There have been a lot of changes in the how and why real estate agents and brokers are and can market properties. The below linked article explains some of the “why” part, discussing how some agents are getting away with receiving “forced” responses to current listings. The author details how interested parties think they are being sent to the listing agent for a residential property but are actually connecting with an agent who paid for the ads.
However, it looks from here like the author has had or expects a bad experience from the agent receiving the responses. He writes about these agents paying to receive these responses as “not knowing” the neighborhood or much about the property in question. As I see it, this is not a problem with the advertising method. It is really a problem with the agent receiving the lead from Zillow.
He or she is expected to know the neighborhood or city they are advertising in well enough to properly handle their leads. There is a reason they selected the area(s) they did to advertise in. The “receiving” agent is initially at the mercy of the property ad and description the consumer is responding to. We also don’t know what the consumer that responded to the ad is looking for, or how serious of an inquiry they were making when they clicked for more information.
To put it another way, it is possible that either or both agents could have done a better job in presenting information about the available property. There are times that I perform research or consult with a home buyer or investor that is not licensed for real estate, and help them prior to signing with a real estate professional. One thing I can tell you is that some potential buyers are better educated than others. Some want to know as much as possible and do their homework ahead of time, bringing in a licensed professional to negotiate the transaction. Other consumers want to totally rely on their real estate professional from the beginning.
Over the years, part of my income has come as a result of real estate professionals not being as effective as possible in how they market properties, opportunities, and for buyers or sellers. People on the other side of the table often need to adjust. Not everyone likes how properties are marketed or who gets to represent them. But you do have a choice about how you create and handle inquiries. How you handle them could make you “first in” on your next transaction. Let’s talk about your research and marketing needs!
