Press Release Fail
This is the actual press release in its full glory (my notes will be at the end and all bolds in the release are emphasized by me):
A recognized leader in no commission online FSBO real estate listings, RealtySpace.com is breathing new life into the sluggish real estate market.
Boca Raton, Fla. (PRWEB) October 29, 2008 — Free, no commission For Sale by Owner (FSBO) listings on RealtySpace.com are not just effective, according to two recent studies, FSBO listings make good economic sense. RealtySpace.com is now offering no commission home sales listings free.
Recent studies are clear. For Sale by Owner (FSBO) real estate listings mean sales that are much more profitable for sellers than conventional brokered listings. In September 2008, Consumer Reports concluded that home sellers who sold their homes without a real estate agent received more money for their home than sellers who used a real estate agent, both by paying no commissions and by receiving a higher selling price. This echoes the findings of researchers at both Stanford University and Northwestern University. Since there are no commissions owed when selling a property without a broker, sellers keep on average $18,000 more on a $200,000 home.
Furthermore, for home sellers, Internet-based real estate listings are extremely effective. According to figures provided by the National Association of Realtors, 84 percent of home buyers use the web as part of their home search. Listing a For Sale by Owner (FSBO) home on RealtySpace.com can only help.
Each real estate listing on RealtySpace.com has no commissions, but an impressive set of perks. Online listings may be accompanied by an attractive yellow sign emblazoned with an eye-catching ‘no commission’ notice. Each real estate listing can be accompanied by a slideshow of up to nine photos and can quickly and easily be turned into a printed flyer for even greater word of mouth on a For Sale by Owner real estate listing. On RealtySpace.com, buyers and sellers can communicate directly, with no middleman to get in the way.
To see no commission For Sale by Owner (FSBO) real estate links or to begin listing a home for sale, visit RealtySpace.com today.
That’s Not Press, That’s Propaganda
Let me start by saying that I have no problem with FSBO sites themselves, it’s a debate that’s been hashed and has nothing to do with the topic at hand. That said, I’ve bulleted each of the highlighted areas above and insert my notes:
- “according to two recent studies” – uh, what studies? You know how to use html to code in links all over the place to your site, but there’s no source for these so I’m just confused. Were they studies you did by asking the baristas at Starbucks what they thought?
- “good economic sense” – still, that’s a pretty subjective statement regarding a potential study that we don’t have access to nor does it have a name. Just sayin’.
- “Recent studies are clear” – see #1.
- “much more profitable for sellers” – see #2.
- “Consumer Reports” – see #1. Don’t worry, I found the report for you and it’s funny that the article was about negotiating commissions, not about not using an agent…
- “Stanford University and Northwestern University” – sweet, we have a name for it, no links… I was unable to locate these studies, so it’s just a guess that they exist.
- “attractive yellow sign” – I may be alone here, but this goes back to the subjectivity of #2.
- “get in the way” – once upon a time, there was a company named after a fish that played the “Realtors are bad” disruption card and they seem to be a traditional brokerage with a sophisticated IDX search function and extra admin staff. Disruption- been there, done that.
Could RealtySpace damage the real estate industry? Given their web traffic and poorly written press release, I doubt it.
I read a lot of press releases and come across many that are more propaganda-like opinion rather than simple news releases (which is typically what is to be expected of a press release). This one caught my eye first because I’ve never heard of RealtySpace but also because after a few lines, I noted several unsourced “studies.” I’m sure they’re a fine company, but at a minimum, they need some serious help with their press releases.
