Stop Complaining and Start Using It!
Now and then, I hear real estate agents grumble about all the websites that "take our listings!!" There are so many...Zillow, Realtor, Google, Homes, Redfin, Compass, and the list goes on.
I understand the frustration. After all, we do the work. We secure the listing. We take the photos. We manage the floor plans. We write the descriptions. We verify the information. We coordinate the showings. And we upload everything into the MLS and so much more.
But this morning, I had a different thought.
I entered a new listing last night. About fifteen or twenty minutes after it went live, I Googled the address. I was amazed at how quickly the listing appeared across multiple platforms. By this morning, just a few hours later, the information was everywhere. And instead of being annoyed, I found myself impressed. I started clicking through the various sites to see how each one showcased the property. Some highlighted the neighborhood. Some emphasized the photography. One site had created a collage of several photos that actually looked fantastic. I took a screenshot of that presentation and used it in a blog post promoting the home.
Then it hit me.
Why are we spending so much energy complaining about these platforms when we could be using them to our advantage?
Think about it. Every place your listing appears is another opportunity for a buyer to discover it. Another set of eyes. Another chance for someone to share it with a friend or family member. Another doorway leading back to you.
Instead of asking, "Why are they using my information?" perhaps we should ask, "How can I use this exposure to better market my seller's home?"
Google the address after your listing goes live. Visit the sites where it appears. See which photos stand out. Notice how the home is being presented to the public. Use what you learn to enhance your own marketing. Share the links. Create blog posts. Talk about the home's online presence with your sellers.
We can spend our time resisting change, or we can learn to work with it.
The truth is that all of those websites only know what we tell them. The quality of the information, the photography, and the presentation begin with us.
So rather than complaining that the internet is displaying our listings, maybe it's time to ask a different question:
How can I use every available platform to help sell my client's home?
Sometimes the best marketing strategy isn't fighting the tide.
It's learning how to surf.
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