I’m thinking about it this way,

I go onto Craigslist. I’m looking for a house and working with a real estate agent. He’s shown me everything there is in Kirkland already. But I want to do my own research to find a bargain. I type in “Kirkland”, and get 100+ results (127 today). I close my browser because there’s no way I’m looking through that many listings.

Here’s what I would like to have happen… I type in “Kirkland”, get 127 results, but then select “Homes not listed on the MLS.” I sort through those results in about 10 minutes, find one that’s interesting and forward it to my agent. He schedules an appointment and we go check it out along with the other homes on the MLS that I ALREADY wanted to check out.

I’m not thinking from a seller’s perspective, I’m thinking from a buyer’s perspective.

I can see where you’re coming from, that “MLS listed homes” would be put at a disadvantage… but the way it’s structured now, FSBO homes are at a HUGE disadvantage. MLS listed homes are already listed on the MLS, but FSBO have no where else to go, and they’re getting drowned out by all these redundant ads you can find on Windermere.com and Johnlscott.com. I would like a level / open playing field, but feel like it’s not setup that way anyway, might as well change it.

Just thinking out loud there. Wouldn’t it be a disadvantage to the seller consumer to provide a means to “skip over” his ad just because he has an agent in the picture?

Can you think about that from the other side of the coin, Kevin? Pretend you are a seller with your house on Craig’s list vs. a buyer look at property. All real estate is a two way street. Would it be fair to you as a seller if you put a fancy ad on Craig’s list and they separated you out and penalized you because you had an agent?

The info is not necessarily the same, as MLS has it’s feed restrictions. Wouldn’t you want an open plyaing field as a seller of a house?

7 of the first 10 results are listed “by agents”. Only 3 “for sale by owner” or “not on the MLS”.

I wish there was an option when searching to search “all results”, “those listed by agents” or “those listed by owner.” Like how in the Cars / Trucks For Sale section, you can choose to see results “from All”, “from dealers” or “from owners only”.

Because ideally (if the math holds up), I would only have to sort through 30 or so listings, instead of 104.

Agent’s are required by law to identify that they are an agent in all advertising and also to note the name of their broker as licensed.

Are you saying agents are advertising on Craig’s list “blindly” as if they are owners?

I certainly don’t mind agents advertising on Craigslist. Sometimes, I find listings I’ve missed on other real estate websites. I feel like everyone, even Asset Realty, has a right to seeing how it’s free. But it does bother me that they’re abusing that right. I wish Craigslist had a radio button to separate “listed by owner” from “listed by agent”, kind of like the Cars / Trucks section has.

But anyway, I happened to find this ‘older’ post by searching for Asset Realty Group on Google. I’m a frequent reader. Keep up the great work!

I’m glad you comment as there have been days I have felt “lax” for not putting my listings on Craig’s List. But my gut says that people go there to find property that is NOT listed elsewhere. They don’t want to go to Craig’s List only to find those properties that they already viewed on a real estate website.

If I do use Craig’s List as an advertising vehicle, it will be because I can do things there that I can’t do in the mls…like put people in the photos But not just to put the same thing that already exists in the mls version. I did try it once, but immediately realized that it wasn’t being “innovative” just to be there. If I’m going to be there, it has to have a benefit to both my seller client and those viewing there, it has to be something the mls will not allow.

Thanks for your consumer view of “agents on Craig’s List”. I truly appreciate it.

Chad, I take that back what I said earlier. Sounds like Asset Realty is a spam-friendly organization.