Do we really want to read everything straight and to the point? I know some people prefer to have someone else eliminate decisions for them, but it seems like some homes don’t even get showings lately, because of the way their marketing is being written. I was disappointed after reading through the remarks section of a listing (I know my client also received) that an agent wrote their description of the short sale like this:
“Total Fixer, No FHA or VA. Sold AS IS.”
Remember, it’s already a short sale. Just because a homeowner’s credit may be in distress, it doesn’t always mean the home is in total disrepair, especially if the seller is still living in it. Granted, maybe a home could be upgraded or need some cosmetic help, but by its description, this listing agent was just spewing negative energy all over the place. It seemed like they might as well said, “Don’t buy this home because I don’t really want to sell it to you.”
I felt really bad for the seller of that short sale. They may never even get a copy of their listing shown to them.
I took a look at the home a little closer and it turns out to be in a great location and true, it could be a total fixer, but the home from the outside didn’t look like it needed a new roof and it looked typical for the neighborhood. So, really – couldn’t the agent have given the seller more of a chance of selling their home by re-writing the description with just a little fluff. Is the market so awful for our short sale sellers that were beyond seeing the bright side for the target buyer?
I don’t know about you, but I still want to hear the fluff. The truth can still be written in the fluff. Whatever happened to describing the property? This same home could have been described like this,
“This great starter home is well-located and looking for an investor or a buyer who wants to give it a little TLC for some easy sweat equity. Priced competitively, it’s just an amazing opportunity for the right buyer!”
Marketing a home for a seller who has to sell short should be done by describing the property with some of the bright side, too. Writing about the short sale shouldn’t be the first thing written, when describing the home. That’s usually something a buyer’s agent could filter out anyway. Sellers, you should always ask your agent for a copy of your listing. We should also hope that listing agents haven't substituted it for an advertising flyer either.
If you give me a choice between “short and to the point” or the “fluff”, I want the fluff everyday.
Comments(2)