Craigslist is the grandfather of listing sites.

So like grandfathers everywhere, it’s associated with the past, not the future. As a result, some agents may neglect the old-timer, seeking to harvest leads using cutting-edge tools instead.

But while some might consider Craigslist a bit of an old fogey, agents who shun it are passing up a marketing opportunity that remains a fertile (and typically free) source of high-quality leads, according to Amy Gerrish, leader of The Phoenix Metro Group, an agent team part of Phoenix-based HomeSmart.

As a resource for buyer leads, Gerrish — the latest winner of Inman News’ #madREskillz contest — says Craigslist seems to offer a better return on investment than advertising on listing portals or Facebook.

The leads she’s picked up from those sites seem to be of about equal quality to those she gets from Craigslist, which have translated into six sales for her team in the last year, she said.

“If they’re the same quality, then I just want the ones that you don’t have to pay for,” she said.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2014/03/05/craigslist-real-estate-listings-can-help-agents-keep-deals-in-house/?utm_source=20140305&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinespm#sthash.i2Zmr3w0.dpuf