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Avoid These 3 MLS Mistakes

Louisiana REALTORS • March 6, 2019

The MLS is a powerful tool and critical resource when it comes to selling a home.  The Multiple Listing Service is accessible between listing brokers and other real estate brokers as a private offer of cooperation and compensation.  Essentially if you are putting your house for sale, the MLS is the best tool to make it as visible as possible to buyers .  The MLS, just like with most things, is best leveraged if you work with a knowledgeable and professional REALTOR® and pay a little extra attention to how your property is represented.  While the layout featuring the address, price, photos, and a brief description is pretty simple, there are some common mistakes that can be easily avoided.  These mistakes can be costly in terms of time and money.

Too Much Ordinary Text in Your Listing Description

While the description of the property is an important element in any listing, it’s more important to entice a potential buyer to consider it, rather than listing each and every detail. Instead of providing a robust explanation of the home, offer a concise, well-crafted depiction that makes potential buyers want to come to see for themselves. The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words has never been truer than it is in the MLS.

Too Few Pictures

Not including enough pictures puts your listing at a severe disadvantage.  In the world of Facebook and HGTV, consumers are craving attention getting visual material more than ever before. This is especially true for the way that people shop for homes.  While it’s crucial to include enough pictures, the quality of the pictures is tantamount to a successful sale.  A prospective buyer’s first impression should not be a poorly lit, grainy image.  Listings with professional pictures tend to close faster and for more money, so this is a minimal investment but an easy and important one.

Missing the Mark on Price

At the end of the day, it ultimately comes down to whether the property is properly priced.  The experience and expertise of a knowledgeable and professional REALTOR® is an important resource when it comes to determining an accurate asking price.  Setting the dollar amount too low can leave a lot of money on the table, setting it too high can leave the home on the market too long.  Basing the price off market conditions, and managing expectations are two top tasks that your REALTOR® should provide. 

Consumer Guide Update: Preparing for Homeownership

By Louisiana REALTORS® • February 19, 2025
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on preparing for homeownership. This guide covers what prospective buyers should consider as they kick off the home purchase process, including the importance of credit scores, mortgage pre-approval, down payments, budgeting, and educational resources. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Preparing for Homeownership Escrow and Earnest Money Pricing Your Home Preparing to Sell Your Home Fire Damage and Policy Coverage Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with potential clients to ensure they have the information they need to be successful in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover property taxes.

Consumer Guide Update: Escrow and Earnest Money

By Louisiana REALTORS® • February 14, 2025
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on escrow. This guide covers what homebuyers should know about earnest money deposits, including the general terms and use cases in real estate transactions. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Escrow and Earnest Money Pricing Your Home Preparing to Sell Your Home Fire Damage and Policy Coverage Flood Insurance Thank you for your continued engagement with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover preparing prospective buyers for homeownership.

2026 LR Officer Elections, RVPs & NAR Director Applications

By Louisiana REALTORS® • February 12, 2025
The Louisiana REALTORS® Board of Directors will conduct several elections this Spring. Interested candidates that meet the qualification who are looking to serve at either the state association level or the national association level are encouraged to view the criteria and submit an application. An application that is not submitted on the appropriate form or not submitted pursuant to the instructions shall not be considered as submitted timely.
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