More Than Advertising

Have you ever ordered a new car sight unseen from a picture in a catalog? Did you find your present home listed in the newspaper, then call and order it?

Chances are you probably test drove several models before buying your last new car. When you purchased your home, it is likely that detailed thought and planning were followed by careful inspection of a number of available properties. Then, only after all possibilities had been considered, did you come to a final decision on your present home.

Your first call to a real estate company may have been the result of an eye-catching newspaper ad, yet your final decision to purchase evolved from becoming fully informed about all available housing. You needed factual information about prices and financing, combined with a wide selection of homes from which to make your choice. Then, fully informed, you were ready to make a firm commitment.

Will you be selling soon? If so, consider the value placed on newspaper advertising by real estate companies. Brokers and agents recognize the value of exposing listed homes to the public through advertising, yet they also understand that the real value of an ad is the buyer phone calls it generates. They know that ads don't sell homes, they merely attract prospective buyers.

The buyers' initial call to a real estate company may lead to a prequalification interview with a mortgage lender, a meeting to determine the type home desired, numerous trips to visit desirable homes and finally to a satisfying purchase, all coordinated by the agent.