory being a reason for homes not selling.

This is why agents (and sellers!) should monitor ALL marketing and advertising - for every property!

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2337-S-500-E_Salt-Lake-City_UT_84106_M17604-72276#photo2

AND THEN:

https://www.homes.com/property/2337-s-500-e-salt-lake-city-ut-84106/id-700017752149/