Craigslist attracts millions of Internet users who visit the local Craigslist pages to see what deals are available. The home seller with a bit of initiative may find that listing their house on Craigslist brings in more prospective buyers. Craigslist certainly won’t hurt. But sellers, beware. Craigslist’s not the magic home selling tool. You may lose your home to the discarded listings if you don’t use a professional real estate agent – helpful hints?
The problem is that sites that say you can sell a home on Craigslist “without an agent” are not true. It’s because they don’t consider all of the factors that go into a real-estate transaction. Craigslist is great for finding a buyer but it’s not the best place to negotiate a sale. Many homebuyers can’t deal with all the little details involved in selling a house while juggling work, family, and other commitments. Agents also have more contacts and are able to quickly match a seller up with a prospective buyer.
Will Craigslist supplant MLS? It’s highly unlikely. Craigslist is limited in its search functionality – it only includes keyword searches and the number of beds and baths. The keywords don’t really help in finding your dream house. It is also necessary to sort through classified ads, including those placed incorrectly and intentionally in the real estate category. This will provide leads to buyers. Craigslist is not comparable with the MLS and its more comprehensive search filters.
Craigslist is popular and used by many. Should you? Craigslist may be a very useful tool when combined with the MLS. You must have good photos with a complete description. Also, you should include a link to MLS or the agent’s webpage. The Craigslist ad should have words such as “For further information, visit this link …””.
Craigslist has many uses, including selling furniture and other personal items. However, as a means to advertise an entire home, it does not work. You should use it as an extra form of advertising in conjunction to the services of an experienced agent, rather than the sole advertising. It’s important to have clear pictures and copy that will help potential buyers choose your property.