Doug Francis | Realtor

  • About Doug
  • Services
  • Sell Your Home
  • Case Studies
  • Get Started

Selling your house and the Internet

February 4, 2013 By Doug Francis

When the Realtors decided to start showing all the “listings” on the Internet over a decade ago, they really could not have foreseen the business opportunity that they were creating. I’m sure you have been on Zillow, Trulia, Redfin or Realtor.com by now.

vienna virginia real estate syndication

Your listing could go anywhere! Source: Trulia

These Internet sites provide information on homes for sale, and are primarily sponsored by advertising or affiliated business agreements. Yes, they are searching for hot leads.

In Northern Virginia real estate, our MLS is named MRIS for Metropolitan Regional Information Service and covers the Washington D.C. region. It’s where life begins… so to speak.

It is essential to understand the original source of listings on those sites. In 99% of the cases, it is the MLS. When your listing goes in, MRIS syndicates that information to hundreds of sites over the next 24 hours and not just to RE/MAX, but to Long & Foster, Redfin, Weichert, C-21, KW, FranklyMLS, MRISHomes.com and many more.

Maximum exposure is the idea here. Rather than just posting an ad on one real estate site or sites like Craigslist or Facebook, syndication places a house on hundreds of sites that buyers from Arlington to San Francisco may be using.

what everyone will read and see

Real estate agents still enter much of the data manually and that is why some listings seem more complete than others. Fields such as finished square footage, schools, room dimensions, or appliances that convey are agent added. Also those brief descriptions like “a gourmet kitchen that HGTV would appreciate” are added by the realtor.

And those photos… the real estate photos, whether good, bad or really bad are added by the realtor.

For example, as I am preparing to add a new listing in Vienna Virginia, I will make note of every detail that can be added to a listing. Details like room dimensions, kitchen appliances, heating fuel type, number of bedrooms, important upgrades, school information, or even if there is a pool or mud room are a few examples that a home buyer should know about. Remember, this is “sales”!

Vienna Virginia garden viewOften a client will touch base with me because they have discovered a home for sale on Zillow or Trulia that’s not listed in MRIS or it’s public web portal, MRISHomes.com.

In virtually all of those cases, the property was either sold months ago or pulled from the market. Last year the issue was a listing which had the wrong price ( it was a $1,350,000 listing showing up as $135,000 ~oops). In this case the agent had pulled the original listing from MRIS but it lived on in the pages of Trulia for a year.

Garbage in, Garbage out

The old adage of “garbage in, garbage out” is very true in online marketing. I like to proof a listing and tweak it, but I also ask my clients to tell me if something is missing. It is a team effort and having an editor is essential.

You are probably thinking that there is some duplication going on, and you are right. Home buyers typically have a couple of favorite apps and an alerts notifying them through email or text. If you are a seller then this works to your benefit especially when your agent has added a complete listing with photos ~ that means from the very first minute.

My marketing strategy is to understand the technology tools people use to leverage their usefulness. That new listing in Vienna may not populate the pages of Zillow until tomorrow but it better be 100% complete today ~ photos, marketing language, school info… you probably get the point. In my opinion, it is a smart strategy that delivers a valuable level of service to my clients and to today’s demanding tech equipped real estate buyers.

I am constantly updating how I work, and you should read How I Sell Your Home.

Share this with a friend...Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterShare on LinkedInPin on PinterestEmail this to someone

Filed Under: Blog, Home Seller Tips Tagged With: Multiple listing service, real estate, Vienna Virginia, zillow

About Doug Francis

A Realtor specializing in unique and new homes around Vienna, Virginia, Doug started writing a first-hand blog about his everyday real estate experiences a decade ago. In-depth, helpful and fun has always been the objective. Outside real estate, he was profiled in a commercial for Verisign's "Where the World Clicks" global ad campaign, and was quoted in Money Magazine's Best Places to Live article on Vienna (#3!). He's a Boston University graduate who feels morning coffee is non-negotiable.

Vienna real estate agent Doug Francis

I’m so excited that you found me! Yes, this site covers real estate, but also a lot about lifestyle and  living in Vienna, Virginia outside Washington, D.C.

There is a lot of info here, and you can also contact me with any specific real estate questions. And, at home consultations are available too.

My background… I’ve been an active licensed agent in Virginia for 25 years, work at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty in McLean, and sell homes in all price ranges. I donate to the Town of Vienna tree replacement fund, participate in a neighborhood citizens association, and try my best to stay in shape.

Let me help you: Email doug@dougfrancis.com or call me at (703) 304-6827 to discuss your plans. Cheers!

Filmed in Vienna and McLean

https://youtu.be/ClqEIV1zoQg

Planning to sell your home?

Case Studies

Listing Case Studies Continue Reading

Thinking of Moving?

If you want to talk about your house and getting it ready for the market then let's set up a time to talk. Even if it's a second opinion, it's okay. Start here.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Have a question?

Homeowners: Add a level of privacy

name withheld by request

Privacy: Hiding your name

Looking for testimonials?

Read through a collection of client comments originally posted on Zillow, Google and Trulia. See what my clients say...

Looking for a Custom Home?

Insights into New Homes in Vienna VA

The Wire Fraud Warning

I sat in on a presentation by an FBI Special Agent who discussed many types of financial fraud which are being used across the internet. Victims are everywhere including real estate buyers and investors, to lonely widows in romance scams who unwittingly launder large sums of money for fraudsters. But let’s just focus on Real […]

“Doug nailed it! Within days, we had three offers, one of which not only met, but far exceeded all of our goals.”
– R. Pollard

“He truly was a partner integrating us unto the community and made it easy for us to take advantage of all Vienna has to offer.”
– A. D’Eredita

“We are so thankful we found Doug to guide us through the complex home selling and buying processes!”
– Scott and Jennie

About Doug Francis

I am a Realtor with TTR Sotheby's International Realty® just outside Washington D.C. in Northern Virginia. I have been a full-time Realtor licensed in Virginia since 1991, and cover a big territory specializing in the Vienna real estate market and custom homes for sale.

I have unique knowledge of digital real estate marketing, and my marketing starts here. My clients have been attracted to my results-oriented strategy for years, and I am accepting new clients for 2023 right now.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to contact me at 703-304-6827 or email me at doug@dougfrancis.com anytime!

Search for a subject

Contact

Doug: (703) 304-6827

TTR Sotheby's International Realty
6723 Whittier Avenue McLean, VA 22101

Office: 703-319-3344
Why do people hire me?

Search for homes in Vienna

Vienna Real Estate Guide

Doug Francis Vienna Real Estate 2021
This material can only be used with written permission.

Equal Housing Opportunity

 

Copyright © 2023 Doug Francis · Minimum Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in