Eco-Friendly Agents

These are the Top 3 Reasons why I think agents don't take full advantage of the marketing power of the MLS:

• Some are doing so in order to discourage showings from agents searching the MLS for their customers/clients, while at the same time using other marketing techniques in an effort to increase their odds of being able to 'double dip' (for consumers who may be reading this, that is 'agent speak' for keeping both sides of the commission).
• Some are doing so in the hopes of forcing buyers to call them so they can gain more buyer customers/clients, much like the agents who mainly use open houses to get buyers even though a very small percentage of homes actually sell as a result of an open house. Here, again, this is just another attempt to 'double dip' and another technique that serves the agent but is not necessarily in the best interest of the seller.  Houses will sell regardless of how little information you provide but they tend to sell more quickly and for a higher price if marketed as best as possible both on the MLS and elsewhere.
• The rest of the agents are just plain l-a-z-y or too cheap to pay someone else to help them and don't belong in the business!

I think what they are 'hiding' is one of the above... or the house needs TLC and they just don't know how to market that type of property properly.

Suzi, thanks for your comments. I briefly checked out your blog... will read it tomorrow and comment on some.  Let us know how you like the Prius. 

Eddy - You may not have met a Los Angeles area EcoBroker (yet) but they're out there... at least 4 of them!

Chris - Funny!  I regularly see quite a bit of misinformation in the MLS.  Sometimes I even take the time to call the agent to let them know.  They only correct the mistake about half the time!!!  I still have the MLS print-out of when I bought my house and it mentions that it has a glassed-in porch... NOT!

Sharon - Thanks!  Actually, I never mentioned EcoBrokers in my blog post... just in the comments, for the very reason you mentioned... because these are things that every Realtor should do for their seller.  I'm glad you got your EcoBroker designation - I saw on their site that you're one of only a few throughout Florida.  Sharon's always one step ahead of most of us!  :-)

janeAnne - First, let me say I love the name of your company, ECO Steward Realty, and thank you for your part in doing what you can to protect the beauty and character of that area.  Second, I love Asheville... so much so that about 3-4 years ago I bought a couple of domain names with 'Asheville' in them in case I can ever convince my hubby to move there one day (I think ahead).  Of course, I'd take up real estate there, too.  Actually, I was just up there on vacation at the end of August and hope to go back again next year. Thanks for the link to your great blog post, by the way.

Yael - Thanks... and, yes, applying those points will undoubtedly result in more 'green' in your pocket and your seller's... better marketing = more eyeballs, more eyeballs = the potential for a quicker sale, and more buyers = more potential for more & better offers.  Now, what I don't understand is why most agents don't understand that!