We are living in an information age. Because of the internet, we have access to more facts, figures, data and personal details than at any time in history.
The sale price of your home is public information. Historically, sale prices were on file at the county courthouse and sometimes published (monthly for example) in a newspaper. Now that it’s online, you can immediately find data, photos, and selling prices for any address.
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When do you need to know the sale price of a home? If you are buying or selling, it’s relevant to know the nearby sales figures of comparable properties. A real estate agent’s help is extremely valuable in this case, because we can provide insight into condition, location, and extenuating circumstances. A website algorithm can’t make these important value distinctions in pricing.
Realtors use a membership system called MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to share data about current and past home sales. Photos and property details are stored, so that we can assist clients in making decisions about which homes to see, what other homes have sold for, and whether prices accurately reflect the property’s value. These facts are necessary for making professional judgements. But, this information also gets sent to public sites. These consumer sites are for-profit, and generate revenue with ad sales. If your home is for sale, we want potential buyers to see your home’s attractive features. As a new owner, you may no longer want these pictures to be visible to the public.
There is good reason for home sale data, including photos, to be stored and accessible to industry insiders, but the public does not need to see interior photos of private homes when they are no longer available for sale. In my opinion, the consumer real estate sites should remove interior photos once a property has sold. At present, we must ask them on an individual basis, for each property and web site, and compliance is not guaranteed.
With so much information available, it’s easy to feel entitled to it. I’m aware of several uncomfortable social situations when neighbors have discussed prices and interior features of recent sales. We should consider the privacy of our community members, and remember that once a home is sold, it should be allowed to make the transition from public to personal again. Despite the easy access to sale prices and information, let’s respect each other by being discreet.
Local expert Johanna Wiseman of RE/MAX Preferred Professionals can be reached at 908-705-0652, or visit http://www.MyBridgewaterHome.com