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Real Estate Local Media / Newspapers Reviews

Once upon a time, print ruled. Real estate agents, because of the sheer volume of advertising we purchased, were given accounts with the local newspaper. Marketing our listings consumed a major part of our budgets.


The Sunday paper in most large metropolitan areas was massive, mostly because of the real estate section. When you consider that the typical ad was text only, and consisted of just a couple of lines of highly abbreviated text, you get an idea of just how much money the papers were making off the area’s real estate agents.


Then, print died, and we all secretly snickered under our breath. What we used to pay a fortune for was now free – or it was for awhile – online. Consumers were a bit slow to come around but, thankfully, they’ve adjusted. We’ve all heard the statistics about buyers: The first place they go for information on homes for sale is the Internet.


Most agents understand that marketing a home in the local newspaper is akin to marketing their real estate practices in the phone book. Why then, do some listing clients still want ads in the paper?


From the scuttlebutt we read in the ActiveRain forums we’ve learned that classified ads are still important in certain markets, especially rural areas and small communities. International agents still do a great deal of print advertising as well.


There’s a reason that the Seattle Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Denver Post, San Francisco Chronicle and other papers have a real estate section – at least some agents are buying ads.


What about you? Do you use newspapers to market your listings? If so, how is it working for you? We understand you’re busy but we’d sure appreciate it if you could take just a moment to share your print advertising strategy with your ActiveRain colleagues – where you advertise, your reasons for it and its effectiveness.

New York Times Real Estate Section
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