Real Estate Blog - Doctored Photos and Nonexistent Views

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Doctored Photos and Nonexistent Views - Buyers Resent the Deception

There's a phrase we sometimes like to use in our office that goes something along the lines of, "It's better to under-promise and over-deliver" than vice-versa. Sometimes I wish we would remember this when taking photos and creating the marketing for our listings.

It's understandable to want to point out every single feature of the property and highlight their benefits. It's our job as real estate agents and marketing specialists to do what we can to make the property as appealing to potential buyers and their agents as possible.

However, I believe that often times we can be guilty of not looking at the property through the eyes of a potential buyer. By not doing this we risk offending the buyer and his/her agent, possibly to the point of not being able to see past the embellishments, or even to the point of venturing all the way out to your listing only to feel so deceived that they choose not to go inside.

Why do I bring this up? I was showing properties on Saturday to a client, whose one and only must-have is a decent view of the water and mountains. I had previewed several homes and ruled out the ones that boasted, "View!" in the marketing remarks but that indeed did not have one. Late Friday night, I found four price reductions on the Hotsheet. The marketing remarks and photos led me to believe that we would be rewarded with decent views once we got inside their listings. I kept them on the list, and we went out to see them the next day.

Out of those four, only one had a view that was accurately described by the agent...it was awesome...and the house was gone by Tuesday. The other 3 homes had NO VIEW WHATSOEVER. Yes, they were one block away from Alki Beach, but, alas, no views from any window anywhere in the houses. You had to stand on the roof to see that kind of view. This is how they've been marketed for months; alas, they are now subject to short sale. Why wasn't it enough to just say that they were a block away from the beach?

Also over the weekend, I spoke with another agent in my office who was out showing homes. One of the homes had the most amazing photos; it looked absolutely stunning from the outside. The photos had so much brightness and color that they looked like oil paintings. But when the agent and buyer got to the house, they were shocked to find that though they did have the right address, that the real house looked nothing like the one in the MLS photo. The buyer was angered, and insisted on going on to the next property without even going inside that house.

When I heard this agent's story, it made me remember a time a few years ago when my husband and I thought that we wanted to move. We also saw a house that looked absolutely stunning from the picture; the yard looked like a neverending prairie, and the exterior of the home had not one single flaw. We got in the car and drove over there, and were so disappointed to find that the house looked a hundred times worse than the picture that we didn't even bother to go inside.

This is really happening out there...don't let it happen to your listings. If you advertise a view, buyers expect to see that view, while sitting down, from the main floor windows; they don't want to have to stand on a coffee table on their tip-toes and peer over a neighbor's roofline. And taking Photoshop to the point where the house doesn't look like itself anymore is pretty much like putting lipstick on a pig...no one will fall for it.

Happy Selling!

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Thanks for stopping by my blog!

You can reach me at 206-595-5866, or e-mail me: LisaBosques@PNWRealty.com

Or visit my website: www.98146online.com

I am an Associate Broker and Marketing Specialist with Prudential Northwest Realty Associates.   I specialize in homes located in the Burien/North Highline/West Seattle area, and I am here to serve all of your Real Estate needs.
Your success is my goal!

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Thanks for stopping by my blog!

You can reach me at 206-595-5866, or e-mail me: LisaBosques@PNWRealty.com

Or visit my website: www.98146online.com

I am an Associate Broker and Marketing Specialist with Prudential Northwest Realty Associates. I specialize in homes located in the Burien/North Highline/West Seattle area, and I am here to serve all of your Real Estate needs.
Your success is my goal!

Posted by Burien, WA Real Estate - Lisa Bosques, Assoc. Broker/Mktg Specialist on 06/04/2009 12:22 AM

Comments (57)

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57 Comments on Doctored Photos and Nonexistent Views - Buyers Resent the Deception

JUN

Lisa - Ain't it the truth? Why is it so darn hard to just be honest when it comes to listings? If you must balance on a chair on a ladder on the chimney to see a view, THERE IS NO VIEW THERE. By the way, long time no see. Good to see you back here!

JUN

Lisa - A worthy feature about a common issue in our MLS too. Seems that we see more of the bad adn the deceptive photos, adn ones that make no sense, than the truth. Buyers are not fooled, so why do some agents continue to try. Some of it is laziness. The view issue here along the CA coast is a huge deal adn it adds a lot of value, IF it's accurate - so often the agent talks about it but it's nowhere to be seen. But the real mystery if the home that does have a great view but you can't tell until you visit.

Jeff

Lisa - All the hype and unrealistic photos will come back to bite you and alienate your clients in the end. Honesty is the best policy and it saves a lot of wasted time.

Yikes ! I hate those deceptive tactics, and occasionaly see it in my market too. Those agents get bad reputations very quickly though.

Good reminder Lisa !

Thanks, Jason, it's good to be back. Had a rough few months there.

Yes, Jeff, that is the mystery. I was in some homes with great views that weren't even shown to their full extent in the pictures.

John - it could actually bite me too, come to think of it. I'm sure buyers get disappointed to see a home with a view advertised, and no view. That's why I try to preview but it isn't always possible.

Absolutely right on the doctored photos. Can't do it. No way. No how.

Sheldon - I think they do too. If those agents call me for feedback I will certainly give it to them...but they haven't called.

Dave, me either. I like my photos to be nice yet truly reflective of the home.

BTW, did I do something wrong, guys? My post is on the main page 3 times. HMMM...

Can't stand the outright deception by some agents

Burien: Very salient post. I've never doctored a photo I'm happy to say. I just make sure to take tons of them so then I can pick a few really great ones.

I went to a house once and the dead lawn was spray painted green for the picture.

Me either, Pocono. I think though that sometimes it's just that agents want to play up all of the features of a property, not understanding that having a tiny view that can only be seen while doing something unnatural isn't really a selling point. That's when we have to step back and think about what a buyer would think about that.

Matt, thank you. I do take lots of pics(or have lots taken) as well to pick the best ones. And the only pics I doctor are of me!:)

Gene, that's funny...well, not really but kind of. I've never thought of such a thing. I can understand adjusting the brightness on the photo if it's a gray day or something along those lines, but to doctor the pic so much that the grimy, scuffed and multicolored hardwoods look shiny and new in a picture is just wrong. It serves no purpose.

Lisa, spray painting the lawn and touching up the photos in PhotoShop is just wrong.

Actually, some digital touch ups are not wrong. Touching up gray skies to blue or brown lawns to green, removing shadow--generally not a problem. Removing powerlines or adding landscaping...big problem as it materially affects the property representation.

Doing more than just basic lighting and coloration can be a violation of the Code of Ethics.

Article 12 of the code of ethics is the guide here--present a true picture in advertising and representations.

Lisa, I use a professional photographer for my listings and while he uses a wide angle lense to get more of the room we do not change the picture by taking things out or changing the color. Now his camera will shoot and take multiple shots with different light exposures so we can pick the best one. We do have some people that I have seen where they photoshop the pics sooooo much they do not even look real but computer generated.

A professional photographer's job is to get the most out of the property. You want people to get in the door to look at the home. My thoughts are that you can only push it so far and common sense tells you that advertising views and not really having them is going to cause problems.

Lisa...

When I advertise a lake property, I will include some general photos of the lake. However, I caption all property specific photos: "Actual view from property."

I assume that clarifies it for most potential buyers.

Lisa,

We're a marketing company, and do all kinds of property brochures for agents across the country. What we see every day could fill wheelbarrows full of exactly what you're talking about!!

AND IT"S VERY FRUSTRATING!!

Sometimes, we have agents who won't complete the Feature Checklist on our Listing Flyer Order Form, preferring instead to simply fax us the MLS printout. Soooo....we use that. Then, when we upload the proof, the agent informs us of the following:

There isn't a Formal Dining Room (hmmm, the MLS said there was)

There isn't a Great Room (hmm, the MLS stated Formal Living Room, Great Room, and Family Room); if the family room IS the great room, please list one or the other.

There isn't a loft (that turned out to be the great room?? Wow, weird. The loft is the "great room"?)

There are only 3 bedrooms (turns out the loft might possibly be usable as a bedroom, though there isn't a closet!)

The square footage is off by 300 sq. ft. because the agent used the "living area beneath the covered patio" in their calculation.

The view of the mountains is only because the tops of the mountains are visible from anywhere in the city.

The "Workshop in the garage" is actually a piece of wood on top of some boxes.

"Fully landscaped" apparently doesn't include the backyard?

The list goes on and on and would easily fill up 100 pages, but you get my point. To go in and do so many revisions when it could have been handled correctly up-front is, well...a little frustrating.

Regarding photos, we're often asked to "green up" the lawn, which we can easily do with our graphics programs, but we don't overdo it. I'm okay with that, because that's probably what the lawn looked like three weeks ago before summer hit (it can look like that again with some watering). We also regularly take a "white, barren looking sky" (photo taken mid-day)...and drop in a blue sky instead. Looks way better, and doesn't distort the expectation of the home at all.

We're also pretty big on lighting effects for interior shots, and it's amazing the visual impact that can have. But still, it doesn't distort the true look of the home (various times of day will determine how dark or light a room looks...we simply correct that.)

But you're sooooo right!

Seems like every office ought to have someone reviewing the MLS entries versus so many of them being "willie-nillie". It's shameful.

Great post! Hope everyone takes it to heart!

Dave

Lisa, I live at the other coast and I had to laugh at the stand on a coffe table on your tip toes and peer out a window comment. Our water views (ocean and sound) have similar issues in listings. Often the "view" is a sliver of wet between a couple of roof lines off the side porch standing on tip toes. Thanks for the post.

Hi Lisa,

When I deal with dishonest people, on any level... photos, or whatever ?? That throws up a red flag for me and makes me wonder about working with them. Our reputations are important.

Lisa,

I had clients ask if they could sue the listing agent! (I put the kibosh on that...) They wondered if I had brought them to the right home. One agent checked "lakefront" for a property that overlooked a small water hazard on a golf course. Egad!

Lisa,

This stuff drives me crazy too. Not only does it tick off the buyer when they realize they've been bamboozled, but it also makes US look bad!

Weasel contamination....never a good thing!

Lisa...

Does this mean I should stop air brushing the 'green' pool photos? :)

Hope you know I'm just messing around. We don't alter photos. What you see is what you get :)

TLW...ROAR!

I had one of my former broker tell me that it is OK to enhance the photo of a home, they have and still do it.

Need less to say I am no longer there..

Bettina

Hi Lisa,

Great post and great topic. And I couldn't agree with you more. But there's nothing inherently wrong with retouching, Photoshop, or any other similar program. They're just tools - just like a camera is. Nothing more.

And if the truth were known, a lot of so-called 'retouching' is nothing different than what your camera does when you change settings. In fact, I've written several blog posts on how to correct certain problems in your photos. And not correcting some problems can far be more misleading than if you do.

The problem isn't the tools - it's the people using them, and what they're doing with them.

Just my 2¢
: )

Wow! I'm actually quite surprised that people who what to do well and make a living at real estate would go to such lengths to sabotage their reputations! Thanks for the post Lisa, it was very "enlightening".

Lisa,

In my opinion, doctoring a photo is unethical. I do believe that enhancing colors and using a wide angle lens is perfectly fine.

If you have to wait until winter when the leaves are off the trees to see the water, it's not a water view.

Rich

Lisa, terrific post!

I do all my own photos using Nikon equipment. Occasionally I have to lighten a photo because I got it wrong when I was in the house and will not be going back to take pictures, but that's the limit of retouching of a photo that I will do.

I am not good enough to alter photos and too old to learn. One new thing I am doing is taking my Flip Video HD and doing a tour of homes just like I would with a client. I start with panning the street view, invite the client to walk in with me, go through the house, and go out back. You can post the tour to www.tubemogul.com and spread it to video sites like youtube.com. I know it sounds like amateur hour but aren't some virtual tours just too slick, and do they really promote the house and you, or the tour company?

You are so right! I live in a rural resort market where "real" lake views are important. And the discrepancy between one agent's opinion of a great lake view and another one's are pretty big! Sometimes I think they went on the roof or climbed a tree to get the shot! The buyers do get annoyed and see it as a waste of their time. It is frustrating!

Wow-it's a featured post! I just got up(it's early here). Thank you so much for all your comments!

Lisa, I try to feature the best views and scenes from my listings. But never try to deceive, nor do I touchup pictures (with the exception of brightness, contrast). Good post!

Great post today, I LOVE the eggs in the picture. I try to do the best by putting in the sharpest, clearest and flattering pictures of the home. People want to see pictures of the interior so show the best ones. But....from a tru prospective.

Patricia Aulson/Portsmouth NH Real Estate

While I believe it's important to show the house in the best light with your photos, Lisa, since that is the first impression many people will have to determine whether or not they want to even see the house, deceiving people is a whole other can of worms.

We need to prepare our buyer-clients for this 'possibility'. I tell buyers to remember that listing agents are really good at making properties look really good that do not look really good in person. :)

Oh, I will crop out a door facing or adjust the lighting but to do something like this - - -never.

Super Post. I've had more than one buyer question the listing agent's ability to accurately portray the listing. Who do they think they are fooling.... And did they think we wouldn't find out?

Lisa - Here in Central Oregon, at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, you better believe that dealing with misleading listings is an issue. Every buyer coming here would prefer a "View" property, and some agents will go to absurd lengths to label their listings as such. Sometimes that means distorting the actual mountain view by zooming in 10X or standing on top of a toilet and pointing the camera out the bathroom window.

Another too-common problem for those of us who show horse properties here: so-called "barna" that may actually be little more than lean-tos or work sheds (if that). I've lost count of how many times I've wasted my (and/or my buyer's) time. Very frustrating.

Hi Lisa, It just amazes me why agents make such stupid decisions about their MLS info. Not enough that the pics are embarrassingly bad but the descriptions work against the listing.

Lisa---this opens up the 'new' tricks chapter of the "needs a little TLC" & "Handyman's Helper" Book-of- listings. I use edits with contrast / sharpness & lighting problems. No longer work in Photoshop; only add text slides in Photostory 3 CD's
Barb

This is a BIG deal to buyers. The photos must be accurate representations otherwise you're just wasting everyone's time. I still don't understand why many agents (a) don't put photos in the MLS, and (b) put bad, inaccurate photos in the MLS...

I sold a house another agent listed as a 4 bedroom. It was clearly 3 bedrooms, with the "4th bedroom" being a large bonus room over the garage that you only could get to by walking through the master bedroom. I showed it many times and buyers felt deceived by the descrption.

I did sell it, and now the owners want to sell it. We all agreed to market it as a 3 bedroom not 4 as the other agent did, to avoid this issue.

Hi Lisa,

There is also a DARK SIDE to doctored photos when it comes to real estate marketing. A client of mine, some years ago asked me to use Photoshop to touch up a gallery photo. It was an expensive property commercial gallery that listed for just under $2 million. I erased power lines out of the backyard shot.

I had no clue the photo would end up into the MLS. But it did.

A buyer flew into town after first wiring over a large deposit to the broker.

The buyer showed up with the agent at the gallery and he had in his possession the print out of the hot sheet showing an enlarged photo of the gallery backyard.

Needless to say, he was more than upset. The power lines were obviously taken out and on his departure from the property, he made sure the local broker got a piece of his mind. And he informed the Real Estate Commission. The agent almost lost his license for "extreme puffing," as the REC had no other law or rule on the books to cite. This all happened in 2002. When going digital was still very new to REALTORS.

So YES, YES, YES your digital photos must always be an accurate representation of the property being marketed and sold.

Kosher things to do are erasing the yard sign from the front yard. Erasing the garden hose. Erasing the dog or cat from the photo. But do not move mountains around, do not move or erase the crappy junked car sitting in the neighbor's backyard, etc.

Someone needs to include Photo retouching in an Ethics class and make this part of our CE's we have to get every year.

- bartman

Right on the money, I often tell my sellers I'd rather get five good showings with the right buyers, than fifty showings with buyers who aren't interested in what's on sale at all. I don't understand the point of hoping someone will all of a sudden decide this house that doesn't have what the buyer wants will suddenly be on their short list. It doesn't just waste the buyer and their Realtor's time, it also wastes the homeowner's time if they have to leave for an hour during the times the house is to be shown. Be real, and be honest!

Bart - Thank you for sharing your story. That is scary indeed, especially when you had no idea the pic would even be used in that manner.

Maria, I agree with you about actually spray painting the lawn. Ron is right that something like that would totally misrepresent the property. Some Photoshop enhancement is okay as long as absolutely nothing material to the property is changed.

Larry, that's what I meant when I said the some pics look like oil paintings; they do indeed look computer generated. Wde angle is great for getting the whole room, and I don't think that's deceptive as long as it doesn't make the room look 5 times bigger than it really is.

Morgan-one would think so!

Richard-that is a good idea. I never see anyone else do that, but it's something I long to see in listings.

Dave-your examples are too funny. You make a good point when you say that offices should review the MLS entries.

Kathryn - I don't know why some of us do that. Writing this post, I recall having a listing when I was new...and it had one of those stand-on-tippy-toes view of a sliver of water. I put it in the MLS, and another agent gave me feedback telling me that their client really wanted more of a view. I felt terrible because of that. I wanted to represent my seller the best I could, but in doing so I had alienated a buyer. So ever since then I've been more careful.

Judi - I agree. But here in our area there is one company where a good amount of their agents use the same photographer, and these photos, in many people's opinion, are borderline deceptive. It's not like any one agent really stands out, except the ones who lie about the view. Doctored photos could possibly become the standard. Home buyers see that and say, "Wow, their photos are so much nicer than X company!". Unless they themselves see the discrepancy between photo and house, they'll never understand how misrepresentative the photos are.

Irene-I can see why, people don't like their time wasted.

Colleen - it does. That's why I try to preview before hand if at all possible.

TLW - Looking at green pools makes me queasy. Maybe we could have an exception for that.

Bettina - I hear ya...it depends on the enhancement. I think that using the contrast and brightness buttons are fine; deleting power lines and erasing cracks in the driveway are an entirely different matter.

Michael - Thank you! It is important for us to know how to use the tools that are available, or let a professional do that. Nothing wrong with making the photos look the best that they can be...while still looking like the actual property!

Sedrucia-Good thing it's only a few of us doing that.

Richard- I agree about the winter view. Puh-leeze.

Steve-here in the Northwest we always have to lighten up our photos.

Joe: a) you're never too old to learn, and b) utilizing video is pretty tech-savvy in my opinion. Now I feel old:)

Exit Hill - I see a lot of FSBO's who will take shots like that from the roof, with the remarks, "Just build a second story and you'll have a view". Um, not that easy.

Gabe-Thanks!

Patricia-the eggs are so random yet so cute!

Liz-i saw a main photo of a home in the MLS today with a bonus - the seller was in the front yard with a phone in one hand and a water hose in the other. Pictures need to be the best that they can be, and if that means having to ask the seller to get his butt out of the photo then so be it.

JUN

Hmmm...I am going to go check and see if I am guilty of this. I may be exaggerating some views on one I am thinking of - thanks for the 2 X 4 up side the head.

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