That's a great question, Myrl. I've never done it myself and always wonder why other agents do it. One thing I know from my own clients is that they hate not seeing a price.

1. They want the buyer to call to find out

or

2. They are embarrassed that it's so overpriced.

or

3. They didn't proofread ad - they forgot to give price - they made an error.

Yes it's ridiculous & it's actually an 80's kind of ploy. I always include the price on everything.

Or my favorite, Price Upon Request. Just give us the price. 

Great question, parked and reading.

Our MLS requires the price to be made known. As far as marketing...curiosity produces calls

You can find many different marketing opinions.  What works for some may not work for all.  

It never made sense to me, Myrl.  Buyers want to know if it's in their price range.  I know the "theory" behind it but it just annoys potential buyers.  It used to work before the internet providing other ways of getting the price. Now, it just diverts people from YOU. 

And, that brings me to the point of having to provide my email address to get any info.  I just won't do it. I'll go elsewhere.

Sometimes folks forget that they no longer live in the 1980's.

Because no one can romanticize a property that I have listed better than me - I WANT them to phone me for the price! 

I don't care if they have an agent or not, I know the property better than any other agent out there and I want them to phone ME so I can sell them on it! (NOT sell it TO them - I want their agent to write up the Offer!!!)

Barbara Todaro, the resident Listing Queen, will probably agree!

They do not need the added revenue from obtaining a new client.

Hi Myrl.

Fist thing that comes to mind.  If you have to ask about the price, you can't afford it.

Second thought, it may, may mind you, that people will call the agent, which may get that agent a client.  Just a couple of thoughts this morning

They work under the premise that if someone calls to ask for the price they have a chance to convert them to client status.

The most common reason to not include a price used to be to get the potential buyer to call. Once they call you then try to convert them to a client fo rthis or any other home if the one they called on was not what they want. BUT phone leads from seeing an ad in a paper or magazine are minimal now. I was traveling and picked up one of those color monthlymagazines, and was put off that none of the homes at prices. 

Yes, agree, price is #1 for advertising.

If they check the price on z then the ad successfully motivated the potential buyer into taking an action which moves them one step closer to viewing the home. how is this a failure?

1. A serious buyer knows the community values.

2. Prices change. So save the paper.

3. As you point out it EASY to find the price

4. A serious buyer WILL take the extra step for an opportunity to live in a select community.

AND more importantly...

#5. I purges the list of tire kickers and those who have no intention of buying like real estate agents.

It is a win, win, win, win and win.

Some condone it and some don't. My view is my job is to sell the property directly or through a cooperationg agent. Did I spark interest to initiate an offer? 

There is always a chance they may call the agent, many luxury listings do not publish the price, lower end usually do.

Ignorance is not bliss.  

A tactic who's time has long gone.  In my opinion, the "why" is that agents either read or listened to some guru telling them about how failing to provide basic information and deliver a minimal level of service will make their phone ring. Of course the guru didn't word it that way but that was the message.

Interesting thoughts here.  Thanks

They must not want any responses.

Most people want everything up front before proceeding forward instead of getting sticker shock once pulled in Myrl. Have not marketed any property that way and will not!

I don't advertise properties without the price. 

I don't put pricing on listing information or flyers. I want consumers to call me with information so I can romanticize (all credits to Debe Maxwell, CRS for coining this expression!) the buyer, find out their motivation, needs and wants. Invite them to view the property. Maybe turn them into clients.

I also put two line items on for example the flyer. A URL link to which they can use to get more information and the price that right into my IDX single property webpage (which they can share with others), and another link where they can download my app on their smartphone with all the information, details and photos for this property, as well as any other property that may interest them.

And, if the price does change, I don't have to re-print all the flyers, have them delivered, and kill less trees 😉 .

It's intended to make the phone ring, but I think it only frustrates buyers.

wanting you call to find out more. Bait.

Good question. I don't want people looking if they aren't qualified. I remember it was a strategy at one point. It seems like it could have been to get potential buyers to call the agent directly. Now with the Internet it doesn't seem it would work.

Old school thinking in a modern world. Price is a Google click away.

Myrl,

In the luxury arena, there is the infamous phrase, if you have to ask you cannot afford it (stupid in my opinion!)  I am not fond of Price upon Request either, because that smacks of haughtiness, but in some instances where the audience has that haughty flair, it works.  Again, marketing is about the market you are in, not whether we as individuals like it...A

I never use prices in our full page newspaper ad.... I want Tammy & Andy to get the phone calls from the buyer and have the opportunity to give details that will encourage a showing.... their buyer's agent can show it .... if the agent is not available, we will show it .... we'll pay the agent.... we want the listing to sell and the buyer that loves it to buy it.... 

no one knows the listing better than the listing agent.... it's a smart move to not advertise the price....

this has nothing to do with mls.... mls requires a price.... and we market to buyer agents via mls..... 

most potential buyers will use the path of least resistance and NOT go through the process of hunting for the price.... they just call the number on the ad....

It's saves a lot of people's time when price is provided. Can you enter a property into the MLS without a price?

You've got that right when it comes to me Myrl. I won't bother calling to get a list price unless it is my dream home. I do think it is done to get the phone to ring and potential new clients but I won't play that game. 

I never do and never have Myrl Jeffcoat . I think it's a stupid practice and would not take a listing if the Seller insisted on it.

I think there is a misconception that leaving out vital info will cause them to call you.  I remember someone promoting that four or five years ago.  Like you said, it's all too easy to pull up another portal and get the info.

I know some agents have the idea that if there is no price, it will generate a call to them.  However, I agree- give me the price.  If the property now fits in the budget of my client or me, I will call!

That is not a strategy that we pursue. 

I never did.

The first thing of interest is the price....Silly to play hide & seek with it

Exclusive, luxury and other not-on-MLS properties often do not post price. It's a way to start a conversation with the buyer who may want the location and features-without scaring them off right away. Many buyers keep their price range search low-even when their ability to pay for the right home is much higher.

In my blog posts and everything on-line I definitely have a price, but the brochure I don't.   Never know if I will need to do a price reduction.

Sometimes to have people call us that we can sell them on the home.

It is a different marketing philosophy and helps to filter out folks just interested in pricing versus everything else the home offers. Definitely causes seriously interested souls to call the agent.

Yes, back in the 1980s that was the thing to do; Advertise in the newspaper. Now a day it is not practical. 

With video, the price can change and you don't want to reshoot, re-edit so the price is down below, down under.