There is nothing more frustration for a consumer to find a website that has broken or missing links! When that happens all the work and all the planning you've done to get viewers to your website is for naught. Viewers will leave after finding a few dead links. They will be disappointed and look o see what other sites are out there that can fulfill their needs.
There is nothing better in a website has great content and sources of reference that validate your local knowledge and real estate prowess. However when you link to external sites, those links change on a regular basis. Links for schools, local government traffic and local services are always in flux. A new webmaster, a new domain or a revamp of a website is like moving and forgetting to leave a forwarding address. Your link is now worthless. Websites are no different than the original list price on a home these days. They are constantly being reviewed, and price is adjusted several times. So....even though broken and missing links are very common on the web, they cannot be left in their broken condition. Search engine spiders will penalize your site and buyers and sellers will shun it.
It is important to check your website occasionally to find errors.
There are some great tools out there that can assist you in checking out the links on your website:
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Xenu's Link Slueth Been using this for years....!
RE/MAX Paramount Properties 678-595-5283 Direct
Or 888-940-0074 Toll Free Office
Atlanta Real Estate Agents, Alpharetta GA Homes for Sale, Dunwoody GA Homes for Sale, Atlanta Real Estate & Atlanta Homes for Sale 
Gwinnett Homes for Sale
Atlanta Real Estate Blog, Cumming GA Homes 
Iagree. A broken website is a sign of a person who is not on top of things.
Jim: Great advice. Thanks for the links to the tools. Going to have to give myself a checkup.
Great advice Jim. I wonder how many of us think to go to our own websites to make sure everything is in working order?
Jim, great advice, and you really need to pay attention to the things like links on your site. It takes time and effort, but is a necessity to portray the right image and information.
Jim once again you are a source for good information. I will give it a look over this weekend.
Jim,
I have hundreds of links in a several hundred blogs on AR, other venues, and on my site, and stuff happens. The Town of Cary revamped their site last year and rendered many of my links dead. It will take a ton of time to completely go through, find them all and fix just those links.
And it needs to be done.
Jim, I have found a few.
Just a question, if you link to active or sold listings in a post, and then they go away is that a broken link. I know our MLS purges after 5 years.
Good morning Jim,
Thanks for the great information. I have this post bookmarked!
This is something I am conscious of and try to make sure it does not happen!
Joe Hansen (Phoenix AZ, Mortgage Consultant & CE Instructor) It is an easy thing to fix.
Matt Grohe Remax Des Moines CRS, GRI, ABR (Remax Real Estate Concepts) I corrected a few of my sites last night.
Gary Swanson (Broker, Realtor - Re/Max Ideal Brokers, Inc.) You're right! It isn't always the other guy...
Troy Erickson - Your Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek Realtor (Terra Solis Realty, LLC) I agree,and the public is counting on us.
John Walters (Licensed in Slidell, Louisiana) (Slidell, Pearl River, Lacombe) I plan to look at my own sites also.
John Walters (Licensed in Slidell, Louisiana) (Slidell, Pearl River, Lacombe) I plan to look at my own sites also.
John Walters (Licensed in Slidell, Louisiana) (Slidell, Pearl River, Lacombe) I plan to look at my own sites also.
Mike Jaquish Cary, NC, Real Estate (KELLER WILLIAMS® Realty) If you use MS Front Page, Expressions Web etc...you can do some global editing by a "find and replace..." it is not a big a task as you may believe.
Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor) I only link to an IDX...the data will be removed when it expires, sold etc..
Dorie Dillard: Canyon Creek & NW Austin Living (Coldwell Banker United) You are more than welcome!
Jim - Thank goodness I have IT guys who SEO and check the maintenance on my sites. Hope you had a good RETech conference. Cherise
Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty) Actually, I should do it more, but when I checked last night I only had a few.
Xenu's Link Slueth is the best of the tools for checking.
Cherise Selley - Colorado Springs Realtor (Selley Group Real Estate, LLC) Cherise, a good IT person is a great asset. The RETech conference was great, but I wish I had more time to attend and mingle with the crowd. My time was limited this week.
So true Jim, and I know I have a few broken links I need to fix. Thanks for the reminder!
Melinda Peterson Grants Pass Southern Oregon Real Estate Cafe (Real Estate Cafe) Anytime Melinda.