Based on a recent article in Building America’s Dream, there are a variety of free listing sites available that not all realtors are aware of. There are also several key components to these listing sites that allow realtors to get the most out of them when used correctly. The following guidelines will help to assure that you are getting the most out of the free listing sites that are available.

Don’t forget the basics. Remember to include essential information like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the type of home, the home address or neighborhood and the price.

Skip the jargon. If you write a listing in such a way that it will only be understood by other agents, you’re not going to reach the right audience. Search engines don’t recognize abbreviations and your site should be geared towards actual home buyers who are not likely to understand the lingo.

Be a marketer. You’re goal is to capture the reader’s attention. Use descriptive language that will do just that.

Ensure automated tools function. Many sites have built in tools to aid the listing. For example, the site may link the home’s address to a map so you will want to double check that the link is functioning correctly.

Once you’ve got those basics down, you may also want to reconsider (or consider, if you haven’t posted listings yet) which sites to use. We’ve outlined the features of some sites below, which were mentioned in the Building America’s Dream article.

Trulia.com. Trulia is a good site because it is quickly becoming one of the most visited listing sites and often has its listing pages shown at the top of search engine results. In addition, information generated through the Trulia site such as real estate statistics and Trulia’s most recent listings in your area can be placed on your own site using the free tools offered.

Zillow. Zillow, similar to Trulia, offers social media elements similar to the networking features on ActiveRain or Facebook. This assists in reaching buyers and promoting neighborhoods.

Realbird.com/Postlets.com. Builders and agents can create separate online flyers for individual listings on both of theses sites. They also allow you to syndicate to different web sites like Trulia, Zillow, Google and MySpace. These sites also allow you to post your flyers to Facebook, BackPage, GoogleBase or Craigslist.

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