There are numerous public websites designed for people to search for real estate. There has always been a problem with those sites staying current but now with the foreclosure websites people seem to disbelieve a response that the property is no longer available.
A client of mine has an interest in a house currently for sale. She saw that same house on the largest well known Foreclosure website listed for much less then the actual current Asking Price. I immediately pulled up the listing through the live real-time local Association of Realtors MLS and called the listing agent to varify what I thought and see if she knew why the house was listed on the Foreclosure website. The house had been a foreclosure almost two years ago, was sold, completely renovated, and is now for sale by the present owners. I had known the house had been sold through foreclosure several years ago and now I had confirmation that the public needs to be aware that listings on the general public real estate search sites may not be up-to-date.
Many real estate companies and real estate agents with their own websites are normally receiving a feed or frame of active real estate for sale listings directly from their local Association of Realtors. Those with a daily feed or a direct frame provide the public with true live real-time real estate listings. To see an example of real-time listings visit my website www.SandyMyrtleBeach.com .
SANDY KELLER, ABR, SFR, e-PRO, REALTOR
Myrtle Beach Real Estate
Myrtle Beach Retirement
Sandy Keller's Page On Yahoo
Lots of times it's agents who put their listings manually on "free" sites and then forget to ever address them again. Price changes don't get made, they don't come off when they are sold. It's frustrating when it's your buyer who keeps finding those listings. I also have a link to the mls on my site where it's likely to be MORE accurate and up to date, but again, only as much as each office keeps it that way.
Good information for home buyers, Sandy. It seems that we need to repeat this message often.
I've had many people inquire about properties that are already in backup or pending status that they pull up on a site that shows it being active.
There is definite time delays for certain sites.
Sandy - Thank you for sharing an informative and helpful blog.
You are right. I have helped with a smaller website with a property database, and it is HARD to keep it updated. wow. so much work. But the big site should have the ability to do it.
Sandy, agents put listings all over the Internet. Sometimes we forget to keep all these sites updated. Thanks for the reminder.
I think that it is sites that Realtors can't access to make changes that are the worst in keeping up-to-date.