• questionAre REALTOR.com enhancements worth the money?

Hell Heck no.  At least that is my observation.

I drove 2 hours one way to go to a seminar put on by REALTOR.com.  It was being billed as valuable information to show the agent how to:

 

Leverage the changes in your local market

Target expired listings with a proved marketing plan

Make your current listings be seen first and more often

Make your local expertise more relevant to sellers

Leverage multiple photos and new video listing tours to generate more showings

I had received several emails over the course of 3 weeks each building up the seminar.  One of the first emails had, "Important seminar on Social Networking," in the subject line. 
 
Consider:

  • Active Rain was not mentioned once the entire 4 hours
  • Twitter was mentioned in passing
  • We were given 10 minutes of instruction on Facebook
  • The rest of the seminar was nothing more than the speaker selling REALTOR.com enhancement systems

I have one of REALTOR.coms enhancement systems, which gives me more photos, increased description space, my photo on the listing, a virtual tour link and a few more items, which are designed to sell my listings.  Do I find these enhancements worth the money?  Absolutely not.  I can not attribute one sale to these enhancements.  I rarely get a lead from realtor.com, less than one a month, and only one click through a week to my website.  For this lack of ROI (return on my investment) I pay more for these "enhancements" than for any other form of marketing (other than my website, which more than pays for itself).

Am I being too hard on REALTOR.com?  Nope. Actually, I'm not being hard enough.  I talked with an agent who pays $3000 a year for REALTOR.com enhancements.  She strongly felt that they were not increasing her business, but that enhancing listings on REALTOR.com is one of the necessary evils of being an agent. Everyone is doing it, so you need to also to "be in the game." 

Did I mention REALTOR.com is owned by the N.A.R., the trade association every REALTOR belongs to (pays dues to). One of the major perks of belonging to the N.A.R. is our listings are on REALTOR.com (well, actually all MLS listings are on REALTOR.com). Our listings do not have our name, any extra photos above what is in the MLS listing, or any other information that will lead the consumer to the agent, UNLESS WE PAY TO ENHANCE (what a great trade association, that has no qualms about taking it's members money to do what it should be doing because we PAY DUES).  Well, we at least have the great N.A.R. T.V. commercials letting everyone in the U.S. know that the housing market is really much rosier than Americans think (puhh-leaze).

Consider:

  • Year to date, I have sold more listings in number and volume than any other agent in my market
  • I can not attribute any of these sales to REALTOR.com and believe me, I track this stuff
  • 8/10 of a % or 1 out of 116 hits on my website is from REALTOR.com
  • 43% of the hits to my website are from my participation on Active Rain
  • I CAN DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTE 2 OF MY LARGEST CLOSINGS THIS YEAR TO MY ACTIVITIES ON ACTIVE RAIN.
  • Joe Sesso, the speaker at the "Social Networking" seminar did not once mention the largest real estate social networking site on the internet (Active Rain).  Why? Could it be because it is free and not linked financially (as far as I know) to REALTOR.com?

Do I seem cynical? Yes I do.  About one quarter of the people in that seminar got up and ran to purchase enhancements being sold at exorbitant rates. Only a handful of agents in the room had their own website (Joe asked for a show of hands). If the agents purchasing REALTOR.com products put the money they spent that day into a website and blogging, they would realize a much better return on their investment. We all know the staggering statistics on how many consumers visit realtor.com each month (as told by realtor.com), yaddah, yaddah.  I've talked with enough agents (and have my own experience) to know that those stats do not a sale make. 

I was extremely disappointed that I drove 4 hours round trip for a bait and switch seminar that was billed as social networking and was nothing more than REALTOR.com selling their wares (that do not in my opinion, work). 

I would love to hear from anyone out there that feels their ROI on realtor.com is worth it.  Please mention which enhancements you pay for, if you can attribute sales to these enhancements and, if you don't mind, how much you pay annually for these enhancements.

My success so far this year is linked to my free activities on Active Rain, Twitter, Trulia, Zillow, Google Base, my website and my blog, my blog, my blog, along with giving really outstanding customer service and working full-time. 

Joe Sesso mentioned, "If you aren't blogging, you should." That was the extent of talking about blogging at a social networking seminar.  You tell me?  Was that seminar a waste of time or what?

 

GOOGLE ME

                       

Thank you for stopping by. Your comments on this post are welcomed and appreciated.
No one sold more homes in Del Norte County in 2012 than Fran Gatti. Put Fran to work for you!

 

 Fran Gatti

Brought to you by Fran Gatti at  REMAX
No one works harder for you! 
Bus: 707-464-5400, Cell: 707-218-8162
Email: frangatti@remax.net
Website: FranGatti.com
My Blog: Fran's Blog
RDCPro®, CDPE®
CA lic 01723796

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Post is included in group: Internet Lead Generation-How Best To Capture Your Audience
Post is included in group: Learn to be a Top Producing Listing Agent
Post is included in group: Rainmaking - Internet Marketing Strategies
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320 Comments on Are REALTOR.COM Enhancements Worth the Money?

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JUN
17
2009
JUL
13
2009
181,103 Points 52 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp

That's amazing you get that much traffic from AR!  You put a lot effort into it, and I am glad to hear it is paying off.

Sorry you wasted your time at such a seminar.  If you really want to go to a good social media learning event, may I suggest the RE BAR CAMPS.  They are free, so you don't have to worry about any of the messages being sponsored and the attendees make up the agenda, content and direction of the day.  There are a couple coming up in CA, http://rebarcamp.com/, don't know what is closest to you. 

4:51pm • #312
JUL
20
2009
168,593 Points 1 Featured Post

the seminars were a high pressure waste of time and money.  But, that being said I do pay for the enhanced listings feature on Realtor.com and am very happy with the results from that.

8:33pm • #313
SEP
04
2009
166,997 Points 1 Featured Post Attended Rain Camp

Thank goodness our office picks up the Realtor.com tab, because it sure IS NOT Worth it.  5 leads a year and no sales from it and we have all of the enhancements.  I say Thank goodness, because regardless of the sites we send our sellers to...they still look for themselves on Realtor.com

11:34am • #314
SEP
09
2009

Hello Everyone,

I've been a realtor for 3 years and have had to watch my expenses.  If my investment in a product does not pay for itself in a year or two I terminate them.  Realtor.com enhancements, YOUR FIRED!

Scott Haigh

9:12pm • #315
OCT
09
2009

Going back after some long while away from AR, I noticed the message from "wideloan".

 

The reader having taken issue with the post, reacted in a rash and emotional fashion rather than just sticking to his/her facts.

Assuming the group of REALTORS that were less than satisfied with the product/value from REALTOR.com were unsuccessful leads me to believe that this is personal and not business to that individual. SOMEONE is successful with any lasting program out there. The question is: Is this providing the value for my marketing dollar that I need to justify continuing?

 

If the answer is no, than they will either discontiue or find another way to use that venue. They also have a right to voice their opinions or experiences. That doesn't mean it is the same for everyone.

Remember:

It isn't always what you have but how you use it that matters.

 

If there is a REALTOR that is experiencing success with the product or a Representative that takes issue with the post, they should be happy to be seeing success and not making generalizations about those who are not satisfied with the experience. This isn't going to win any opinions over but further alienate the blogger here and really causes a loss of credibility.

What works for one may not be a fit for another. This goes for all venues of marketing, especially if it requires specific actions or strategies on the part of the Agent themselves.

Give 15 people an identical hammer and a nail and tell them to drive it into an identical 2x4 and you will get 15 different results.

Scott Carlton
12:31pm • #316
NOV
14
2009

My wife Kari (and fellow REALTOR) tried the skyscraper ad through realtor.com (think it's called Featured Agent or something like that).  You choose an available area and your ad is shown at a rate of 1 out of every 10 or something along those lines.  At the time (about a year ago), they made you lock in to it for 12 months for like $230/mo (or close to that at the time) but looks like you can choose to do it for less time now.  She only got one lead from it but luckily it was a good one and we ended up making money from it - but we wouldn't try it again.  Unfortunately, realtor.com still receives the most visits for real estate related web sites - far surpassing the others.  What's really disappointing to me is that you have to contact them to get pricing on the products and endure the "hard sell".  Since we're REALTORS, why can't we at least have access to the pricing details upfront so we can determine if we want to pursue the products before talking to a salesperson?  Granted, the pricing varies based on location, etc., but all of that can be easily displayed through an automated system online.

12:32am • #317
NOV
21
2009

And if you agree to pay monthly rather than all at once, don't be fooled into thinking you dont't have a years contract cause you DO!

I was moving from Fl to SC so I asked if I paid the higher amount by the month if I could cancel anytime when I moved and got back into business later and over and over they said yes.

But not so....finally after 6 months they let me out and said well we will do so because our policy is that you have to complete 6 months. Wherever all that is written?

8:42pm • #318
DEC
01
2009
1,009,864 Points 13 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

The Realtor.com traffic reports that I have viewed are a joke.  Next time you look at one of your reports pay special attention to the current week and the graph.  Generally your report will show you and your clients a partial week traffic / views but it lists the report as an entire week.  This tends to make your current weekly graph appear as if the market and your web traffic is dropping off.  

Most agents who truly track their business will tell you that Realtor.com is not much more than a listing tool and it does a very poor job of generating buyer sales.  Agents would be better served to take their annual Realtor.com budget and invest it into other online marketing where the business comes directly to you and you are not competing with all the other vendors.  If you just took your money and invested it into Pay Per Clicks for your personal site you would be better off than dumping your money off at Realtor.com.  

I will say that the original Realtor.com that allowed HTML posting was a tool we were able to leverage and convert buyers from.  Once they killed the HTML they weakened their own product and it seems like at that time they no longer viewed us as clients but as simply cash flow.  

Sam Miller

4:37pm • #319
FEB
22
2010
Outside Blog

Brilliant Post.  I also like your call to action buttons

1:02am • #320
MAY
14
2010
111,811 Points Attended Rain Camp

I subscribe to realtor.com for my Listing exposure. But sometimes I wonder if it is worth it.

10:16am • #322
JUN
03
2010

Awesome.  Thank you for re-affirming my thoughts.

I've been inundated with calls from the salesman at REALTOR.com, he is probably only calling to renew the service because our credit card changed.  If someone wants to see more than 4 photos they can just copy and paste the address.  $1,500 is way too much to pay for having extra pictures and your office logo in the upper right hand corner.  Why is Zillow free?  Why is Trulia free?  Realtor.com is around because they are funded by agents and other advertisers.  That's crap, they should be paying us for keeping their site in the ranks.

1:15pm • #323
AUG
10
2010
MAR
28
2011
156,802 Points 1 Featured Post

Fran, I agree 100%. When my listings were featured they sent me monthly reports on the number of views each of my listings garnered. Over 3 months they reported several thousand views but all of this hoopla didn't produce one buyer. Lesson learned.

2:29am • #325
SEP
05
2011
146,332 Points Called Shot Master

Gave up on Realtor.com advertising a long time ago. 

1:49pm • #326
DEC
10
2011

Hi Fran,

I enjoyed reading your post. I agree that the products Realtor.com has are not worth the money. I was initially searching for information on realtor.com's marketsnap shot to see if any Activerain users have had good success with the product and I ran across this post. About 4 months ago I did purchase through Realtor.com a banner ad in my area. I was explained that it would take about 7 to 10 days for design and then I would have traffic to my website. It actually took about 1 month for the design and 2 months along I had absolutely zero hits to my website or leads. I complained and threatened to call and submit a complaint to the Better Business Bureau and they finally cancelled my contract and was refunded my money. If anyone has any information on MARKET SNAPSHOT with realtor.com please let me know. 

4:53pm • #327
DEC
26
2011
1 Featured Post

I am in Minnesota and a large broker in our marketplace pulled ALL their listings from Realtor.com and Trulia to make a point they won't have third party sites sell back to them .I understand their viewpoint, but as a competitior, super easy to point out reason they should list with us. I agree, heavy blogging generates a ton of leads. I did find your artilce though because I was thinking of getting the market snapshot to enhance my website with data. Anyone else do this?

9:48pm • #328
JAN
03
2012
114,291 Points Outside Blog

I know this is an old post but still very useful as I make decisions on where I am going to spend my advertising dollars for 2012. I will double my efforts on Active Rain after reading this post and comments.

9:05am • #329
SEP
11
236,408 Points Called Shot Master

Wow thanks for the heads up.

As for the spam, I'll help with that.

11:52pm • #333
MAY
24
Приветики родные! Предствляю интернет сайт 1Кино.ком открытый группой энтузиастов. Здесь - фильмы. у нас есть блокбастеры, которые везде удалены!
Aatwerils
8:21pm • #460

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Fran Gatti - Realtor®, CDPE®, RDCPro®, Crescent City CA Real Estate

Crescent City, CA

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RE/MAX Coastal Redwoods

Address: 1072 9th Street, Crescent City, CA, 95531

Office Phone: (707) 464-5400

Cell Phone: (707) 218-8162

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