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I agree, Mike. I'm not accusing the realtor of laziness. They probably don't have time to keep them filled. The majority of listing agents I know don't go to homes unless they're showing or meeting some other professional hired by the potential buyer at the house. They are very busy with their jobs and have many showings/closings etc. . . But if they don't have time to check the box frequently, don't have a box. I don't think a potential buyer should have to scan some QR code to find information that should be on a flyer which doesn't exist because it's not there. Personally, I find QR codes almost as useless as CAPTCHA codes because many times they don't work. But it may just be my phone and/or user error
I agree with you that agents SHOULD keep boxes filled. I run by listings with flyers after hard rains, etc, and am embarrassed if the box is empty.
But, a good QR code offers so much more than a front and back page of a flyer ever could. You can see all photos, all docs, a list of links, a hot link to the agent site, to any other desired information, phone numbers for showing, and can email the code or the link immediately to another person or your agent.
Easy-Peasy.
They don't replace flyers, but they can drive great traffic and deliver good data for free.
And it might be your phone or app.
I use a Windowsphone, and picked up an app that opens a link before as soon as it sees half the code it seems.
After 2 or 3 phones and 5 or 6 apps, this one is a keeper. I may even send money.
Here's a code I used last summer on a listing, and you cannot get a flyer to do that much work on two pages, front and back:
Why does everyone assume that people have smartphones? I know tons of people who don't have them. I also know a lot of folks who have them and don't charge them or don't want to use them.... and no I'm NOT a senior citizen.
If you don't put out flyers, then you will not maximize your advertising potential to ALL prospective buyers. I'm with the put out the flyers crowd.
Why does everyone assume that people have smartphones? I know tons of people who don't have them. I also know a lot of folks who have them and don't charge them or don't want to use them.... and no I'm NOT a senior citizen.
If you don't put out flyers, then you will not maximize your advertising potential to ALL prospective buyers. I'm with the put out the flyers crowd.
Why would it be "Either-Or?" That has in no way been the point of the conversation.
"Both" seems to be pretty acceptable.
And, among cellphone owners in the US, smartphone adoption is in the 70%--80% range for new purchase, and the vast majority of owners now owning smartphones. http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Mar...r-Market-Share
I appreciate your position of being in a minority. I already said I own a Windowsphone, which statistically puts me out in the fringe, too.
Last edited by MikeJaquish; 01-19-2016 at 10:25 AM..
Why does everyone assume that people have smartphones? I know tons of people who don't have them. I also know a lot of folks who have them and don't charge them or don't want to use them.... and no I'm NOT a senior citizen.
If you don't put out flyers, then you will not maximize your advertising potential to ALL prospective buyers. I'm with the put out the flyers crowd.
People get smartphones for this EXACT reason, utility. Why do you need a flyer when your phone can just take a picture of something and you have it forever. Curious, do you intentionally REFUSE to get a smartphone?
...... Curious, do you intentionally REFUSE to get a smartphone?
I do. I had one, didn't like it. I switched back to a flip phone.
If I want a portable computer, I use my tablet. But I do not open mystery links on the internet, so I wouldn't open a mystery QR code, either. Fine, if you do not want me to look at your house, but I do happen to be someone who buys real estate.
A lot of buyers of real estate are somewhere near retirement age, and some of those buyers do not use smart phones because the print and pictures are too small to see. If you would prefer to not sell to them, that is your choice, but if you would like to have their money then you must market to them as well as to the twenty somethings with excellent eyesight.
If a realtor I was considering told me he was not going to post flyers on my sign, I wouldn't hire that realtor. Same thing if he told me he was ignoring any other marketing avenue to sell my house. I am hiring him/her so I am the boss. I will listen to all of the realtors ideas and then I will agree or not. If a house doesn't have flyers, that house is pretty much forgotten while I pore over the flyers of the ones that did. I might scribble the address on another flyer, and I might remember to look it up on realtor.com, but I might not. If you don't like the photos your realtor takes, insist that he redo them with a professional. And for heaven's sake stage your place for the photos. I get a great laugh out of the photos on realtor.com and Zillow where the family did not even clean up the kitchen and bath before taking the photos (wet towels on the racks, healthcare products all over the counter, and dirty clothes hanging out of the hamper).
We live in the Virginia part of the Washington D.C. suburbs, about two miles outside of the Capitol Beltway.
One realtor suggested they prepare a flyer describing the house and giving the selling price along with some photos of the interior. They would put the flyers in a box attached to the 'For Sale' sign in front of the house so people can take them.
Someone who recently sold their house thought this is an out-of-date marketing tool and may make the sellers look desperate to find a buyer, so the buyers would be inclined to offer a lower price.
What do you think? Thanks for offering your opinions.
They've been doing that for years in Vancouver, WA....I like it as I could (If buying a house or looking) just drive up, get the price, some details and then "If Interested" call for a showing....
I once walked past some houses with those out there...One place had an asking price of $600K....Then I saw that the land of it went back and to the left for 300 yards....They later sold, developer came in and built row houses....made a pretty penny on them...
These little flyers can help sell houses. Not everyone has a smartphone. And not everyone wants to play with it while house shopping. And to have a flyer in their hand is a good thing.
If you go this route I suggest you make copies and keep the box at about 10 pieces at a time. I helped a neighbor sell a house by filling their box after they moved to Florida. There has to be a few in box at all times...
It's a very common practice in suburban Arizona. I think a lot of curious neighbors take them, too, so the fliers go fast. But it's a good tool for the people who drive around looking at homes. I don't think it looks desperate.
I always have professional photos and flyers done. I have them printed on heavy slick paper. I think it makes them less likely to get lost. I've sold quite a few homes off them.
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