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Do Your MLS Photos Represent the Season?

By
Real Estate Agent with Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado CRE# 40005863

Do Your MLS Photos Represent the Season?

 

Colorado is one of those states that has noticeable seasons.  Years ago when I lived in California, I was able to enjoy flowers and foliage all year long.  I moved to Colorado about 28 years ago and am always a little shocked by the cold and snow in the winter.  Maybe someday I will get used to it…

 

As Realtors, we need to make sure our pictures on MLS for our listings are fresh and representative of the current season.  Even though exterior home photos are much more pleasant in the summer, we must change them to winter pictures in order to prevent stale looking listings.

 

Here is a home that we listed in August of this year.  It has not sold yet.  Notice how green and lush the huge tree looks in the front yard, not to mention the grass.

 

Here is our new picture of the home representing the snow that we have been getting in Denver.

 snow

Someone browsing on line will know that we have had quite a bit of snow in Denver already this year so it will be expected to have MLS photos with snow on the roof and in the front yard.

 

The tricky part right now is to get the pictures when the sun is actually shining.  We get about 300 days of sunshine in Colorado each year so it is important to get snowy sunny pictures.

 

Comments(13)

Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

Good advice...even in my area, the winter photos would show leafless trees, etc.    You can keep the snow!

Dec 20, 2011 04:52 AM
David Santangelo
www.aceluxuryhomes.com - Keller Williams Realty - Boynton Beach, FL
Search Palm Beach County Florida Homes for Sale

Very true! But I can't say that we really have to worry about this being from Florida!

Dec 20, 2011 04:55 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Belinda Great post,  I think we have all the current photos with snow.  Have a good day!

Dec 20, 2011 04:58 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Belinda - I don't mind changing the exterior pictures so much, but it bugs me to have to do the interior shots where you can see out the windows that the season's don't match. Of course, I'm bugged anyhow because the home has already taken too long to sell, but if it takes much longer, at least I'll have last year's pictures :)

Dec 20, 2011 05:20 AM
Laura Sargent
Carolina One Real Estate - Mount Pleasant, SC

Great advise!  That summer picture is a great one to have on display inside with hopefully some extra photos of a green back yard too. 

Dec 20, 2011 05:45 AM
Rebekah Radice
Imagine WOW! Digital Marketing Agency - Burbank, CA
Social Media Marketing, Coaching & Training

Great advice Belinda!  I'm always surprised to see summer photos in the MLS when clients need and want to see a correct representation of the area based on the season.

Dec 20, 2011 06:05 AM
Belinda Spillman
Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO
Colorado Living!

Thanks for the great comments.  I hate the fact that we haven't sold this home yet after so long.  If only sellers would listen to us on price sometimes.  Anyway, I think the snowy picture is very pretty.  Hopefully it sells before we have to switch it back to summer....

Dec 20, 2011 08:11 AM
Jim Patton
Aspire Home Real Estate 209-404-0816 - Modesto, CA
Realtor - Stanislaus ,Merced, San Joaquin Counties

That's not something that we have to worry too much about here Belinda.   Although I have seen interior pictures of properties with Christmas trees in them in June.   

 

Dec 20, 2011 09:39 AM
Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

When the photos do not represent the season, it makes the listing look old and stale. Great job!!

Dec 20, 2011 10:31 AM
Jeanean Gendron
The Address Realty - Redding, CA
Specializing in Selling Unique Properties

Belinda, great job on keeping those photos current. We have agents here that make a point of taking the photos in the Spring which is only about a month and does not really portray the landscape of the property. The Golden Hills of California are also beautiful and it's silly to be showing the land when it only represents 1 month. Responsible agents don't do that. Lovely work! You rock!

Dec 20, 2011 11:36 AM
Judith Parker
ProStead Realty - Charlotte, NC
CRS, GRI, CMRS, Charlotte, NC

Hi Belinda, nice post and very true.  Nothing looks worse then to see a listing that does not match the season.  I would definitely have difficulty adjusting to winter.  My first year here after living in Miami for 15 years was quite an adjustment.

Dec 20, 2011 11:38 AM
Peg Barcelo
Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC
The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

BB, I was just chuckling about that the other day when perusing MLS here. Many of the photos were summer stock, but one in particular had flowers everywhere and I lol'ed because we had - 23 Celsius in November and snow since then, so you know that place has been on the market for ages! I would think the agent would want to change the pix so buyers wouldn't use the time spent on market as a bargaining chip...

Dec 20, 2011 04:38 PM
Joyce Godwin, Realtor, CRS
RE/MAX Elite Properties; Serving Cypress, Spring, Tomball, NW Houston - Houston, TX
RE/MAX Elite Properties

Hi Belinda,  Both photos are great - hope it sells too before you have to go back to the spring/summer version.

Dec 22, 2011 04:59 PM