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Craigslist Atlanta - Is CraigsList.Com the Best Place to Find Atlanta Real Estate?

Is Craigslist.com the best place to find Atlanta real estate and Atlanta homes for sale? "No!" To the informed Atlanta Home buyer it is extremely limited in homes and real estate inventory that are presented, scope and applicable date that a home buyer would need to see if they are really getting a great deal! Our Atlanta MLS has access to over 115000 listings and Active Atlanta homes for sale!. The new buzz and hype are not to be confused with the realities of real estate. For the last few years it has been trendy to be into real estate. As consumers, investors, and viewers we can view it on new TV realty shows, investor seminars, read about real estate in magazines, and feel left behind if we are not on board in the real estate frenzy. So for the newbies in real estate it was a time to get on board the soap box saying how great Craigslist is, but being short sighted in how it really impacts their own lives and limited careers.

For the consumer, a site like Craigslist is not real estate centric. You can find furniture for sale, personal ads, services offered, jobs, and yes scams and fraud. It is sort of like getting some data, but not having anyone to interpret what it actualy means. Yes there are listed Atlanta homes for sale, but are they a good buy? Since there are a lot of areas where homes can actually lose value because the Atlanta area is fraught with mortgage and real estate fraud, and foreclosures you need someone tough enough to ask the right questions on your behalf. is the home worth what the seller is asking? Is the data current? What is in their tax records? How does the home you are viewing on Craigslist compare to other Atlanta homes that have sold recently within the same subdivision? What upgrades and imrpovements did that home have? What items is this home missing? What does the seller owe on the home? What is the home or property mortgaged for? Is it priced above market? Or is it a buy? Is it possible that the home is a set up for real estate fraud? Has it been on the market before? How many times has the home been listed unsuccessfully on the market? Is there a major structual issue or a zone change that makes this home undesireable? Is the home seller promising to give you back money at closing? What Atlanta real estate agents are going to represent your interests, and protect your interests when you buy a home in Atlanta? If you have an agent, do they have any experience? Have they ever sold a home in Atlanta?

Since a home is more than a purchase from Sears online Catalog, it is so much more! It is a committment and an investment of usually several hurndreds of thousands of dollars. A home is quite different from the skate boards, stamp collections and used furniture that you can find on Craigslist! If I were buying a home, I would want a lot more answers, and the peace of mind that when I purchased I was an informed consumer wiht the best possible agent working on my behalf! But hey, it's your money!.

Jim Crawford

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Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO on 11/07/2007 03:46 PM

Comments (21)

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Originally posted at: Atlanta Real Estate | Atlanta Housing News for Real Estate: Craigslist Atlanta - Is CraigsList.Com the Best Place to Find Atlanta Real Estate?

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21 Comments on Craigslist Atlanta - Is CraigsList.Com the Best Place to Find Atlanta Real Estate?

NOV

2007

I whole-heartedly agree that it leaves much lacking in the information department... but if it gets one person to visit my website (where there is much more information), it is well worth it.

Yes, I feel that Craigslist.com is not the best way to buy a home for consumers. It is a good way to find buyers with listings that I have put on the website. In the short time that I have been doing this I have found some potential clients and have even sold a home to one. So it's not a terrible website. I believe it's how you use it.

I have gotten leads from craigslist but they have not panned out. I'll keep trying though.

Tara

Christopher Price Selling is one thing, and buyers do not need a real estate agent. Hey it can be an adventure in real estate.

Jim - I personally don't use Craigslist to buy anything, but there are a lot of people out there using it and loving it. I post my listings on Craigslist with the aid of Postlets... I want to be everywhere the buyers are looking.

Zen Ziejewski Yes, but my question remains for potential buyers. Do you want to look at 2000 homes, or have access to 100000?

For selling, I concentrate on my own web marketing and it accounts directly for over 85% of my business. Some years, generating over 20 buyers for ourselves, and referrals to other agents. So I believe a great website is more effective.

Tara Painting, Jacksonville. Florida What about the buyers? Is this the best place for them? Or wuold you perfer they work with you as their real estate agent? Do you think it is wise for the home buyer to go directly to the home seller without your services?

Debbie Summers Thanks Debbie, but my question is for buyers! Is it best for them? Is it best for you if they do not use a buyers agent?

As an agent, I do find potential clients on craigs list. I don't use it instead of the MLS, but to supplement it. I encourage my buyers to look everywhere, then send what they like to me for my research and advice.

Sharon Simms St Pete Florida CRS CIPS CLHMS Hey! I agree there are sources for us to use for our business, but I am amazed at how many agents actually drive away the need for a Realtor to other sources. An education process from real estate agents to potential clients may include why you need a Realtor to represent you...why you need a buyers agent, why we have access to more data than public sources etc...!

Craigslist may not be the best place for a buyer to find a home, that is true, but you have to understand how the younger generation thinks and uses the internet. They love sites like craigslist and will continue to use it for many things, real estate being one of them. They will also use myspace and facebook and many other sites. The nature of real estate is changing, and as agents, we need to be where the younger generation shops & hangs out. I also post listings here at AR...is this a good place to find a house? How about traditional newspaper ads? Are they good places to find real estate?

The reality is that any place is a good place to find a potential house to buy...and all internet sites, our personal websites included, only give the most basic information. Craigslist is no better or worse - and my ads point buyers to my website for additional information. I don't think any buyer solely looks at any one source to find a home. They use a variety of places in their search. Is my website the best place to search...YES! But as a responsible listing agent, I will continue to post my listings everywhere a buyer might be looking for a home, even if it is obscure, to supplement the MLS and my websites.

I do agree that all buyers need personal contact with an agent and for that person to represent them, negotiate on their behalf and give them all the information they need for an informed decision. I don't think anyone would disagree with you on that point. But as agents, we need to wake up and realize that we are no longer the sole keepers of the information.

The results I have from Craigslist are very minimal as far as properties that are for sale. Including very limited clickthrough to my website. But I have heard that it is absolut mecca for getting a property rented. It is the only place to post For Rent notices at this point, according to a great many landlords I know.

I think I will still try to generate business or interest via Craigslist, as it is a quick, and inexpensive way to post information.

On the other had, I couldn't imagine being a serious buyer looking through CL. At least not often. There is no search functionality, which is a basic requirement for most searchers. But I suppose I could see it as a gateway to the Process for the just-starting-out.

Maybe I need to rethink what I have at the bottom of my CL posts... something about how I can help them. Hmmm....

Kelly Sibilsky~ Lake Zurich, IL RE/MAX Real Estate Agent Kelly thanks for the great response. I know we are not the sole keepers of information anymore, but we have to do a major PR effort to consumers on why they need to work with a Realtor that represents them alone. No one ever stops to ask themselves why buyers do not call the real estate office anymore and request a buyers agent? Remember that term? That is right, we have made ourselves obsolete! A self fulfilling prophecy! Does Craigslist have tax data? Square footage? Free CMAs? Advice? Even though there are differences that are generational we must not paint ourselves out of the picture.

Sarah Nopp, REALTOR(R), CRS. RE/MAX Four Seasons, Olympia WA Thanks for your response! I am not questioning that there are some results from Craigslist, Trulia etc..., but are they beneficial to the consumer? Do they benefit an agent? In the long run as an agent can it provide an income that will sustain a career and livlihood? I do not think so. It may be a component of marketing, but I personally believe there is more hype, and our own industry becomes more dysfunctional as we tout sites that are not based upon current data updated daily from an MLS as in broker reciprocity and IDX.

NOV

2007

I have gotten many leads from Craigslist, I have closed 2 deals in the last two months from my advertising there. For anyone that wants to suceed, try www.vflyer.com and make sure you repost every two days as allowed by craigslist.

Elaine Stewart But does the consumer have more choices if they are working with you as a real estate agent and you get access to the real MLS?

APR

2008

Another great tool for those advertising on Craigslist is http://www.addmorephotos.com/

Upload up to 25 photos. Then just copy your gallery's link into your classified ads.

Of into your MLS listings

It free and no need to register or create a login.

Ryan R Thanks! I'll check it out!

JUN

2008

Jim, I agree with your post wholeheartedly. Hopefully others will eventually learn what you (and I) already know.

Mike Miller (Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Inc.) I agree! Some will hire a professional to do a major undertaking in the home, and others will go to the local hardware store to a do-it-yourself approach. The stakes are too big to do this when the average home is over 200K! Persons need guidance and advice!

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