Put Down The Toilet Lid Before Taking That Picture!

A big part of selling a home is getting it prepared before it goes onto the MLS. For the sellers it means cleaning, de-cluttering, painting if needed, maybe new carpeting/flooring and getting the curb appeal in a "Honey Stop The Car" mood.

For Realtors is means something else. We have to get the "prepared" home on the market so the public can find it and fall in love. And ONE important factor is (the only one I am focusing on here) taking pictures & uploading them!  God knows I am no camera buff and I certainly am not going to try and school anyone on the art of photography, because I've taken some ugly snapshots.  However, even to a blind eye like mine knows what is a BAD picture looks like on the MLS/INTERNET! Here are a couple of examples I've seen over and over:

• Snow on the roof in mid summer (ok maybe in Alaska).  This tells me you need to go take some new ones.
• Toilet seats left up.  Slap that sucker down.
• Trash cans out in front of the home with trash overflowing. Tell the owner/seller to please get it cleaned up & come back if you have too. (NO, I am not picking up trash).
• A sideways picture of a living room/other room.  REALLY?

Well, you get the picture, right?

When you go to your listing to snap some shots, look around long and hard before clicking the button. Take a bunch so you have choices. Download and check them carefully. Do some doctoring up. Trash 'em if you must and go take more.

But please avoid those examples above;  Your listing will love you for it, and so will your seller when you stick a SOLD sign on the lawn.

Would You Go Out on A Limb For A Listing? Literally.

Have you ever been showing property and have your clients say, "Wow, this doesn't look anything like the picture in the magazine (or online)!" ???  I bet you have.  My answer is usually the same, "Some Realtors are really good with a camera."     SOME ARE VERY GOOD.   (I even knew a Realtor who actually climbed a TREE once to get a "peek of the lake" so she could put that description in her listing). Was she WRONG for doing this? I think so.

The same goes to describing our listings. Some wording can be MISCONSTRUED, misleading or a flat out fib. True, we run out of descriptions for homes. Also, some folks are better at coming up with new ways to say the same old stuff. There are just so many ways to say beautiful or exquisite. Either way, we really do need to be careful when we paint a picture of our listings.

Words to really use with care:

• VIEW, PEEK OF, GREAT VIEWS; Of what? Forest? Trees? Lake? Inside your neighbors bathroom window?  Tell us.
• NEW: This can be tricky. If you're talking about a roof or household appliances, my broker prefers we use "Newer." Even if it's a month new.
• MOTIVATED:  Are we looking after our sellers best interest when we use this term? It MAY make our sellers sound desperate. (Okay, they may be, but I doubt we should disclose that to the world).
• BEST BUY?  Compared to what? The best buy on the street? The town?

Since I live and sell in a mountain resort, we (many of us Realtors) use some sweet descriptions over and over when we're inputting data about a cabin we've listed...like; charmer, charming, rustic, cozy.  Before I even go look at a listing with one of these delightful words, I'm thinking, "Oh BOY...I can smell musty written all over this."   And, I am guilty of using a few of these on occasion, too.  ...but, I can honestly say that I've NEVER climbed a tree to take a picture.

 So, what's the funniest description you've ever read, or story you've heard about a Realtor whose "embellished" a tad?