At Sage we see our role as a brokerage a little differently than some of the other brokerages in Toronto. One element that allows us to stand apart is our belief that it is our job as the brokerage to take over the marketing of our listings to ensure that each and every one of our listings gets maximum exposure.
For every listing we have developed a comprehensive marketing campaign (check out www.sagerealestate.ca/dmp for all of the details) to ensure our listings get that maximum exposure. This campaign is executed by our in-house graphic designers and marketers. One of the marketing tools we take full advantage of is listing syndication.
So what exactly is listing syndication? It means sending the listing out to many different websites, not just realtor.ca.
For a while now there has been a debate amongst agents and brokerage as to whether to participate in this practice. Some agents and brokerages feel that the listing data is their property (don’t even get me started on that topic) and that others should not be able to use that data for their own gains. These people are concerned that someone else might be able to post the listing on their website and capture the buyer for the property which otherwise would have been theirs. Their priority is centered on their ability to double end the deal instead of what they should be focusing on: ensuring maximum exposure for their clients property.
At Sage we believe it is our job to get maximum exposure for our listings as that is the job we have been hired to do. We take advantage of every syndication source we can get our hands on to help ensure that happens. Some of which include TREB IDX, CREA DDF, UniqueHomes.com, and The Wall Street Journal to name a few.
Treb IDX is a pool of listings that a brokerage can opt into. Through reciprocal agreements, our listings get onto hundreds if not thousands of other agent and brokerage websites in and around the Toronto area.
CREA DDF is a national pool of listings that allow us to have our listings displayed on agent, brokerage, and third party sites right across Canada. With the amount of people moving into Toronto from other cities Canada, this is important exposure.
UniqueHomes.com is a luxury home website with strong penetration in the Untied States and overseas. What is unique about these guys is that they then have an extensive network of sites that they then send our listings out to. Their network of sites get millions of impressions each month.
WallStreetJournal.com is one of the most notable sites in the UniqueHomes.com syndication network. Which is actually one of the main reasons we decided to go with this luxury network instead of some of the others. With the amount of foreign money coming into our city this is a very important site for us to have representation on to get that international exposure.
When 90 per cent of buyers are using the internet while searching for a home it is imperative that we use every tool available to ensure our clients’ homes get in front of those buyers. If you are looking to sell your home be sure to ask the agent whether they use any of these tools. If they look at you with a blank look on their face then you know it is time to call a Sage Agent in.
