Lawyers and real estate agents have one thing in common that absolutely drives me nuts: the habit of typing text in all caps.
Why do REALTORS(R) (whoops, there goes those caps again!) post listing descriptions in all capital letters? Why do lawyers put long passages of text in contracts in all caps? Do they not want people to read the text? I can understand that lawyers might not want people to read contracts, since many seem to be little more than exercises in obfuscation. By why on earth would a real estate agent type listings in all caps?
Advertising designers like myself know that type written in all caps is more difficult to read, so we reserve its use for very short lines of text, logos, headlines, etc. Has this basic, fundamental principle of typography somehow escaped the real estate and law businesses? Why would a real estate agent make it more difficult to read home listings? Don't you WANT people to read them? Is your caps lock key stuck down with bubble gum? Are your pinky fingers too lazy to reach for the cap key? Most of you know that all caps are considered to be rude shouting in email and other online posts. Why do you do it in listings??? Are you trying to be rude to prospective buyers? I just don't get it. Someone please enlighten me.
Let me repeat what I just said in case you are lower case challenged and didn't understand my question:
LAWYERS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON THAT DRIVES ME NUTS: THE HABIT OF TYPING TEXT IN ALL CAPS.
WHY DO REALTORS(R) (WHOOPS, THERE GO THOSE CAPS AGAIN!) POST LISTING DESCRIPTIONS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS? WHY DO LAWYERS PUT LONG PASSAGES OF TEXT IN CONTRACTS IN ALL CAPS? I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT LAWYERS MIGHT NOT WANT PEOPLE TO READ CONTRACTS, SINCE MANY SEEM TO BE LITTLE MORE THAN EXERCISES IN OBFUSCATION. BUT WHY ON EARTH WOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT TYPE LISTINGS IN ALL CAPS?
ADVERTISING DESIGNERS LIKE MYSELF KNOW THAT TYPE WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS IS MORE DIFFICULT TO READ, SO WE RESERVE ITS USE FOR VERY SHORT LINES OF TEXT, LOGOS, HEADLINES, ETC. HAS THIS BASIC, FUNDAMENTAL OF TYPOGRAPHY SOMEHOW ESCAPED THE REAL ESTATE AND LAW BUSINESSES? WHY WOULD A REAL ESTATE AGENT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO READ HOME LISTINGS? DON'T YOU WANT PEOPLE TO READ THEM? IS YOUR CAPS LOCK KEY STUCK DOWN WITH BUBBLE GUM? ARE YOUR PINKY FINGERS TOO LAZY TO REACH FOR THE CAPS KEY? MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT ALL CAPS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE RUDE SHOUTING IN EMAIL AND OTHER ONLINE POSTS. WHY DO YOU DO IT IN LISTINGS? ARE YOU TRYING TO BE RUDE TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS? I JUST DON'T GET IT. SOMEONE PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME.
Suzanne
Suzanne Hathcock Stephens
Point2Agent Design Partner
http://www.SuzStephens.com
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