There is an old saying garbage in and garbage out. This is quite true for real estate sales and marketing where there continues to be an overdue reliance, in my humble opinion, on technology.
Take for example, our local MLS technology program provides limited information by offering three (3) comparable properties. I won't even go into all the mistakes made by Realtors putting information into the MLS.
Additionally in listening to my clients’ buying parameters for residential and vacant land properties, much of what they desired was not within the technology program offered within the MLS. The vacant land CMA was totally worthless in providing the necessary information my clients were seeking.
Since I believe in educating clients and strongly adhere to the Code of Ethics to "protect and promote" my clients, I started constructing my own CMAs. Over time I was able to continually improve those first efforts.
Given in some areas Dirt Road Real Estate has demonstrated incredible success in listing and selling vacant land or large ranch land properties here in Mohave County, I was able to showcase our listing and sales successes by highlighting those properties. Also, in specific instances I could asterisk a particular property and footnote why the property was higher or lower than the surrounding properties.
Then there is this reliance on technology through GPS coordinates or Google Maps. Of course GPS only works if there is a cell signal. In rural areas, cell service is very limited to non-existant. As to Google Maps, the map may show the road per the County's data, but the road may never have been cut in or recently graded. Suddenly the client finds themselves in a wash or a dead end out in the middle of no where.
How does that honor the Code of Ethics by protecting and promoting one's clients?
When we totally rely on technology, we are not protecting or promoting our clients to the best of our ability. Sure it takes time to construct a non-technology CMA or provided accurate information such as directions based on your traveling to the property.
However, the benefits far outweigh the time constraints. Beyond presenting a more detailed picture of the current market trends or accurate directions, you as the realtor are learning more about the market, achieving greater real estate sales success and increasing your depth of knowledge which only adds to your value as a Realtor.
Graphics courtesy of Pixabay
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