Home : Blogs : Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO : Atlanta Real Estate Blog - Jim Crawford REMAX Greater Atlanta

Upgraded or Outdated? Whom are You Kidding?

Many listing agents falsely make the claim their new fabulous listing is "Upgraded, and Updated!" To compound this misleading information they only have the front picture of the home, and maybe the yard photos. There are no interior pictures. The Agent remarks sound fantastic "Fabulous New Listing in sought after "Give Me A Break Subdivision!" First time on market! (1) There is no need to preview this home! (2) Upgrades galore! New kitchen with granite counter-tops and stainless sink! (3) Hardwood floors and new paint throughout! (4) Professionally decorated by owner! (5) Fantastic Master bath with whirlpool tub is newly tiled! (6) Upgraded carpet and pad! (7) Hurry will not last! (8)

First time on the market this year!
When in doubt, check it out! There is always a reason to research when you do not have enough information!
The kitchen has been painted with personalized colors, thre is a cheap install of granite counter-tops. The granite counter-tops have seams every 3 feet, and the stainless sink is the original sink mounted on top of the new granite! All the appliances are original, and the cabinet drawers are sticking!
The hardwood floors must have been finished by the owner that though he was a 'Mr. Fixit Guy!' He isn't! The floors were done in place with out moving any furniture out of the room. They were not even sanded first! The new paint is highly personalized colors that were probably painted 4 years ago! What was not painted, has dated wall paper, and wall paper borders.
It depend upon someone else's interpretation of the term 'Decorated!'
If you consider replacing tile with a close out tile with "Blue Dolphins!" It isn't. It is an insult to the intelligence of any adult! Keep in mind, that when you brag about a mildew stained master bath tub, with mildew stains in a plastic shower with a sap etched door that has not been cleaned in the last 19 years.
If a seller considers the original carpet taht has been cleaned so many times and looks like a "Shar-Pei dog!" Give me a break! The center of the carpet going up the stirs is beaten down and looks like you old thread "Bare teddy bear!"
"Will not last?" You are right! I am glad I previewed a home, and save the embarrassment for myself, and have removed the home from my list!

In my own opinion, the remarks are totally misleading. At best, others will resent your misrepresentations, and resent the fact. You have tried to mislead fellow professionals, and potential buyers. In the real world, any fool would know that there are no updates, or upgrades in this home. The seller and listing agents are dreaming! The home is listed way over priced and outdated! Painting around old appliances, doing a half-ass job on flooring, and not updating fixtures is a sure way in this market to ensure your home will not sell!

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta 770-238-0122 Direct

Or 888-992-5546 Toll Free Office

Atlanta Real Estate & Atlanta Homes for Sale

Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO on 05/24/2009 05:17 AM

Comments (170)

Atlanta MLS Entries - Innaccurate Descriptions in the ActiveRain Channel

upgrades, updated, features list, mls data, mls remarks, misleading mls remarks, mls deceptive wording, mls entries, atlanta mls, entries

Originally posted at: Atlanta Real Estate | Atlanta Housing News for Real Estate: Upgraded or Outdated? Whom are You Kidding?

This post has been included in Georgia Information Fulton County, GA Information Atlanta, GA Information
Post is included in group: The Optimist
Post is included in group: RE/MAX Active Rain Bloggers
Post is included in group: The Ninety-ninth Percentile
Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: Real Estate Rookie

170 Comments on Upgraded or Outdated? Whom are You Kidding?

MAY

Jim...I never understand this. Well, yes I do. Sometimes it's a Seller who hasn't a clue. And other times it's an Agent who hasn't a clue.

I've got a short sale I'm working with a Buyer...Agent listed it as a foreclosure. NOT. Agent listed commission, but not that it would be variable...Thanks! And now, I even have to deal directly with the Seller, NOT their agent to get updates on the Short Sale. Yet I have to share the commission with this yo-yo!!!!

Like the ABC News segment...."Give Me A Break!"

Oh, and I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS preview before I show. There's another one...the agent asks why do you have to preview? Because it's my policy to preview listings before I show them. That's why. If it's a problem for you Mr./Ms. Agent, we'll just presume your listing is not available and move onto the next one. Thank you and have a nice day...and tell your Seller they missed an opportunity because of your stupidity!

MAY

I always warn my buyers when they see a listing in the database that says "upgraded".

It usually means that the seller has replaced a few appliances. Many agents list maintenance items as "upgrades".

I sometimes wonder if the list agent is just afraid to tell the owner the truth!

Jim - Do I detect a tad bit of annoyance with thy fellow agents? :-) Laraine

I think there is a good possibility that they are afraid to tell owners the truth for fear of losing the listing, and they don't have the skills needed to write some good copy for their ads.

To be fair, it is hard to write an attractive ad for a house that needs work that the sellers just aren't going to do. But they could at least try. That, and it would be nice if they hit 'spell check' before they published their ads.

When I see the words updated/renovated...I want to preview the home first. Never know what the agent actually means when stating upgraded/renovated.

Well placed rant. We have alot of that around here. I tell my buyers that nothing says "this house needs work" like more exterior than interior photos.

It appears the agent took a lesson from the property poet. I just read and posted to FB this NY Times article. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/realestate/24cov.html This is yet another great lesson on why even experienced agents need to preview. It is embarrassing to take a client into a house that sounded perfect for them to be totally disappointed that the agent short of lied about the condition of the property. One of my all time favorites was "needs new carpet"... Well, yes it did need new carpet... but after you install the sub-flooring that was removed to exposed the joists that were molded and rotting after a huge plumbing leak ran down the inside of the walls from the 2nd floor! I was so glad I previewed the home after slinging the door open to see the earth below!

In this particular agents defense... Maybe the agent is new to real estate and hasn't seen the inside of many houses. This one could be "updated and upgraded" compared to their own personal home:) LOL!

Some other words that often require more information include

a) "modern" as in modern kitchen - the word "modern" is not very clear

b) "new" as in new windows - how long is an item "new". The word "newer" is better or including the year of installation is helpful, for example, "newer windows (2008)".

c) "new roof" is not always true. Aside from my comments above about "new", the other issue is that the roof shingles but not the entire roof is usually replaced. A more appropriate description would be "newer shingles (2008)".

If the listing agent took a different strategy and disclosed the true condition, was honest with the seller (of it's condition) and priced the home accordingly, they both might be surprised at the result -- A decent sale in a reasonable amount of time to the type of person who truly is searching for a fixer-upper... but who said being candid with sellers and honest with our fellow agents every worked...

I take my buyers to these just to educate them about this sort of thing. They learn for themselves that the truth is stretched a lot and to not to trust the descriptions or the pictures when going through listings.

Jim...

Lower expectations can lead to more consideration when it comes to an offer. But when someone is expecting quality and it looks cheap, it is an embarrassment. Good post, we've all been there!

Jim, spin, being devious back fires as the buyer is not stupid, and when they tour the place, they see what is lacking in the Texas sunshine splash as one local used vehicle dealer calls it. If you make it bigger than life and out right lie about the property, you are wasting everyone's time and can get in hot water.

The best part is when the seller expects to recapture the money they spent on these "upgrades" when they sell! Maintenance and upgrades are not the same thing! Good job!

Jim, excellent points. I had a seller who showed me what they were going to have installed, a nice engineered hardwood floor. Imagine my horror when I walk in to cheap pergo. So instead of writing fabulous things about it, I have lots of pix and don't even address it! I don't appreciate it when other agents do it, so I will not do it myself. I think I should send your article out to my whole MLS. HA! Thanks for the post!

Jim, that is why a lot of photo's will tell the truth. When I speak to a potential client on the phone and ask, "What upgrades have you done since you bought in 05,06,07 etc.... and they tell me a new water heater. I just say, oh that is not an upgrade it is maintance and nice for the new buyer but it will not add value to the home.

Jim, I really try to be honest when describing my listings and recently I had an agent tell me "Barb, the house was just as you described it in the mls". At first I thought that was an odd comment but then I realized it was a compliment.

The biggest hint is no pictures in the MLS. If it was so great, why wouldn't they showcase it with pictures in the MLS and a virtual tour?

The Thom And Ray Team Midtown Atlanta Real Estate Thom, you raise many valid points. That is a main reasons so many agents have a reluctance to work with some discount companies. It is bad enough to deal with the seller directly in a good market, but in a market where we are dealing with potential foreclosures looming, short sales, and other issues...it can become overwhelming to the buyers agent. Previewing in this market has become a must. Listing agents that have not had a commission in a long time, and their seller clients are both broke go beyond puffing in their claims of the state of the home. They are both out of money and in denial.

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate It is amazing how the only persons the listing agent and the sellers are deceivingare themselves. There is nothing worse than to see new granite and all old appliances. It goes beyond disappointment. Persons are expecting new cabinetry in the kitchen and a total redo...and see a a couple of new draw pulls, chipped up cabinets that go beyond the term "Distressed" and old builders grade appliances, and a garbage compactor from 2 decades ago!

Gary Waters -Real estate agent Viera Suntree Melbourne and Rockledge FL (Century 21 Baytree Realty www.moving2brevard.com) I think you nailed it.

Laraine Shape (Pruitt Real Estate, Inc.) Actually not all agents. Many of the seasoned and experienced agents that we have co-oped with in the past have learned their real estate well. They know it is counterproductive to their careers to post misstatements. Newer agents with minimal experince and no broker supervision believe this is how it is done! They are dead wrong, but have not yet learned that lesson!

Morning Jim, C'mon, don't hold back ! Tell us how you really feel. Well said. LOL Don't you think this listing might get more positive attention if it were listed as needing some " TLC " ?

Jacquie Cliff (Champions Real Estate Services) Winning the listing isn't the goal in life. Obtaining listings that have a chance of selling is! Most agents if they do not have the common sense to understand this, are not smart enough to know how to write a good copy piece. All they need to know is how to to better phrase the truth.

Rebecca Gaujot Lewisburg WV and Greenbrier County Realtor (Coldwell Banker Stuart & Watts Real Estate) Actually another downside to this are the homes that were decorated or staged poorly "AS SEEN ON TV!" It is a very personalized redo, but perhaps is not acceptable to the general public.

J. Philip Real Estate LLC Briarcliff Manor, NY Exactly!

Jim don't you just love the exageration that is prevalant in the Real Estate business. Is there such a thing as a listing that doesn't sound good?

In our own buying experiences we have encountered this phenomenon! We actually did buy a house that billed itself as having a "gourment kitchen". We laughed like crazy over this. It had originial appliances 17 years old...including a range with top oven-anyone remember those? Microwave on the counter and regrigerator/freezer will all the shelves held together with duct tape. Ok-yes we bought because replacing appliances was easy but boy did that agent fib!

Love the post Jim. Truth in advertising is good. Deception is bad.

Yes, I agree, very frustrating. As REALTORS, we should do everything we can on the MLS data sheets to inform a potential customer whether this house might meet their criteria. WITH ACCURACY! Finding the right words (always subject to interpretation) to describe the house and finding the right words (again, always subject to interpretation) to draw the buyer in is not an easy task. But I do believe in calling a spade a spade and not trying to dress it up as something it can't live up to.l

Agents are doing a huge disservice to their clients when set expectations that have no way of being met.

I witnessed this yesterday - GREAT pictures (I'm wondering now if they were photoshopped!) online for a cute condo...client thought this would be the one. Last minute showing, no time to preview. We walked in and our mouths dropped open...how on earth did they take those great pictures?

If the pix had been more representative of the place, our expectations may not have been so high and instead of being very disappointed, the property may have remained on the short list, but the client had bult it up in her mind and just couldn't see past the deception.

Yesterday I showed a house that had this quote in the MLS. "Heres the one you've been waiting for". I hadn't preview it because it wasn't in the area my buyers wanted, but at the last minute, they asked to see it. I should have know how bad it was going to be when I saw the stained mattress laying at the curb. What a POS! It was filthy, filled with animal odor and it's too soon after breakfast to describe the bathrooms. YUK. How about "being sold as is" "needs lots of work". But not "here's the one you've been waiting for". Geez.

Hi All,

I never show a home no matter what the agent remarks say if it only has picutes of the outside and not the inside. I know there is soemthing that someone does not want me to see. I ahve agents in my office who do not put pictures of the inside of the home, my friends, I tell them that agents will not show unless they know what is in the box!

The olny exception is of couse new construction, which is not finish and if my buyers has seen it on the net and insist they see it, but i want them they may not like what they will see. I am not wasting my time to shwo a listing that has no inside pictures!

Good Blog!

Elaine

Most listing agents bait and switch when it comes to the listing. They list it higher to make the seller feel good. Then, have to lower it because it is over priced. Bad news for the seller. The first 30 days is crucial for a listing.

Oh my gosh--I had the wildest experience last week with a listing that stated "many upgrades" & "will not last." Well, first of all, the home had NOT been upgraded since the 1970's! I'm not kidding. Everything in that house was from the 1970s--probably even the paint! Then when I was leaving the property, I saw a huge crack in the wall. Upon further investigation, it was obvious that the front of the house was sinking! There was a crack in the foundation going across the width of the house and the front of the house was probably an inch lower. A lender wouldn't lend on this house ever, and yet it wasn't disclosed in the MLS. Crazy!

Photos of the main interior rooms should be required these days. If more sellers consulted with professional stagers to begin with, their agent wouldn't need to make up all that nonsense that the home is upgraded or updated. We'll set them straight and suggest quick, low-cost improvements that will pay for themselves.

I love it when they say new carpet, as if that is a reason to jack up the price. You mean that it's okay to have old warn out carpet? However, my favorite cliche of this type is "Must see inside". No I want to buy sight unseen, or it is because there are no pictures I have to see inside. Could you sponsor an ultimate Realtor fluff cliche contest? I promise I will bring something better than "show your picky buyers".

Jim---great post---people are aways trying new ways to make a "silk purse out of a sows ear."

Agents need to be careful...... misleading listings can make you look like a used car salesman. Thanks for the great post!

I had some clients that replaced their broken garage door and did a few other things. They were surprised when I didn't mention all of the "upgrades" they had done. I made it clear that maintenance is NOT an upgrade.

Sheri Moritz (Real Living Realty Experts) I agree. The agent may be limited in their view. Personally they may not have ever home and are a renter. It is obvious to others the agent is:

Clueless
Purposely exaggerating to the extremes
Totally uniformed
Lives a sheltered life
Needs to get out more.

Marc Swartz, Broker - Toronto, Ontario, Canada Real Estate (Royal LePage Your Community Realty, Brokerage (416) 502-2866) I agree, there discriptions lack detail. What maybe 'modern' to them is Post WWII.

Bill Bledsoe (Ellen Terry Realtors) You are so right. In the early 90's I sold 37 expired listing in record tome after they has sat on the market forever (some years)! It is paying attention to every deal that counts.

Tim Maitski "Video Agent Guy" (HomeAtlanta.com) Aisde from all of that in foreclosures, many times the photos are from the previous sale...and the new REO agents stole the previous photos.

As far as photos, I have recently seen some stats from Realtor.com that shows that the homes with teh most visitors were the ones that had a lot of photos. I tell all clients AT LEAST 8 photos and if possible, max out what your MLS allows.

Richard Weisser Coweta Fayette Real Estate ERA United Realty Dissappointed, buyer will walk away never to return. The buyers agent will go back to the office and bad mouth the listing, and many other agents will not show! It is counter-productive.

Andrew Mooers | Northern Maine Real Estate / Aroostook County Broker (MOOERS REALTY) I agree. This is beyond puffery!

No need to preview? No problem! I don't preview. This goes back to the old, if the kitchen isn't in the pics, Don't even bother looking at it....

Jim:

I was taught early on, to create resonable expectation in your promotion. Else the people are disappointed and you are attacting the wrong buyer.

Richard

EXIT Hill Country Realty You are right on the money! I once went out on a listing appointment after preparing a CMA. The seller had a different price in mind. He added the roof, the new hot water heater, an upgraded HVAC...and I informed him "What would your home be worth if you did not replace the roof? If you did not replace the bad hot water hear what would happen?" Maintenance is an obligation...it isn't a choice!

Marney Kirk (Keller Williams Excellence Realty) I've been there too! Sometimes they have loads of items and projects they never get to before I list. I will not list if we are not up to snuff! Why would I waste my time and money promoting a loser of a home?

This is why I preview all homes first. Ive had these surprises before. When I didn't preview, 3 steps in and the look on my buyers face says, "wheres the door handle on your car, you idiot realtor". The other one is when they advertise a veiw and take a picture 3 blocks away instead of from the deck. Total misrepresentation.

Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor) Missy, I wish more agents were like you! Most just add whatever the seller wants.

I can't comment beyond what has already been mentioned, Jim but how cool that you respond to comments with a linkback. Great idea!

Hey Jim,

Yep, this happens all the time. Only exterior photos is a dead give-away the vast majority of the time. Yesterday while showing property I had a similar discussion with my clients. As for photo shopping multiple photos, I said sometimes the home actually does look the same in person as it does online. We all laughed.

Nice post Jim...

This has always been a little bit of a problem with agents doing a little bit of "huffing" when they try to sell a listing.

I have noticed many homeowners have almost a "used car mentaility" when it comes to their home. They live in them HARD with no upgrades and then fix the things that are broken (sometimes) and are baffled when Buyers have no interest in it.

Home ownership is not on auto pilot you have to replace and update things as they go out of style but this does not allow you to add tons of money to your sale price, but it could help you sell it faster.

I normally just skip over a listing that has only 1 or 2 exterior shots. I always have to wonder is the agent just incompetent, or is the interior so bad they simply can not get a decent picture. A pet peeve that I have are dark interior pictures that are underexposed. Every agent should invest the few dollars needed to buy Photoshop that will easily correct these type of mistakes.

Jim - You so nailed it with this post about the remarks that agents make about their listings. My best one was a home that stated it needed some "TLC"....When my buyer and I arrived, the windows were boarded up and the the interior needed to be completed rehabbed from top to bottom. The agent would have been better served to just state the facts. This type of misrepresentationn doesn't serve the seller, the listing agent or the buyer and their agent and is a complete waste of everyone's time.

I'm with you. Don't talk about it. Just show me how wonderful it is with lots of GOOD photos.

Jim: Very interesting post.. Out MLS has a MLS History Report so one can easily review all previous listings for any given property.

Jim, previews like you completed can save you wasting time with clients. Why agents can't be more accurate in their descriptions, well we know it is puffery and marketing. It does waste everyone's time though because reality is reality.

First, listing presentation has one purpose and one purpose only . . . entice visitors to want to come visit the property (aka a showing). Everything should go into that in reagrds to a listing advertising plan.

When it comes to wording, there is some phrasing that I stay clear from. One is "no need to preview". Again, the purpose is to gain showings so why would I tell people not to come out. Second, the question is easily raised of why don't you want me to come out and see the property? What are you not telling me or hiding from me? The second phrase is "will not last". What if it does? Now I've just heightened the question of what is wrong with it if it has been on the market for a few months.

All-in-all we have all been thrusted into a whole new world of advertising brought on by the increased shopping via the internet by buyers. Buyers who want to experience the property as much as possible online through a multitude of photos, detailed descriptions, and add-on presentations such as video and vitual tours. Is it possible to stand out? You tell me. My latest listing . . . 14 days on the market, priced right, 6 showings and a contract (short sale so it is awaiting the process).

Any home listed as updated or upgraded without photos to accompany it - is a sure indication to me that there's something undesireable about it. If I can't preview it, I either skip showing it or forewarn my client that it's probably not all it's cracked up to be and prepare them for a dissappointment.

Jim, Amen to this post! I get so tired of showing homes that are misleading on the internet. When the agents ask for feedback and I give it to them, some act offended at my remarks. I thank them for wasting my time, along with my buyers... Please!

I did just list a great remodel, however, lol. I DID include loads of pictures. My sellers even replaced the doorknobs and hinges. Talk about a redo!

Jim if I had a dollar for every stupid MLS wording I'd be very rich! I never understood why agents would flat out lie about condition, upgrades etc. Professional practice. No0000000000.

How we talk to our sellers is we need to 'bring it back up to standard" cause that's exactly what it is. Not upgraded.....simply back up to standard. Seller seem to understand that. I also like to ask them what they'd notice if they were the buyer walking in for the first time AND if they were to stay for another 10 years what improvements would they make. We like all our our homes to be truly 'parade ready'. And the pics show it all.....I hope!

Thanks for the honest post and let's hope the 'agents' who need to hear this read it!

I think it is too bad that so many think that regular maintenance counts as upgrades. It is called keeping everything in good working order and taking care of what you have so it lasts!

Barb Szabo E-pro Realtor Cleveland Ohio Homes (RE/MAX Trinity) That was an excellent compliment. Most of us try to build on the positives, and that is a major plus. If I have a home that I view as a 10 in being clean...my comments will say..."Immaculate! This is a white clove home! Bring your fussiest buyers!" The sellers sometimes complain they cannot live up to that reputation, but they do! Their pride is on the line!

However if a home is not cleanor has smokers..do not advertise is "Clean cozy etc..."

Christianne Gordon, REALTOR®, e-PRO CDPE Carson Valley Nevada Real Estate (Northern Nevada Real Estate - RE/MAX Realty Affiliates) I totally agree. The problem is that you may waste half a day to preview o home that is totally worthless to any buyer with common sense!

Bill Gillhespy Fort Myers Beach Realtor (Century 21 Tripower Realty) Thanks. As a consumer I personally want to see "TLC!" I think if a person had "Clean well kept home by original owners priced well..." may suffice.

Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty) The listing descriptions all look good, it is the homes that do not measure up

Kim Curran (Re/Max Unlimited) Kim you were the exception to the rule. I hope you took them to the cleaners to cover the cost of replacing the outdated appliances.

An Marshall (Prudential Network Realty - St. Augustine) The problem with advertising as something it is not, we lose twice. We cannot call a "Pig" a "Stallion!"

The home does not sell, or sells at a greatly discounted price.
The repuation of the listing agent may be damaged beyond repair. The gagents that view the property...and find it gorssly overrated will avoid the agents listing in the future. Furthermore they will bad mouth you.

Susan Haughton Alexandria, VA REALTOR® www.susanmovesyou.com (Long & Foster REALTORS® Old Town Alexandria) It is interesting that in some states retouching photos is considered fraud. Erasing rower lines, and water towers is not the way to go. A lot of times, clients become more loyal to us because they cannot believe what we have to put up with to make a sale.

Jeanne Gregory Intersting, yet part of all of our every day burdens in our real estate careers.

Just what constitutes an upgrade? good question..hugh! I often find that many agents put words, any word sometimes in hopes to enhance the way the house is and get people in to see it. What is an upgrade to one person isn't always the same thing to another. Look with caution.

Patricia/Portsmouth NH Real Estate.

Elaine VonCannon (Re/MAX Capital) Elaine, you nailed it. Whenever they avoid showing a particular part of the home when there are inside photos...they are trying hide some major objections. If a home avoids showing pictures of a kitchen...it is dated! I love the ones that show a picture...of only the front door....! Boy are we in trouble when we get to the listing!

Harry D'Elia (Real Estate and Beyond, LLC) I agree...they buy the listing.

Lisa Clanin (Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage) That type of remark is criminal!

Maureen Bray ~ Home Stager Portland OR ~ Room Solutions Staging (Staging that Sells Portland Homes) You are so right! Normally a seller does not have to spend a fortune!

Joe Pryor.com Realtor Oklahoma Investment Properties (RE/MAX Associates) Great idea! "Honey stop teh car...I think I am going to get sick!"

Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) I agree..by the way...great photo!

Brad Snyder (Sierra Vista Realty) Well said Brad!

Melina Tomson, M.S. Salem Oregon Real Estate Specialist (Tomson Burnham, llc) You are correct. My comments would say well kept home!

Billie Hillier (Practical Real Estate Marketing) I agree...take it to the max!

Get Us A Home Realty - Frank & Jodi Real Estate Brokers Well said Frank...we need to learn from our experience.

Richard Stabile Bergen County New Homes Builder Realtor (REMAX real estate associates) Richard you best described it. "Reasonable expectations" must be met!

Rob D. Shepherd (Coldwell Banker Coast) I agree, when a home is in a subdivision...that baost waterfron, many listing will say waterfront but are 5 blocks away! Yet their home is priced the same as those with an oceanfront view with a dock! It really burns me up!

Candice A Donofrio, Owner/DB, Next Wave RE Investments LLC Thanks. Linking back is the only way I can make sure that I commented to everyone.

Orange Co. Real Estate~Lynda Eisenmann, Broker-Owner, CRS,CRB,GRI,SRES, Brea, CA (Preferred Home Brokers) The agent that photo shops a photo is the most deceptive of agents. Most states have ruled it is a deceptive practice.

Christine McInerney & Jennifer Halinkowski, Knoxville Real Estate (Southland GMAC Real Estate) As one astute buyers agent mentioned..."all the seller's did when they owned the home was flush the toilet!"

Maureen Megowan (Remax Palos Verdes Realty) Well said! I agree.

Donna Bigda Realtor® CDPE ABR SRES e-PRO Branford Connecticut Real Estate (RE/MAX Alliance) You are so right. All we are left with is a major resentment.

Barbara S. Duncan ABR, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) The more photos the better.

Roland Woodworth "Clarksville-Fort Campbell Area Realtor" (Exit Realty Clarksville) Some MLS are better than others. The Atlanta FMLS purge previous listings after 2 years, and expired and withdrawns after a shorter period. It is a total disservice to the public and buyers agents...that are trying to see why a home hasn't sold.

Gary Woltal - REALTOR® Dallas Ft. Worth (Keller Williams Realty) We cannot ignore the truth. It's self evident.

Kathy West Flagler County & Palm Coast Realtor (Trademark Realty Group) I like your point about the Internet. Well taken. That is my specialty, and sales of my listings are still taking place. My last one was 4 days.

Lora "Leah" Stern, Realtor Rockland County Real Estate (Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage) No photos, no show!

Elizabeth Ramsey Cooper-Golden (Remax Huntsville/Madison Alabama) LOL! I love when an agent calls me for feedback. I usually never provide it. However if I feel it was a total waste of my time...and so I tell them. They usually do not like that. I tell them, "Then don't ask me for feedback, or what would you want to hear?"

Anna 'Banana' Kruchten, Anna Banana Realty, Phoenix AZ Thanks for sharing your insights. From your lips to God's ears! I would love to have some agents that need to change thier way read this post.

Patricia Aulson Portsmouth NH Real Estate-Hampton NH Rea (PRUDENTIAL VERANI REALTY - Portsmouth NH Real Estate ) Well if....neighboring homes have carpeting, and the home in question has hardwoods. That is an upgrade. If the neighborhood homes all have Formica in the kitchen, and you have granite that is an upgrade. Painting is an update. If an MLS says "totally New Updated kitchen", and all it has is granite and al the original 20 year old applainces...that is kind of deceptive. It is like the old saying that the "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!"

If there are no interior pictures they are hidding all the bad things that are in the home

I think I've been in that home 20 or 30 times... And oddly, it seems to move around town at will. Of course when I see the phrase "show and sell" I am tipped off to the possibility...

Hope you gave that agent the appropriate feedback, and maybe even a link to your blog. The sellers need to see it too and get a reality check.

Russ Ravary - Michigan Homes for sale - Michigan Real estate & Mortgage info (Remerica Hometown One) I agree. It is sort of like seeing the "Flying Dutchman!" It is easy to get tipped off.

Lane Bailey - REALTOR & Car Guy (Diamond Dwellings Realty) LOL! Be prepared to write an offer! When it sounds too good to be true, it is!

Linda Jandura Realtor North Carolina Buyer & Seller Specialist (Raleigh Cary Realty) LOL! I have been in real estate long enough not to point out that particular home or agent. However, I will mention it to my buyers, and other agents. I am a firm believer of restraint of tongue and pen.

Jim,

It looks like you struck a nerve with this post. I feel very blessed that the agents in my market give a pretty fair assessment of what we can expect when we show a listing. It actually works against the seller when their agent over promises on a listing. The few times I've seen it, the clients and agent are angry that their time was wasted. Being up front is the only way to go.

I hate the "Hurry will not last" - and there it is, a year later. LOL!!!

Oh, and another one is "In a prestigious community" meanwhile, when you get there, the roads are full of potholes, the houses are mainly early 1980s doube wide modulars that have seen better days...

I'm going to be a devil's advocate here (partially my cynical opinion on the subject - which is one of the reasons why I work with buyers and usually not sellers):

If the listing agent hadn't been willing to drink the coolaid that the seller was selling would he/she have got the listing? Isn't there another agent right behind that agent that wouldn't have had a challenge bending to the marketing wishes of the seller, or an agent willing to admire stuff that wasn't that admirable waiting in the wings.

Unfortunately listing homes mean wordsmithing. Making something sound better then it really is without lying. In real estate they have a technical term for it which is on the national portion of the licensing exam. It's called puffing and its legal.

At the end of the day the listing agent is in fact the marketing representative for the home. If he/she told the truth would prospective purchasers even tour the home to begin with? If not, what chance would the seller have in getting the home sold?

Hi Jim -- One of the best posts I've read and it is flat out misrepresentation when listing agents lie like a rug. I was in a home just this past week where the listing agent said everything was new, updated, etc., and really raised the bar. The bathrooms were original from 1960s, but they were "updated" -- I guess replacing the shower curtain and putting in new light bulbs qualifies.

It's no wonder why consumers view some of us (not all) with skepticism.

MAY

Good post - and good comments too!

I have to answer Glen - When he says: "If he/she told the truth would prospective purchasers even tour the home to begin with?"

No, purchasers who want a nice home would not - but those purchasers aren't going to buy something that's clearly not what they want, so showing it to them is a waste of time for all concerned. For an agent, that means loss of income.

If they told the truth, then possibly the correct buyers would see the home. You know - those folks who are looking for fixers and don't want somethng that's already "upgraded."

Agents want listings, of course, but "Buying" a listing by going along with seller delusions is a bad mistake - it wastes your time and energy, and when the house doesn't sell, the sellers get to tell everyone who will listen that you're a lousy agent.

This is a great post about the euphemisms that are commonly used by realtors. Yes . . . blue dolphin tile is out (I actually saw some today!)

Jim -

Another great post, man!

Buzzwords, buzzwords, buzzwords! They make the world go around, I guess. You know, in certain places - Ontario, for example, and the UK - advertising puffery is illegal! Imagine that!

My favorite - a sandwich shop for sale touting "Wrigley Field Area." It was three miles away, in a completely different Chicago Neighborhood, very far from the ballpark! Even for a prodigious Chicago Cub Home Run Hitter!

Ahhh, well!

Enjoy your Memorial Day Holiday - but spend some time thinking about those who served and sacrificed!

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

I just showed a property yesterday, with clients, and had to immediately call the LA to let her know that she had wasted everyone's time because her remarks were so not true. "Ocean view from every room"--only if you were outside on the balcony and leaning over, then maybe......"Kitchen totally renovated and almost finished, just a little bit of work left to do" but there was so much left to do and redo that it wasn't going to be a slam dunk. "Needs just a little TLC and will really be a great place" should have read, "This is a fixer upper, needs a good handyman and lots of sweat equity". I was so embarassed and wished I'd have previewed it. Should have known when the photos were not too abundant.......A little puffery is one thing, but outright deception is so very wrong.......

It always amazes me when an "agent" engages in such puffery. Do they think that we will not notice the true condition when we get there. On seeing what the home is REALLY like, there is always a feeling of disappointment. Disappointed buyers will not buy.

The problem seems to be that all advertisements are the same, and suprelatives are used in most of them.

Brian Madigan

When utilizing comparables listed on MLS, I don't pay any attention to the condition description - I go by the interior photos and an exterior inspection. When there are no interior photos, I have found that usually:

diamond means above average
updated kitchen means a recent paint job or new appliances within the last 20 years
full of potential means original kitchens and baths
needs TLC means below average to poor
handyman's special means an absolute wreck

Comments that get my attention are specific, such as "kitchen 4 years young" or "new roof 2 yrs ago".

The good new is, that when performing an appraisal for a purchase transaction, I have met some very professional agents who have been inside some of the potential comparables and let me know what the "real" condition is.

Jim, I'm sure you have seen those cartoons where they show a picture of the same house through the agent's eyes, the sellers eye's, the appraiser's eyes etc. It is so true that in many cases we just have to look past the real estate lingo...that park-like grounds may mean that there are a few trees...you know what I mean. Congratulations on the feature!

I'm getting ready to list a home built in the eary 1800's. Completely upgraded!!!! Except for the frame, it's been reworked from the ground floor up..............now I need to go back to see what I'm missing! LOL!

I see this some in my market, and it is a complete waste of everyone's time. I try to use it as a "learning tool" for first time buyers, if it is something they really want to see due to the online description. I think for the majority it is inexperienced agents or dingbats who never learn who pull these shenanigans. But of course, there are always the few who know that they are misleading and manipulating the facts. Same old ones.

Fran Gatti - Realtor® Crescent City CA Real Estate (RE/MAX Coastal Redwoods) I agree. Honesty is the best policy. There are books out there that would help an agent write better ads of MLS remarks.

No interior photos? No virtual tour with detail? = No showings. Regardless of realtor "advertising language" used in listings, MLS ads or dedicated web pages etc...if there are no decent photos of the exterior AND interior you won't get the showings. If a buyer can't "see" the upgrades they don't exist.

Karen Rice | Lake Wallenpaupack | Pike & Wayne County, Northeast PA Homes (WEICHERT, REALTORS® Paupack Group ) I agree. We saw one hte other day that was dated October 2008! Placing the wrong verbiage is very counter productive.

Glenn Sanford (BuyerTours Realty LLC & Working The Magic, LLC) The seller would have a better chance if they hired someone that can chew gum and walk a straight line at the same time. If on a listing, the seller does not listen or want to do things as suggested, why list them? Inexperienced agents take listings all day long they should not take. They forget whom is doing the interview. They confuse taking any and all listings as the main goal. It isn't. It is taking listings that will sell can thus compensate you.

Chris Olsen Broker/Owner - Olsen Ziegler Realty (Olsen Ziegler Realty) I agree! One bad apple spoils the bunch!

Marte Cliff (Marte Cliff Copywriting) I totally agree. Not exery listing is a good deal. We must see if for what it is really worth, and not "What if?"

Melissa Zavala Realtor® North San Diego County Homes (Broadpoint Properties) About a year ago I saw them, and almost lost it. This was in a 600K home. It was so tacky!

Dean Moss - Dean's Team Chicago Real Estate Team (Dean's Team - Keller Williams Lincoln Square Chicago) Thanks Dean. Sometimes it seems like anything goes.

Laura Jaffe Deception stinks!

Ron Tiller (Five Star Real Estate - Grand rapids MI) Ron, I often think that many of these are new agents without any broker guidance. In the past few years anything worked, but not any more. We are heading back to the real world.

Brian Madigan LL.B. (Royal LePage Innovators Realty) You are so right.

Jesse Skolkin (Independent New York State Certified Real Estate Appraiser) I totally agree. Whenever it says..."Create your own paridise...or could be, or transform.." it is an absolute nightmare with.

Lake Norman Real Estate ~ Diane Aurit (RE/MAX at the Lake) Diane you are so right. I love hte lines that say "professional landscaping!" It is overgrown with monster hedges and shrubery chocking out the light in the home that have not been pruned since the great flood!

Kay Van Kampen, Broker, Springfield Missouri Real Estate (RE/MAX Solutions) It sounds like a winner to me!

Channing Boucher I agree.

As I read this all I could think of was the list of "What they say and What they mean" when it comes to real estate agents. For example: Close to transportation means sets on freeway on ramp.l

Excellent post.

"Well maintained." Yes, only after needing to replace furnace, water heaters, upgrading electrical and removing mold.

When I see the word "galore" used, I always cringe and run away. Most realtors are ignorant of the fact that this word is a Greek derivative of "gargoyle" and usually means insanely hideous. (Okay, that's not true about the gargoyle...it's just the image I get in my head when I read that word on the MLS descriptions.). Truth in advertising just can't really define the shades of gray.

I am able to preview here, as it is such a small geographical area with only about 450 residential listings, total. Sometimes I show a bad one that the buyers requested based on their internet search, so that they appreciate my selection.

Jim Sheperd's comment above hit home. Some agents take pics of a nearby golfcourse and then say 'great view'. Then you get to the property and find that the view is great only if you are standing on the roof of the garage balancing on one corner.

I work mostly with investors and you should see the stuff in what it's described as vs. what is there. Are median price is around 200K and we look at mostly 100K or less. Scary, scary, scary stuff.

Dear Jim,

Not only is it misleading, it's actually quite embarrasing for the LA (IMHO). I've seen these statements:

(1) Wont last long
(2) Hurry, no need to preview

When I look at the DOM, it's over 200 days. It's pretty much a joke after that.

Jim-sounds like someone needs to count to 10 slowly. I totally agree with you. First of all, no interior pic's of the home raises a flag to start with. I really don't see the purpose of making it sound so great just to get showings when in all reality the house will just be a big let down for potential buyers when they actually see it. Seems like a waste of time for everyone concerned including the LA and seller. I think you always need to point out a home's good features, but do not point out features that are not there. You can usually find something positive in every home without being misleading and by all means show plenty of pictures. Good post!

OK Jim tell us how you really feel! LOL. Your right some agents go beyond selling or 'puffery' into the liars abyss on their listings. What I like is when they say the kitchen has been updated and you find out that it's been in 1985 and it needs it again!!

Jim,

Preview, preview, preview even when you've seen the property before. THINGS CAN CHANGE! I took some clients to see a home I had caravaned before and it smelled. Some nasty combination of mold and dirty diapers. Fortunately, my clients were cool about it but forever after we referred to it as the 'stinky house'. Here on Lake Oconee and Sinclair, we know to run when we see a listing with only pictures of the water and dock and maybe one distant house view. I'm amazed at the number of those to be found in our mls too.

Happy Closings ;)

Gene Riemenschneider Realtor Brentwood Homes for Sale (Area Pro Realty) So true! YOu would have to hoof it across the highway and a river to get there!

Richard Pino (RE/Max Advantage Real Estate) Mold I forgot about that.

Mara Hawks, REALTOR®, First Realty Auburn, Alabama Real Estate (FIRST REALTY Auburn Alabama) You have it! "Truth in advertising just can't really define the shades of gray."

Virginia Hepp - Mesquite NV MLS - Sun City Mesquite - Buyer Representative (ERA - Mesquite NV Homes For Sale) I agree! Some agents call it a golf course lot or a lake home if it is in the community.

Mike Henderson 303-949-5848 Genius Ventures (People-Property-Money ~ Everything the Investor Needs) I notice a lot more of this abuse of this type these days than in the past.

Loreena Yeo - Broker|Realtor(R) of www.Frisco-TX-Homes.com (214) 783-2210 (3:16 team REALTY) Amen! I personally have seen listing come on as NEW, "Built in 2009" in Atlanta that are over 4 years old and have not been sold!

Sherry Laursen (Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate) Well said...but I think that representing my buyers always comes first.

Lyn Sims ~ Chicago Northwest Suburbs (Schaumburg Illinois ~ RE/MAX Suburban) Some agents push the envelope too far.

chris oliver (Century 21, Minchey Properties) I agree. In a good market I never had to preview. In this market it is a must!

MAY

No photos are a dead give away that the home may not be as great as the listing sounds. Hiring a professional stager can definitely help to improve the interior of the home by making small changes without having to spend a fortune.

Jim: Your post speaks for all of us! We listed a property in the past that had pink countertops and when we strongly suggested they change them out because potential home buyers would be turned off the sellers response was "well we didn't mind when we bought the house". Yikes!!! We're big proponenets of previewing because pictures, or in this case seeing the property first hand, are worth a 1000 words.

Jim,

Upgrade can mean different things to different people, but obviously here the word has been grossly abused. Too much gloss is no good.

Kathy Booth (Setting the Stage) I agree, if the listing agent cannot supply solutions, go to those who can.

Jim - When a listing agent sets high expectations for buyers he/she is doing everybody a disservice.

Carrie & Kathy Sampron (303) 931-3629 or (303) 931-3780 (Home Real Estate) Don't you love it? There is always one asshole knucklehead that buys the most unimaginable home, and then lives with it. They expect other to do the same. Not this current generation! Their saying is "Next!"

Actually I may say to the seller..."Do you hear yourself? The same way you are avoiding facing the issue of changing this objection...is the same way buyers will avoid buying your home. They do not want the hassle or inconvenience of changing pink Formica!"

Esko Kiuru - Las Vegas NV Mortgage Consultant (Sinifox Financial) The abuse is gross!

Carol Culkin (Houlihan Lawrence Realty) Yes, this goes way beyond silence, or even the other extreme of puffing it up!

OMG, Jim, you sure say it like it is! Thank you!

This is now featured on the Optimist group.

MAY

Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection I have to, I'm from Brooklyn NY originally.

I have seen buyers take it to the other extreme though. They'll see granite tile and consider it less than. Tile floors, but they want travertine. When a home has been updated, just not to the new buyer's tastes, it does not make in worthy of a lowball offer. Sometimes buyers fail to remember that if buying a brand new home, they'd get some standard treatments, and then need to pay more for the fancy upgrades. No way to please everyone!

Karen Crowson (Alain Pinel Realtors, Livermore, CA) I agree...that is a pretty common occurance! It is not their personal favorite in choice of.....

JUN

I can tell this is a point of great annoyance with you! I agree the ad should be well written but also leave the correct impression of the home. The agent is not doing anyone any favors but misrepresenting the actual condition. Just to play devil's advocate though....where are the pictures in your blog and the easy to read format?

Sonya Loose, Associate Broker, ABR, GRI, (Gladwin MI Real Estate (Red Carpet Keim Lake Forest) ) Thank you for your comments.

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?