Deb.Fowler.C21@gmail.com
and get free professional photography when you list with me!
Seems like a long time ago that I started in the real estate business - 1996 to be exact. I know
the industry needs to change and grow, and so I feel I need to do that also. By growing and
expanding our knowledge, education and ways of doing business I believe that is the way to
stay relevant in today's market.
I recently attended the Iowa Realtors Convention in Des Moines, the instructors were among the best I have had the pleasure of listening to.
We have a Realtor Code of Ethics that Realtors vow to uphold, also the standard of having continuing education ( 36 HOURS) every 3 years. Mandatory are the Ethics and Law Update classes.
I will attach that Code of Ethics below so that you can also see what we Realtors practice in our daily business.
It's fall - time to spend some time daydreaming under a tree
https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2022-COE-Standards-of-Practice-2021-12-15.pdf
It's the time of year when you may have forgotten how beautiful the fall can be... those gorgeous maple trees - I get lost in the colors - I love the sugar maples and I was particularly fond of a sugar maple in my front yard in a home I previously lived in. That tree would have the most amazing colors of orange and tangerine with a crisp green early then a nut brown as the season came to an end.. I picked up so many leaves rescuing them from death and cold and of course they still dried up .. but I used them as book markers and flattened them between pages infatuated with the colors and textures.
Imagine my reaction when one day I came home and because that tree officially was city property because it was planted in the right of way... the tree had been cut down. I am not an arborist but I did not see any reason to kill this beloved tree. I still feel the beauty of that tree when I drive by that home and I miss it somewhere deep inside. Sometimes I find a leaf neatly kept between two pages of a book and I smile. Keeping those leaves from a tree at a home that had in some way saved me brings back a flood of emotions. Thank you fall, for the memories.
I was curious about websites and what we look at when searching for homes. So, I did a little searching and here is what I find.
There are more than 500 websites !
Lets start with your Zillow, Realtor.com,Trulia (owned by Zillow) type sites - here they are syndicated through the local MLS ( Multiple Listing Service). The information provided is based upon the information stream (RETS Feed) that is established between the MLS and the site.
That information is often then disseminated to the website and often into a different format. Often the agent is not able to make changes to these sites as it is proprietary to the sites creator. These sites offer searches to the public to assist in the home search at no cost, however, they are a lead capture site. The Zillow and Realtor.com sites then have a program whereby agents and brokers can sign up to have leads "referred" to them for a fee.
Then we have those just dedicated to their brand such as Century21.com - they have what is known as an IDX feed . An IDX (Internet Data Exchange) offers listings of the MLS through their site and is a convenient way to search the MLS and still be "in brand" .
Most real estate companies locally offer this on their websites, it assists consumers in their search and populates website with content to keep the consumer searching at one website and not having to seek other sites for listing information. The listing office is noted in the IDX feed though it is often hard to find even for seasoned agents. These also can be lead generating to the agent/office if they are asking for your email to continue searching, the lead then goes to the company/office or listing agent.
For the best service call a LOCAL REALTOR! that is your best bet for getting quality answers and real time information on a listing. Most of us work nights and weekends so no time is a bad time to reach out!
The good news is that if you are listing with an agent your property is likely to show up on so many websites and have exposure to a larger pool of buyers looking to purchase. The down side is that some information may be incorrect and need attention that an agent may not have control of.
For buyers there is a good chance you will find your next home on a website - maybe before you see it in person you will see it online and feel that emotion of seeing yourself in a new space. If that happens be sure to call your agent and make the appointment to walk through and see it in real time. The market is still challenging, but there are opportunities out there and new listings are coming your way!
I find people and places and things fascinating.. it's fun to share and see how things make you feel, for me it's nostalgia and I lo...
