The results of the latest Agent News poll are in, and our respondents certainly didn't mince words. The question "Should Internet property listings include the street addresses of the properties?" received a resounding "yes" from 63 percent of our respondents, and a "no" from the remaining 37 percent. And participants in the poll had plenty to add on the subject.

Those who voted against listing addresses took that side primarily out of the desire to defend their turf -- to maintain their position as home advisors from whom potential buyers and sellers seek information. Edd Prothro of RE/MAX Executives in Tulsa, Okla., summed up the big picture when he said: "The purpose of all advertising -- be it magazine, newspaper, flyer, or Internet -- is to make the telephone ring and get face to face with prospective clients. There are essentially four items that attract prospective buyers: price, location, size, and features. In all advertising, you must omit one of these items if you want the buyer to call you. That's the prime reason for omitting the address." Another Realtor said, "Two reasons: Safety for the seller and job security for Realtors." 'Nuff said.

"The Internet is just another advertising tool to make the telephone ring," said Andrea Brim of BrimRealty Concepts. "Give the buyer too much information, and we'll never meet that buyer and never make the sale. [It's] money out of our pockets."

Safety -- and privacy -- were additional issues mentioned by several of our "no" respondents. "If there were some way from keeping overzealous buyers (or dishonest ones) from knocking on sellers' doors and asking to see the house or cheat the agent out of their commissions, I wouldn't be opposed to including the street address," one Realtor said. "I have had several experiences when buyers knocked on my seller's door and asked to see the house, usually saying something like 'We're just in town for a few hours and couldn't reach your agent,' or 'We're on our way out of town and won't be back for three weeks. Couldn't we please just take a quick peek?'" Another agent commented, " Buyers tend to think 9 p.m. is OK to knock on a total stranger's door and ask for a tour."

Here's a comment from the seller's perspective: "As a current home seller, I'd have to say no, I'm not comfortable with my address being available to everyone. I don't think it is a major security risk, but more of a junk mail risk from movers, mortgage brokers, and others. But as a buyer, I have to admit it would be easier than calling my buyer's agent, getting her voice mail, waiting for her to get the page, waiting for her to call me back, etc." Another seller said: "I don't need someone having my address and full description of my home. I believe anyone wanting to make a serious offer to purchase or find out more about my home should contact the listing agent."

"We want to make contact with the buyer -- not give him/her the opportunity to avoid making contact," a Realtor said. "I see it as the crucial difference between marketing and advertising. We are marketing our services, not just trying to sell one house. And as a home owner, I want people screened before they see my home."

Tim Ray, a buyer specialist in the Hardie Group at Coldwell Banker Grand Realty, said, "I am adamantly opposed to having those addresses out there. In that case, we as Realtors quickly lose control of the buyers, and with the rapid increase of technology, we could find ourselves losing control of our future. We as Realtors provide a very valuable service, and we need to make sure that people understand that. Plus, there could be some security issues involved as well, if any comments such as 'vacant' or 'day sleeper' were to appear anywhere, as they do in the comments section of our MLS forms. All in all, I think it is a colossally bad idea." Tell us what you really think.

But could withholding this information backfire in the face of protective Realtors? That's a distinct possibility with this consumer, who said, "The key to success for the new real estate professional is giving information freely. As a consumer, I do not trust a service provider who withholds one of the most important pieces of information needed to make a buying decision. The new consumer will not deal with someone who feels that they have to 'trick' the consumer into making contact to get this piece of information. Remember, the Internet is about information, not egos."

On the "yes" side, one Realtor said, "Sure, why not? As Realtors, we need to get away from this 'gatekeeper' mentality and start realizing our value isn't in knowing where the house is, but how to buy it, how to finance it, and in short, how to make it happen for buyers and sellers."

"'Net' users are informed individuals," said another respondent. "They want to research and become more informed. Leaving off the address thwarts their investigation, and they well may look elsewhere for their information and their new property."

"Given the competitive nature of the business, a listing agent should give their client(s) all of the help they can," said a Realtor. "By listing the address, potential buyers can drive by and see if they like the neighborhood. Too many listings require a reluctant buyer to call first to find out which part of town the house is located."

Another Realtor took buyers' and sellers' interests to heart with the response: "I bet if I polled 100 buyers and asked them if they would be happier buyers if Realtors included property addresses in their ads that 100 of them would answer, 'YES!'"

One respondent best described the dilemma faced by the real estate industry with this comment: "One of the major benefits of the Internet is that consumers can get the information they need. Withholding information like addresses is playing the same game real estate agents have been playing for years. Which I believe, is not in the best interests of our clients."

As we head into the next century, our next age-old question perhaps will be: Where are the agents who didn't make their clients' interests first priority? It's true that you can't please everyone all of the time, and Realtors are once again caught in the middle -- this time between consumers who want freedom to this information, and those who place a premium on security and would prefer to keep addresses confidential. As service-providers in every sense of the term, Realtors are faced with the challenge of meeting their clients' needs, and protecting their privacy when necessary, on an individual basis. It remains to be seen just how much Realtors will have to loosen their grip on the reigns to the information so many consumers want. The threat of losing prospective clients will prove to pose the biggest threat of all.

Published: March 26, 1998

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