I got an email today from Brad Anderson. He had gotten a contact from a buyer who had purchased one of my listings. They had their own buyers agent. They asked Brad to ask me to take the blog down on the home they purchased.
I did right away, but it got me thinking. Know I have to start searching some of my old blogs on other homes because really they should come down. Or do you think they shouldn't come down? It is an interesting question because of course we lose the back links to our websites when we delete the blog. We lose the points when we delete the blog.
But some buyers don't wnat their home out their one the internet forever. Some people are very private. They don't want people to know what they paid for it or what the list price was. Some people are afraid of burgulars are going to use the information. And of course there are the scams on the internet using our pictures to rent a home. Some buyers want their privacy.
So should we be deleting listings once they are sold? I lean that way. If I can find them or I am asked I will always take them down. If it make the buyer feel comfortable I say do it. gotta go I have to check out all my old listings.
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My Month of April quote:
"Sometimes the only way to get to the far shore is to lose sight of the shore you just left"
Russ Ravary
"helping make your move easier"
your local Metro Detroit Realtor helping clients like you sell and buy homes through out the entire Metro Detroit suburbs. I love showing and selling Oakland County and Livingston County Lake front homes too.
Once it is on the internet, it is there forever!
Russ, I recall reading a similar post awhile back … same scenario … buyer (now new owner) wants the blog post removed. I am not sure what I would do if I was asked to remove mine… unless the person asking would be willing to pay a fee for the amount of time it would take to remove the many locations where the posts reside.
I'm with Joan, I don't think there's a way to eliminate it completely on the internet. Once it's floating around out there it probably always is somewhere.
Russ,
This is a very interesting topic. Apparently their are going to be many opinions about how to handle this type of request. I am torn about what I would do, but lean toward your answer. If they requested it be removed, I would feel compelled to comply.
This topic is an interesting one. I believe that most home buyers would prefer that the information be removed, if possible.
That is the nice thing about ActiveRain they post time and date on each post, so the people can see that this was an old post.
Russ: I think once they're sold it's a good idea to take them down not too long after.
I would take them down if asked but otherwise NO.
When someone in cyber space searches and they get a 404 error or blank post, it is not good.
Russ, I would leave them up... unless, as Missy mentioned, unless they ask you to take them down. Oftentimes both buyers and sellers who are thinking about calling you... do not only want to know what you can do for them today, but they also want to know what you have done for others... in the past. My suggestion... leave it up. I have not removed a single post of mine in the three years I have been on Active Rain. Wow... three years... I never would have believed it.
Wouldn't it be a good idea to go to the post edit it to say SOLD when it sells? That way when someone reads the post they at least are up to date with what is going on with that property. Although if the buyer or seller of the property asks you to take it down you would probably win more respect if you did as they asked.