Information. Bigger is not always better.

Verify, verify, verify!  It's always a good idea to verify any data being reported as you don't know where they got that data!

Richard, it is up to us to assist and insure our clients are doing proper due diligence so they can make an informed buying or selling decision. Credible information is hard to find without proper guidance.

At a recent real estate convention I attended, they had a panel of buyers on stage.  The theme seemed to be that the buyers all started searching on Zillow but none of them thought the information was accurate.  So they ended up getting a referral from someone they knew who connected them with a local Realtor. 

I subscribe to Market Leader, my own personal website for information. It is accurate, sends regular e-mails, has a good contact management system and keeps my clients away from those "big sites" that advertise for my competition, who pay big bucks for their add space. I like smaller and personal.

I rather miss the old fashioned library for getting information. When you see the book and the author's credentials, it was much easier to feel confident in the information. I find the Internet useful to get a "feel" for what the answer is, rather than the answer itself. 

So true, but it was true before the Internet as well. I recall arging with my Mother-in-law about it. She said that if she read it in a magazine or a newspaper it had to be true. It didn't matter that I could point out things that were NOT true but were printed anyway. 

I used to say "Anybody can write, it doesn't mean they know what they're talking about."

Right up there with the lowest bid is not always the best one!

Hey, Richard!  I included this post in today's Last Weeks' Favorites!

This is so true.  Bigger has some benefits, but it is not always better.  Buyers and Sellers should ask some questions.

Richard Weisser it's hard to present the facts to consumers.

More so when there are 50 comparable for a home on some sites - and even after that the valuation shows a number that does not go along with those sold listings.

Sure, bigger is not better in many such cases.

I would have to agree with you Richard.  Bigger is not always better.                                 

Richard, agreed: bigger is not always better.  It's part of our role to help guide our buyers & sellers with accurate information.

I love Marte's comment... smart lady...

So true...  I often say that we not only live in the information age, but also the age of mis-information.

Than Maynard "sock puppet"....I never heard that, that's a great term.

Bigger isn't always better, but bigger often sets a lower bar for standards.  I'm not sure that helps the consumer, though it's great for us smaller vendors.

Mis-information seems to be the norm in some of these bigger sources, yet people flock to them assuming that everything they read online is accurate. Unfortunately, not so!

What a beautiful picture.

This is so true - the information found on the Internet needs to be verified before being believed.

When you cannot restrict or sensor information the next best thing is to overwhelm people with information (and dis-information).

This is so true...great post and I am glad I didn't miss it thanks to Patricia!

Hi Richard,

Awesome post!  I couldn't agree more.  They still need us!