Recent surveys show approximately 80% of our buyers shop online. In my area your ad would get lost in the sea of other properties for sale in the newspaper! Magazines have a longer shelf life if you want print media. I've had a lot of success with both, magazines and internet.

Mon Aug 20 2007, 13:56

Who reads the newspaper anymore? Really I haven't had a call from the newspaper in a couple of years I think. Most brokerages are moving their ad dollars almost any place else if they can. I notice in my newspapers the brokers seem to be the last of the big ad spenders on newspaper. It might build brand awareness, but I don't think people are looking there anymore for homes. I like it as that is one source for my FSBO calls.

Mon Aug 20 2007, 13:20

I would say print advertising these days in my market place is ineffective. I would say the seller should not require us to place ads in the paper As part of my marketing plan I go over with them where their buyers are going to come from and how I will attract buyers.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 13:08

Around my neck of the woods, newspaper ads for open houses are still a must. Half the people who walk into our open houses found it through the local paper or the NY Times. This is unfortunate, because though it rarely sells the house, it does help generate traffic and is therefore a necessary and expensive evil. Newspaper ads are such a RIPOFF! I can't believe how much they charge - and because it still works to some extent we are held captive. The time will come when it is useless to us and others.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 11:17

I'm jumping in here since I posed the question on that 'lively post' awhile ago.

It came about as a result of sellers who are insisting on very expensive Sunday ads (in excess of $100 per ad) that are INEFFECTIVE.

Newspaper print ads ARE ineffective! Nearly every answer on that thread validated this perspective. Sylvia backed it up with statistics from the California Association of Realtors that demonstrated that the internet is the primary source of information for home buyers. Most buyers found their home either through their agent or on the internet.

So what is the result of several weeks with an expensive newspaper ad? NOT A SINGLE PHONE CALL!!!! This is a gorgeous home and I get about 20 hits per day on my online flier (which is FREE, btw...).

Should sellers require print ads? NO. But they SHOULD have this conversation before signing a listing agreement. And be specific about what size the ad will be, as each person has their own idea of what constitutes reasonable exposure.

We are obligated to meet the expectations of our clients. That's much easier to accomplish if our marketing beliefs are in alignment.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 11:00

I think sellers should hire me based on their comfort level with my expertise. They hire me because they are comfortable with the notion that I know how to sell houses. If certain requirements are imposed upon me as to how the home will be marketed, I have obviously not properly conveyed this. Sellers certainly have the right to inquire about or even demand certain services when selecting a listing agent. If they are not convinced that the agent sitting in their living room has a better marketing plan tailored to their individual home, however, they should move to the next guy on the list. I am not a believer in newspaper advertising, with the exceptions of ads for open houses, highly unique or out of the way properties. By the time the interview is over, if I have properly conveyed my knowledge and expertise in the methods best employed to sell their particular house, the seller will not be either.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 10:24

I am not sure about the 'Should' part of the question and I will say that no, they should not (except in Rural area), but do they expect that?

First, basic or a bit glorified Open House ads are a given for me as most are still looking at that to go to Open Houses.

I have found that the tide is changing, I started to have some customers who actually asked how much internet advertising I do. If not, I try to educate them and have found they are more receptive to the idea about internet ads over newsapper ad. I still have clients who expect that I put in a good size ad or even magazine ad other than open house ad then I will put maybe one or very sparingly. For some clients, that's the security blanket for them and you can't take that away; unfortunately.

Education and expectation are the keys to this.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 10:13

Posted:
Lloyd,
There was a very lively post related to print advertising a while back. I've attached the link below. Please view it for some additional insight. - A few minutes ago
Web Reference: http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/How_important_are_t...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excellent discussion on that thread. One very important statement someone made was that where they are the newspaper ads are important because the area is remote. If there is a popular local paper I would say it is important to advertise there. I live in a tourist area and have received many calls from ads placed in the local papers from second home buyers who come out to househunt and pick them up.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 08:40

Lloyd,
There was a very lively post related to print advertising a while back. I've attached the link below. Please view it for some additional insight.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 08:28

If they do, we have to explain how effective newpaper adveritising isn't. If the seller still "requires" their listing agent to advertise the property in the newspaper, I have to say good luck finding an agent who will do that every week. It would be financially impossible to advertise every listing in the newspaper every week.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 06:12

Require? No.

Should the seller and listing agent discuss the marketing plan and reach an understanding of what will and will not be included? Yes. Haivng this discussion up front is important to avoid failed expectations.

If a seller believed that newspaper marketing was a critical component to achieve a contract, I would discuss with that seller why we have cut back on print in favor of online. If the seller maintained that he/she would only hire a representative that agreed to extensive newspaper advertising, I would negotiate a higher fee to cover the expense or walk away.

I would attempt to educate the seller about how and where buyers search for property.

** We do limited newspaper advertising. We have not eliminated it completely.

Sun Aug 19 2007, 05:55