In my 31 years in the real estate business…

Many sellers always want bigger newspaper or print ads and have these ads run more often if their house is not selling.

My experience tells me newspaper or print ads do not sell houses – real estate agents sell houses. Agents find the properties thru the MLS service and show them to their buyers. In the past 5 years, the internet has taken a large role in the process.

Curtis Van Carter recently published an NAR study that indicates:

34% of buyers find their house thru their agent

32% of buyers find their house thru the internet

and drum roll please…..

Only 3% of buyers find their house thru newspaper or print ads.

Sellers always want bigger and more newspaper ads – newspapers are dieing all around the country. 

 Why?

Because less and less people are reading the newspaper these days.

Newspaper ads are expensive and according to the NAR survey, only 3% of buyers found the house they bought from a newspaper ad.

The MLS and the internet is the way top market property today – that is where the buyers and agents go to find the info they desire.

Especially in a market like this – slow – properties stay on market a long time and then often do not sell, I require the seller to share some if not all of the marketing costs if they want newspaper ads above what I feel is prudent and reaosnable given the low ROI once gets from newspaper ads.