It's a sad reality, Lynn, but there are so many in our profession (as in every other!) that simply are not committed professionals.  That just makes those who are shine the more.

I agree.  I cannot stand it when I see listings that have no photos.  Our local MLS is supposed to fine for no photos, but I never see it enforced.

Another thing... How How HOW can you be providing your client the service he/she deserves when you don't even post photos of their property???  Also, there are many listings which show only ONE photo... that's almost as bad as none.

O.K.  I'm done venting.

Cameron Novak
The Homefinding Center
Corona, California
http://www.TheHomefindingCenter.org

Our mls is on that issue already.  No photo and you get a warning.  Soon we are moving to auto fines, no more warnings you just get the fine. 

I'm with you on that rule.  It annoys my so much when I run across lisings without photos.  Why even bother to list if you're going to be so neglectful to begin with.

You're so right.

When you get a listing, don't you tell your clients how you will market their property?  Do you also show them other listings you have up with no photos?  Don't clients ask to see a copy of their listing?  Even if they don't ask, don't you automatically send them a copy of your listing, or a link to the listing?

I'm not sure how other people operate, but the first thing I do, as soon as I've uploaded the listing to MLS, is to send the client a link to either my website, or mls.ca, or the many different places I'll be advertising their house, WITH beautiful colour photos that tell a story.  

How do these people get away with this?

I agree that Boards should not keep a listing active, if the photos aren't uploaded immediately (and by immediately, I mean within minutes of uploading the listing). 

This gives REALTORS a bad name, when they do their job slacking away.  I think other Realtors should call the vendors and ask them, "What does you house look like, since I can't find a picture of it on the internet"  That would staighten out the slacker REaltors and get them back on the right track.  Then we wouldn't have to fine them, since the vendors would do that for us, by either demanding photos or firing them.

                       ;>)

Well, I am not sure I agree on that in every case. I recently took a listing, last night in fact. The seller did not want me to take the photos until she cleaned up the house, uncluttered some rooms. She said to come back in a few days. We are not responsible to take pictures if the seller doesn't want to let us, or want us to wait a few days.

But always have at least 16 photos on every listing.

Wow, I had never really heard of fines from the MLS but apparently it is going on in some states.  That's a great idea.  Talk about a disservice to your clients.  We are headed to unlimited photos on our MLS so it will be interesting to see the balance between the lazy Realtors who don't post anything and the ones that go a little overboard.  Have a great day!

I never enter home in the MLS without multiple photos.  Even if I am waiting on a virtual tour pictures, I take my own on my digitial camera and change them out later.  It may be more work, but people don't even look at listings without photos and so many sellers don't have a clue this is going on. 

It is not the question of entering photos, it is a question about the seller's willingness to give you access to take pistures. Obviously, this is not always the case, but in a rare ocassion this happens. When you only take a few listings this may be easy, but when you are a listing agent carrying more than 30 listings at a time this can be difficult. You run ion schedule, you explain that to your customers. Pure and simple.

If they desire for the listing to go up without photos for a few days, than who are you to to say no.

You can always take the pictures of the front and back yard, but only if the pool area is not cluttered as well.

Ron, it's true as there will always be those in any industry that take the short road, giving the rest of us the opportunity to shine through

Cameron, I'm with you...it feels good to vent sometimes doesn't it? How can they, is the question? H

Brett, sure a warning would be fine. That's a step towards making sure everybody does the right thing that they know darn well that they should be doing at the onset.

Fred, exactly....why even bother if you can't get off your duff and do what is expected - just do the right thing!

Sylvie, that's a good one....show them your listings with no photos - LOL.  I bet they do! They could say goodbye to securing that listing, couldn't they?

I don't enter a listing until I have the photos; no photos then no listing gets entered. That's just the way I do business.

Ann-Marie, Realtors would probably get their act together real quick if we did like you suggest and call on the homeowner to ask what their home looks like! That's another good idea!

Nicholas, sure there are always exceptions as you described if the seller will not let you take photos. This isn't because you didn't want to get the photos.

Shar, we all know that a picture is worth a thousand words! The more words we have going for us on trying to sell a property, the better for us all around. It does appear that fines are becoming more prevalent.  thanks for commenting.

Debbie, you're right. Statistics show that properties without photos are simply overlooked; hence no sale.

I don't get that either. I make one little mistake and I get a notice to correct it. Then I see people who post 6 of the same photo which is against our mls rules and they stay up for months. It irritates me to no end.

The system shouldn't allow the listing to go active without a photo.  That would solve the problem.

Lynn ~ If the realtor doesn't take photos when he or she lists the home and the property is ready to be photographed then the realtor should be fined period.

Lynn, I agree with you completely.  Our MLS system won't allow a listing to be published without a photo. 

I agree - our MLS does not fine for no photos. Another thing I learned is directions are not a required field. Wouldn't you think it might be kind of key to tell buyers HOW to get to the property?

Hi Lynn.

Great topic. I think more and more MLS groups across the country are starting to require photos, and are fining people who don’t have them. I think people also need to consider the quality of their photos, and not just throwing something up to comply with their MLS rules.

In fact, I just wrote a blog asking why agents don’t treat their photos the same as they would staging, repairs, or something of that nature – and just have the seller pay for getting them done right.

And for the record…I’m not a photographer, nor do I offer any photography services. I just feel strongly about good photos with every listing.

Again, great topic.

Hi, I had a blog where I hired a pro for all of my work now....

Cheri....exactly .... the same thing happens with me. Let's get our priorities straight!

Sandra, yes, that would fix it and an easy way to take care of the problem

Nicholas, simply put, simply resolved.

Bob, some other MLS regions definately could learn from yours. That's the way it should be.

Carol, yes directions are important. However, I like to rely on google map even if the directions are there, I'd still search for my own. Thanks for commenting.

Michael, oh so true; quality is a biggie.  I'll see photos that just show an exterior shot or an interior that you cant hardly make out the photo as it's so dark.  What are they thinking?

Thanks for your kind words.

Jack, good for you. Sometimes we're too busy but that doesn't mean that our customers should be comprimised.

Our MLS does have a fine if a listing does not have a photo uploaded within 10 days and the agent's office is billed $11 for this. I would bet it is always the same agents that get fined.

Mary, oh, how I wish that was the case here. It's just criminal how some of these clients are being represented - it's just shameful.

I absolutely agree! It bothers me to a great degree when there is not even one photo, even weeks after it was listed. I'd be embarrassed to give that type of "service", make that "lack of service" to my sellers!

Sale Pros Realty, I hear exactly what you're saying - disgraceful!

Can't agree with you more! There is nothing more frustrating than coming across listings with no photos. Obviously the reason they have no photos is because the house is a dump with no features worthy of being highlighted. That fact that there are no pictures shouldn't really matter anymore because it simply means that the home is not worth your time :-)

Peter, you're right many have no photos when the property isn't the cream of the crop.  However, I'm really amazed when there are absolutely lovely homes with no photos - what are they thinking. If only their customer knew how misrepresented they are; cream of the crop or not.

If agents aren't going to do their best to put the property in its best light, then why do they take the listing? They certainly will not get the property moved quickly without any photos. I don't get it. I say find a new job.

Very good point. Happy selling.

Jim

Jim, thank you....every once in a while I just have to talk about what amazes me in the world of selling

Lynn - You are so right about the fines.  I wrote a blog about listings without pics and another about listings with HORRIBLE pics.  Look at this abomination:  Terrible pic.  Both types should be fined!

Tchaka,  oh my gosh...what a photo... should we run or call ghost busters?  What a joke! Do agents expect to gain an interest from such photos? Really, I just don't get it!

Lynn, I agree with you about the lack of photos.  I can't stand looking through the MLS and seeing so many listings without photos.  One good thing though is that our MLS system has a fine in place for the lack of photos.  Seems to have helped a bit.  Still have the habitual offenders though.

LOL!!!  Ghostbusters might be right, Lynn.  :-)