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Realtor.com Listing Enhancements----YES OR NO FOR 2008?

Yes, it's that time of the year when Realtor.com starts the relentless calls to remind me that I need to renew my Listing Enhancement subscription. I made the mistake this year of not tracking what business came my way as a result of my yearly contract with them. Of course, sometimes, it's just downright difficult to know where that buyer came from now that we have the AR miracle and buyers so readily find us through the search engines. How many times do we ask buyers how they found us and they fuzzily tell us something that we feel comfortable attributing to AR just because we know it's so. One thing we know for SURE, IS THAT ACTIVE RAIN WORKS!!!

My friends, I hope you'll report back to this post and let me know if you are using Listing Enhancements on Realtor.com as well as your nays and yays. I guess I'll have to make the renewal decision soon but quite frankly, I'm starting to wonder if it still has the impact. OPINIONS PLEASE???

Posted by Diane Bell, Hilton Head Real Estate, Bluffton on 03/24/2008 03:46 PM

Comments (15)

Realtor.com in the Online Marketing Channel

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Originally posted at: Realtor Diane Bell's Hilton Head and Bluffton Real Estate Blog: Realtor.com Listing Enhancements----YES OR NO FOR 2008?

15 Comments on Realtor.com Listing Enhancements----YES OR NO FOR 2008?

MAR

2008

Diane,

I use the listing enhancements, it's company wide and we are billed each month for the enhancements. I did have 1 buyer $500,000 last year through Realtor.com and 1 listing in the $1,000,000 price range

Our company uses the enhancements but there is no way of tracking any business that comes from them.

Jane,

This is just what I'm looking for--your success.

Hi Diane - As much as I hate to admit it, Realtor.com does work. We just recently renewed. At that time, I checked and we had three closed deals in the previous 12 months from Realtor.com leads. That was enough to justify yet another renewal.

Don,

So glad to hear you had positive results! Thanks for commenting.

Okay, here is my take on this. I do the enhanced package and have for, probably 10 to 15 years now. When I asked what would be the fee to just have the basic listing package on Realtor.com, and I had to ask three people there, finally the third person told me, FREE. It is an auto feed from our MLS. So, if you did nothing, paid nothing, you will still have the listings posted on Realtor.com. I think with all of the free internet sites now, and the ability to host your own site, Realtor.com isn't the big show in town anymore. I am out of the enhanced package as soon as my contract expires.

It's a Good Life!

Fran

I think the only issue with not having the enhanced listing is that your name as the agent is not featured on that listing. So any leads would go to your brokerage. Now that is fine if you work for an honest broker but it was a huge problem at an office I used to work for. I needed to work for a company that had management that was trustworthy. That's why I left and went to another office.

I think the enhanced listing package is worth the money. We use the fact that we upload 20+ photos of each listing as a listing tool. We do get a number of leads per year from Realtor.com but that is just a bonus. The real benefit is the advantage we have in our listing presentations VS our competition. Even the other agents with the packages don't do the work to upload the photos and other enhancements.

Brian bartley

Brian,

Wow--20 photos. You've impressed me!

I use the enhancements. I know it's gotten me traffic to my website, and more exposure in my marketplace. Yes, there are LOTS of other sites, but I think REALTOR.com is still probably one of the better ones. Now, if they could just make the process of enhancement a bit easier! Good Grief!

I think its a great tool, and I too use it in listing presentations. Mine is paid by my Broker, but I would do it on my own, and whenever I start my own company, I'll offer it to my agents as well.

Thom,

Your Broker is very generous!

APR

2008

Hi Diane ~ I had not ever even heard of this service for you all! What a terrific plan...Best of luck to yoU!

APR

2008

Diane, I dropped Realtor.com years ago and spent the money developing my own site. We however have a wonderful public site through our MLS and I'm able to put 16 pictures on there. By the way I have not missed Realtor.com at all. It annoyed me that they were associated with NAR but then charged us so much. Like I said that was years ago and I haven't really kept track of them since; other than to know that I have not missed them.

APR

2008

How much is the realtor.com enhancement package, of course im a newbie, thanks for any advice.

Plus how do you guys feel about these other sites that make you pay for leads, any positive or neg feedback on which are good and not?

Jason From South Carolina

www.myspace.com/greenvillerealty

FEB

I'm hoping to revive this discussion. I have bought the enhanced package for the last 5 years. I track everything and can honestly say I don't think I've ever received a lead from this site. As some other agents have said, I continued to purchase this as a value add for my clients and a way to differentiate from other agents.

What I don't like is the fact that they base their fees on the # of listings you've had in the previous 12 months. Regardless of whether they have sold or expired, you are charged for just having them listed in the system.

I always upload 20-25 pictures, have a virtual tour link and I even upload a video (I may be one of the few that do this). My concern is that if I don't renew, am I cutting out a marketing channel that could pay off one of these days?

I'd like to know if anyone has any advice or client experience that would make me feel this is a good investment.

Thanks for your input.

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