How Good Are YOUR Market Reports?

HI Lane - There are no really BAD market reports, as long as they are accurate, but in my opinion, the most helpful ones are ones that show market trends in an area.  I usually have 3-4 graphs reflecting trends with a different focus in each one, and covering the last 15 months.  That wasy you can really see if prices are going up, inventory going down, or whatever.

Lane, I'm with Susan, there are no bad market reports.  Any information that can be shared with the public has to be helpful. when I do them, which is not often.. I pull even the FSBO info from the tax assessor's files and use that info.. so that they are more accurate. 

As an contractor who views market reports a little differently then those in the business of selling properties, my attention needs to be grabbed. I see a lot of reports here, I look for good graphic, a story that relates to the report or trend. There have been market reports that I have suggested here, they were that good. For the most part, I click out if I'm not grabbed right away.

I know that the reports aren't aimed at me, and I believe that there are no bad reports.

Thanks Lane.

I think a great market report is made by the comments attached to the data ... an understanding of the data and good explanation is what makes it in my opinion

Bad reports are ones that don't provide enough information or that provide information that doesn't help people make a decision on the area they're considering.  Also, as stated before, if they cover too large of an area to be meaningful.  If you have regular traffic to your reports and positive feedback from your readers, you're probably doign a great job. 

I used to think detailed reports full of numbers to compare where the best, that is what I would want.  However, I realize that most people do not want that and cannot understand it.  I try to focus on one particular number or stat; it also needs to be something designed to drive the prospect (reader to action).  

I think that market reports need to have an opinion and be more than just numbers.  Market reports that are just numbers are boring to me.  What's the area like?  Why would people buy there? Is there a reason prices are going up or down? Things like that make market reports more interesting to me.