Sellers often insist that their agents place ads in the local newspaper. Is this means of advertising still legitimate? While newspapers still carry Sale and Open House ads in the paper, these sections are no longer what they used to be a few years ago. Buyers just aren’t using newspaper classifieds like they used to.

Reasons? Here are two reasons why that have occurred to me based on what I have seen and done. First, newspapers have a defined shelf life. Newspapers are very current and only last that day. If you don’t see the newspaper on a given day, chances are you won’t see it at all, unless you take a trip to your local library or newspaper library. And who is looking for a new house in their newspaper library? Online advertising, however, has a much longer applicable period. With good search engine optimization, a single site can attract many visitors… as long as it keeps the site active. I’ve heard agents say that they sometimes get inquiries after a house is sold, since the website is still active.

Second, if you were looking to buy a home, you’d want as much information about the property as you could find. A newspaper ad might show a photo of the house (if it has one) and the basic details: bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage. feet, etc. The Internet allows real estate agents to post a wealth of information on a listing and allows prospective buyers the opportunity to “see” the property virtually through photos and 360° panoramic shots.

Having said all that, sometimes print ads are beneficial. Occasionally newspapers run special sections just for real estate ads, open houses, etc. and you can reach a huge target market that way. A person who does not normally look for real estate in the newspaper will buy the newspaper that day for the special section.

So when creating a print ad, whether it’s for a newspaper or magazine, here are a few things you’ll definitely want to do:

  • Speak to: Be sure to give the house address in the ad. If you have a website URL that is your home address, use it here… double duty!
  • Photo: At least show one exterior shot of the house, and a good one of the interior if you can.
  • Description: The space for a description is shrinking fast, but at least include the vital elements (bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, etc.). A good sentence that incorporates one or two key selling points is ideal.
  • Price: Be open and honest about the list price of the house. Hiding prices to force people to contact you is not worth it.
  • Contact: Of course you want your name and phone number. But make sure your website is there too!

For my part, if the above information isn’t in an ad, I won’t bother looking further. When researching a property, buyers want to know where it is (address), see it (photo), find out how much (price), and learn more about it (website). The rest is just icing on the cake.