It’s unethical for agents to deal in newspaper ads for clients

Real estate agents seeking newspaper ads to display their clients’ properties may not be your best bet, claims Terry Ryder in an article for the Property Observer.

The idea is not appealing for various reasons:

•  As a first, newspaper ads can never reach to as many people as is possible through a website or an online portal.
• Newspaper ads exhibit agency’s name in big bold letters rather than stressing on the clients’ properties, thus becoming a branding tool for the agency.
• If newspaper ads are the recommended way to go, it can be done easily by the homeowners themselves, thus eliminating any need for the agencies.

Commissions from newspapers

Melbourne Property agency Philip Webb has become a vanguard of sorts, completely doing away with newspaper ads. Ryder applauds the effort and says that a homeowner should look to interact with only those agencies that completely shy away from newspaper adverts. What makes the matter murkier is the fact that many agents get commissions from newspapers for getting clients on board.

Online portals are a far better bet

Ryder is very vocal about such ads never meeting the homeowner’s requirements. After all, how can a man sitting in New South Wales benefit from a Melbourne property advert. It may be far more worthwhile seeking online portals with advanced search options. You just need to put in your criteria (area, number of bedrooms, property type and so on) and there you go. Neil Jenman, quotes Ryder, talks through his years of expertise when he says “if the ads sell the property, why do you need an agent? Just place the ads yourself and save yourself the agents’ selling commission.”

Limited shelf life

I think that Terry ticks many right boxes in his article. It is well-known that newspaper ads have a shelf life. You can read it for a day or may be spill it over for the next day but online portals can keep promoting your property for ages. Moreover, the online sites concentrate on the properties exclusively, not worrying about the brand-image of the agencies.

In retrospect, don’t you think your property ad placed in the newspapers failed to get the right audience in the past? I invite your views.