We think we have noticed a few things about why listings expire here in Atlanta. After 10,000 listings that we have listed where many of them had expired with other companies and having some of our own listings expire after 6 months, here is the list of things that happens with a listing when it expires.

1. It is a slower real estate market than it used to be because buyers have more choices by knowing that something new will come on the market tomorrow.

2. The listing’s photos stink or there is only a photo of the front.

3. The house was hard to view because the owner did not provide lockbox access or made it very difficult to show. This also happens sometimes with renters who don’t want to move or a divorced half of a couple that does not want to sell the house but has to by court order.

4. The commission to the buyer’s agent was below what most agents feel they work for with is 3% in most cases.

5. The listing was wrong, meaning the fields were wrong or not complete or something like the city or zip code was wrong.

6. And, believe it or not, the price or some other critical information was wrong like the owner’s phone number and the owner did not check the listing.

We do everything possible to make sure that the listing is correct, but ultimately it takes the owner’s eagle eye to make sure that it is correct. Listings expire everyday and the old stigmatized property rule is out the window. I don’t believe that it is about price anymore. I believe it is precise exposure that has a marketing angle to it.