The Internet has not replaced Realtors and it hasn't replaced classifieds, or print ads. Instead, it has become a handy extension to all, particularly when it comes to merging the power of the classified ad with the infinite display possibilities of the online classified.

Because many newspapers post the literal classified ad as it is written for the broadsheets, the amount of information you should include at a minimum is:

• location
• price
• style of home or layout
• number of rooms
• number of bedrooms
• number of bathrooms
• clear contact information.

What would an ad with these perimeters look like? It might look like this:

North Dallas 2-story Tudor, 4/3/3, $550,000. Open Sunday - 3-5. Contact: Elizabeth Newbury (214)-890-0419.

But remember, you want to use the print classified ad to take the buyer to the Internet where s/he can get more information about your listings and other services. So, how would you rewrite the same ad to maximize the potential of the Internet? There are numerous possibilities, depending on your personal style.

See N. Dallas storybook home, 4/3/3, $550,000, at www.elizabethnewbury.com/Elmstreet or call (214) 890-0419. Open Sunday - 3-5.

Remember that print classifieds are one or two lines only. On the Internet, the possibilities are endless. So depending on which newspaper and online sites you place your ad, be sure that you get maximum bang for your buck. For every print classified, you need to have another version, particularly if the classified directs your buyer to see more of the home.

Give Home Buyers What They Want and Need

The top ten items that buyers want to learn about, according to the NAA, are often too many criteria for a print classified, but they can be more than satisfied on the Internet.

Published: December 13, 1999

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