It seems that no matter what I tell my clients they insist on using outdated websites to do their searches. I know that the internet is full of websites that people can use to search for homes. However, most of them are several days, weeks, or even months behind. One of the first things I do when I get a new client is to caution them on the use of these websites. I always try to direct my clients to my personal website where they can search all the available homes that are on the MLS and they can search as they want to search. They can put in their own criteria such as price range, subdivision, beds, baths and many other criteria. I also set up portals for them with their specific criteria. However, for some reason they still do not get the message that they will get to see all the available homes. My website does not hide any homes from them so they are seeing everything that is out there. However, it never seems to fail that they are constantly asking me to check MLS numbers that they have found from these other websites. As you can probably guess, they are almost always homes that have pending offers or have already been closed.
I do think these sites have a good purpose in that they allow people without an agent to see homes that have been recently available and this might get them interested in purchasing a home. Some sites even allow people to ask questions of the agents whom utilize the site. In addition, they also provide an opportunity for agents to advertise their services. I use some of them to advertise my services and I know many other agents whom do the same. However, if a person is working with an agent then I do not know why that they would want to waste their time looking at these sites after their agent has told them how outdated that they are and has given them a way to find much more accurate information. It just does not make sense.
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