Recently I closed on a home that should have sold for much more than it did. The home was a little dated but it was located on the most beautiful open space I've seen in a long time. My buyers and I both agreed the reason we were able to purchase it priced as well as we did was thanks to the amazingly crappy photo the listing agent used in the MLS!
The photo obscured the house to the point one only had to guess what the it actually looked like. In total, the agent only presented 5 or 6 photos of the house in the marketing materials. None of them did it justice!
I'd love to post it here, but I would not want to get anyone in trouble. I merely want to make a point.
Pay attention to what your listing agent is posting on the internet. If you have a listing agent who is not offering your home in the best light, it could come back to bite you!
Most people begin their search on the internet. The one and only one thing that pulls them into looking at your home are the photos. Buyers need photos, good photos and lots of them. Trying to market your home without a decent collection of photos is a huge handicap.
My buyers and I agreed, the listing agent's mistake was our gain. Funny how that works!
Photos are the topic of concern on many websites these days. One of my favorite blogs to drop by is one by Athol in Connecticut. He has made an entire blog featuring Bad MLS Photos. Unfortunately for the consumer and our industry, the future of Athol's blog fodder is secure...
(the photo is NOT of the home I sold. It is one pulled from my extensive collection of personal bad photos, it was taken through a screen.)
Linda ~ I don't think the sellers, or very many of them actually understand the value of checking out the photos. Many just assume the agent is doing a comparable job to what others do. Sad, but true, all agents are NOT created equal.
kk
Posted by: Kristal | August 06, 2007 at 05:18 PM
Ashley ~ Absolutely, my point exactly! As a buyer's agent the worst thing we can do is let the buyer determine whether or not to see a property based on the photo! Of course some photos do not lie...
Thanks for stopping by.
kk
Posted by: Kristal | August 06, 2007 at 05:17 PM
Crappy photos never cease to amaze me. I often wonder why the seller puts up with it. It sure is a mystery to me.
Posted by: Linda Davis | August 06, 2007 at 04:52 PM
How true this is. I am always amazed at the poor quality of photos on the MLS. The listing agent is doing a huge disservice to their client. It does work out when you are the buyers agent though.
Posted by: Ashley Drake Gephart | August 06, 2007 at 02:44 PM