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Don't waste your time looking at homes online that aren't for sale!

By Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522

April 14, 2012 01:43 AM

Are you getting the best information online?

Found our dream home

There are so many new ways for prospective buyers (and sellers) to harvest information today about real estate online.

But there’s a problem that I find I’m continuously facing... WRONG INFORMATION!!!

How can that be you ask? The more popular online sites that you're searching on have info that's just old, out dated, and just not up to date!
Found our dream home
I can’t tell you how many times I get a list from buyers who have spent countless hours looking online for homes they’d like to see.

What's so sad is unfortunately many of the homes on their list just aren’t for sale. I had one on a list the other day that had sold 18 months ago!

But there is a way for you not waste your time and receive fresh up to date, even brand new listings to hit the market...

Use a Realtor® in your market!

Your Realtor® is your advocate when home searching AND all through the home buying or selling process. They'll offer you ways to find homes that match YOUR needs in your price range. They will KNOW what's on the market, what's sold etc., and you won't waste time falling in love with a house someone else already owns!

Here at The St. Peter HomeSelling Team we've created a sure fire way for our clients (and we hope future customers) to keep an eye out on what they want...

Found our dream home

I'd like to share with you how we'll make it real easy for you to receive information about homes that match your needs - automatically!

We are fortunate to have a great MLS - powered by MarketLinx.
And we couldn't be more pleased with what the Triangle MLS provides for us. It allows us to offer our online buyers and sellers an interactive, personalized website created just for them, called a Client Gateway. Home searchers can sign up - or even home sellers that want to watch what their competition is doing ~ it's FREE! So what are you waiting for?

If you're serious about buying or selling a home in Wake county ~ don't waste your time with outdated information! We're here to help with serious information that you can count on!

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Update; Wanted to share a video that Danny Deitl (a Realtor in Minneapolis) created to get this exact point across... Well done Danny!

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Demarco & Marisa

Remax Kings Realty - Riverside, CA

"The Choice is Clear!"

This is so true. I run into buyers all the time that have really old information. Or they just don't have the accurate, updated information that they would have if they had a Realtor doing a little research. After all, just because a home shows available, it doesn't mean that it is.

Apr 14, 2012 02:19 PM

Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker

Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE

Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

I use the info the Buyer brings me to help understand what I need to be looking for.

I know that most of what they want to see will not be available and that includes some properties on many reputable sites (that I will not name here) as well as the lesser known ones.

Apr 14, 2012 03:02 PM

Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker

Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE

Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

I wonder...why can't we...any of you or I...have the ability to clear out old information or inaccurate information about our listings and even ourselves from the internet? There has to be a way to do that.

When I get smart...I am going to invent the software and sell it to everyone...I will get rich and the internet will get faster because 50% of the info will wiped out!!! I better get to bed...I am getting goofy...

Apr 14, 2012 03:16 PM

Susan Neal

RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA

Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

I cannot explain to clients how frustrating it is when they call me all excited, telling me that they have found the house they want to buy, and when I check it out I feind that it is about to close escrow or sometimes has even closed some time ago, but the site they found it on was just not updated. A few days ago a buyer client emailed me a list of homes she wants to tour and none of them are available.

I had warned her about this, but some people have to learn this for themselves. I put my buyers on my Client Portal and email them info all all new listings in the area and price that they want, but they feel clever when they find something that they think I missed. I didn't send it to them because it's not available. I guess that's the good news and the bad news about buyers using the internet to find their new homes.

Apr 14, 2012 03:17 PM

Cheryl Ritchie

RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD

Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

That is the biggest surprise to Buyers in this Market, too. The first thing we do is get them on track to get updated data with Pre approval letter in hand.

Apr 14, 2012 05:33 PM

Wallace S. Gibson, CPM

Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA

LandlordWhisperer

When I get Zillow or Trulia rental inquiries I provide a brief explanation of "migration" websites and suggest that the prospects utilize our local Craigslist or HotPads...

Apr 14, 2012 08:37 PM

Gabe Sanders

Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL

Stuart Florida Real Estate

I get an awful lot of these types of inquiries as well. Most of them from Trulia and Zillow.

Apr 14, 2012 08:56 PM

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

I run into that a lot here as well. With one couple, I just told them to quit searching on a certain site because almost 50% of the houses were under contract or already sold, or were short sales and they didn't want a short sale.

Apr 14, 2012 08:59 PM

Gita Bantwal

RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA

REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

It is a frustrating experience when buyers call about homes that you cannot find in the mls.

Apr 14, 2012 09:05 PM

Jon Eliason

EXIT Realty Advantage Pagosa, Pagosa Springs, Colorado - Pagosa Springs, CO

Lee & Pamela ~ It's a sad reality. Information that is found online, especially in the Real Estate world, is typically outdated. Time and time again, I have had customers call me and ask about a home that has sold, days, weeks or Months ago. I also tell these folks to call me, on any home they come across, they want more information on.

Apr 14, 2012 09:56 PM

Jennie Miller, PLLC

Buy/Sell/Rent Your Home in Phoenix Metro Area - Phoenix, AZ

AZ Broker - Real Estate Services 480-382-9681

The market is moving so fast in Arizona that the houses are sold before they even get posted online!

Apr 14, 2012 11:19 PM

Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC

Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

☔Thanks AR for the Feature! I've been off taking care of some of those folks w/misinformation! ;)

Wandanna, those are great scenarios! Glad to meet you as I still know folks in Mississauga! Welcome to the rain!

You would be a joy to 'help' Richard! Anytime... And you are a perfect go to Realtor® in Mission Viejo for the 'right' information indeed!

Right you are Jon. Does your MLS offer something like our Gateways?

I saw that Erica! Thank you for the re-blog. Gotta love those kind of leads!

I know Corinne, and really it was us Realtors® who put them in business. It's just a message we need to get out there that there are better places to get the info they are looking for!

Angelica, I know they will continue to use them. But usually it's until we can show them that they can trust us. Most are just afraid we'll miss something... ;)

Good advice Christine! I'm sure your clients have found they can trust you to get them the best info and home for them in Canton MA!!

Let's hope they listen Barbara!

Hi Joni! I'm so sorry I missed you when you were in NC... I hope you had a terrific time! Am curious what site they saw that for and where the inquiries go when someone answers the ad... that's scary!

How right you are Jeff! I had one gentleman actually get angry at me for correcting the info he had found on the big Z. I had him call an appraiser here!

Pamela

Apr 15, 2012 03:28 AM

Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC

Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

☔It is frustrating Sharon, and I too feel bad for them as they usually had spent hours sorting and refining their list...

It's hard to decipher which is reliable anymore for so many things anymore Patricia! But with excellent bloggers like you out there I think the public is learning more about the ways of Real Estate!

Eric, we had to try and get some info off of one of those sites for an irate seller! It wasn't easy at all...

Hunter Group, someday a Realtors® worth will get the attention of the public. I think the more we blog, teach, listen, and help the closer we will come to that 'one day'!

I'm going to be keeping an eye on you Mike! You might be on to something! Hope you had a good night's sleep! ;)

Susan, it does feel like some folks think we are 'holding' out on them. Or just not showing them something... if they only knew how silly that was!

Good way to get them back on track Cheryl!

Which service providers does your MLS use Valerie?

Pamela

Apr 15, 2012 03:39 AM

Tammie White, Broker

Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN

Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Pam, I see this all the time. I keep trying to get people to use my website instead but they think Trulia is so easy to use. That's true but it doesn't show accurate info.

Apr 15, 2012 04:38 AM

Al Raymondi

Ocean View Realty Group in Ormond By The Sea Florida - Ormond Beach, FL

Ormond By The Sea Florida - Home and Condo Sales

Congrats on the feature Pamela, well deserved. These questions come up all the time and the potential buyers are usually frustrated after looking at homes that they loved that turn out to be not available.

Apr 15, 2012 11:08 AM

Sherry Chastain

Hendersonville, Nashville, Old Hickory, Lebanon Tennessee - Hendersonville, TN

Realtor, Selling Homes, Lake Properties,Luxury Homes,Short Sales

Whew I thought it was only me. It is amazing with all the homes they can find for sale and then I'm the bad guy when I say no that one isn't for sale. Buyers tend to get frustrated with all the home sites that mislead them.

Apr 15, 2012 01:23 PM

Nellie Lytvinenko

Homes by Nellie-Working with Buyers & Sellers - Raleigh, NC

919-210-9992, Raleigh - Cary NC Real Estate

Hey Pam,

and I thought this was just happening to me! online searches are great EXCEpt when they're so many months out of date. I wonder if "no syndication" as some agencies are doing is the way to go.

Apr 15, 2012 03:27 PM

Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC

Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

☔ Great suggestions Wallace, sounds like your Craigslist is popular in your area.

It's becoming more a problem Gabe as time goes by. But sure allows us an opportunity to help those that need us!

Jeff, I'm sure your clients were relieved to learn that you would handle their search for them!

Ghita, someday we'll have a way of way of keeping our listings updated on all sights. In the meantime Realtors® have their work cut out for them!

It is Mike! Thanks for stopping by.

Jennie, now that's a problem we'd all like to see! ;)

All we can do is keep trying Tammie. Hope you're market is doing well in Franklin TN!

And once that frustration gets to the boiling point, they'll rely on an excellent Realtor® like you Al!

Sherry & Nellie, from the comments and re-blog on this topic I don't think we're alone!

Pamela

Apr 16, 2012 02:42 AM

Nyssa Smith

Keller Williams Advantage Realty - State College, PA

REALTOR, State College Area Real Estate

Nice one Pamela! Love what you wrote here! And you're so amazing featuring Danny's video here! You're one classy lady! :D

Apr 18, 2012 02:22 PM

Kathy Judy

Tri-Cities Real Estate retired - Ontario, OR

My standard line when I get calls is to tell people that the popular webistes are usually only updated twice a week (if that) but that mine goes right to listingbook and is updated twice an hour and it is the most accurate info I can get them.

However, even my DAUGHTER kept using Trulia. GRRR

Apr 18, 2012 02:38 PM

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