@Rosemary Earl - the first obvious question is what does your competition offer and are they sitting vacant too? 

You should only consider switching when your current software has a significant flaw or lacks features that force you to spend excessive time on workarounds.

Utilities are costly (my market likely has the most expensive water in the country and electricity costs that are in competition for highest in the country).  

It's surprising to uncover the shortcomings of certain firms that lack genuine expertise.

Is this common, or are we overpaying due to lack of competition?

This could drive prices up and make things worse.The better option is to buy now when there's less competition.

Their income can be impacted because they often need a price point that is competitive with a hotel room.  

This search term will more likely attract potential home buyers.As we all know, targeting buyers can be a waste of money when competing in this competitive market where each investor/wholesaler is fighting for the next best distressed seller.Now, what else is this advertiser doing wrong with their ad?

Visibility drives click ability, and not using the full length of the ad to add keywords and business-related details is a missed opportunity when you’re fighting for every click in Google Ads.Conclusion:If you know you want to get off-market seller leads from Google, and already committed the budget for it, make sure your ads are optimal and that your keyword selection will not cause you to appear on ones that will waste you time and money.The Google Ads landscape is fiercely competitive in today’s market, demanding an investment of several thousand dollars per month to gain meaningful traction.

However, it’s important to price competitively and be prepared for buyers to request concessions.