On property maps you will find flats in the middle of a town square, houses on top of the town hall and plots in the middle of a field where they never were.
It is not a map error. Whoever entered the listing put it there. And they usually had a reason.
Why agents hide the location
The three most common reasons are:
- Worry about other agents. A competitor uses the address to find the owner and offers their own services.
- Worry that the buyer will go around the agent. A prospect finds out the address and goes straight to the owner.
- The owner's wish. They do not want the neighbours or the area to know they are selling.
All of these concerns are understandable. But it is worth looking at what they cost you.
What you lose when the location is wrong
Buyers increasingly search on a map. They pick the streets or the neighbourhood where they want to live. If your flat "sits" two neighbourhoods away, it does not make it into their selection. They do not call, they do not come to a viewing, and you never find out you lost them.
The opposite case is even worse. A buyer sees the listing, comes to a viewing and finds out the flat is somewhere other than they thought. They came for nothing, you lost time, and their trust in your other listings drops.
In the end, it hurts the whole market. Buyers complain that portals show them flats outside the area they selected. Often it is exactly because someone placed them there.
How to show the location without losing the owner
An accurate location does not mean a house number. Buyers are looking for an area, not the number on the doorbell.
- Place the listing on the right street or in the right neighbourhood. It does not have to be the exact entrance; the point on the map just has to match the area.
- If the portal offers an approximate location, use it. Some maps can show a circle where the property is located instead of a point.
- Describe the surroundings concretely. "Five minutes' walk to the tram" or "view of the inner courtyard" tells a buyer more than an address.
- Check the photos. House numbers, street names or car number plates in photos reveal more than the map.
- Have your answer ready. When a prospect asks for the address, give it to them when you arrange the viewing.
A good agreement with the owner and the service you provide protect you from being bypassed better than a hidden address. A hidden address only makes the search harder for buyers.
What you get out of it
A listing that is on the map where it really is reaches people who are searching in that area. You get fewer enquiries from people for whom the area does not fit, and more viewings that make sense.
On Livappy, a listing appears on the map exactly where you place it. Place it correctly, and buyers searching right there will find it.
Photo: GeoJango Maps / Unsplash. Illustrative photo.
