H.R. Puffery 'N Stuff!
Puffery? Isn't that the little toucan looking aquatic bird?? No, Puffery isn't a puffin, but real estate involves a lot of "puffin"!.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, puffery is:
"term frequently used to denote the exaggerations reasonably to be expected of a seller as to the degree of quality of his product, the truth or falsity of which cannot be precisely determined."
Now puffery isn't limited to real estate by any means! You see the advertising for a Big Mac and a Whopper. Ever seen a burger from the drive through that even REMOTELY looked like those pictures? No you haven't! But you know going in not to expect that. No car is ever everything it is in the ads, and spraying AXE body spray on you isn't going to get all the young ladies to uncontrollably swarm you!
In some ways, marketing real estate isn't that much different from those burgers, cars and body spray! As listing agents, our job is to create an appealing product, it just has a MUCH higher price tag than those other items! To emphasize the attractive features of the home, to create that story, that emotional bond that draws you into asking to see the home. And yes, those descriptions are going to use ample descriptive words that are on the subjective side.
Because would "Three bedroom, 2.5 bath ranch home on .3 acre lot" get your attention? Meh. Blah. Next. Or would "Spacious home with large deck and private, peaceful backyard for you to enjoy while you watch the sunset every evening!" be more likely to pique your interest?
"Spacious" is a matter of opinion. For some people, 1000 sq feet fits, for other people they want 6,000 ft! And "private" and "peaceful"? Again, open to interpretation. If you grew up next to the railroad tracks, perhaps the chunka, chunka, chunka sound is soothing, but to others it is a MAJOR nuisance. And that next door corporate office park gives you plenty of both on the WEEKEND!
But puffery doesn't allow blatant distortion and changing of true facts. As REALTORS® we're obligated to provide a "true and accurate" representation of the property. No photoshopping to remove the high power lines, no exaggerating the number of bedrooms, etc. Now does it happen? Yes, been there, done that when showing homes. Sorry, but a bedroom in the basement with NO egress means it is NOT a bedroom per our local rules, closet or not. Water view shouldn't mean while standing on the roof with binoculars, and "Wooded View" shouldn't mean two neighbors over while your lot is a former cornfield with nothing higher than a three foot shrub.
The good news? The Internet is offering tools to help us determine the actual truthfulness of claims. Photographs are a must to properly advertise a home, and our MLS has a Birds Eye view option that can zoom into the property and look at it from all four directions. If someone is claiming Wooded, it's easy to confirm. Is their interpretation of Wooded is that one tree deep hedgerow against the neighbor's farm field? If they're claiming bedrooms in the basement and there's no walkout, you know the truth has been stretched.
You and your agent can use the tools available to help avoid wasting time on homes that AREN'T what they're cracked up to be, and isn't that what you want to avoid, wasting your time and getting your hopes up? Seriously, if the listing agent and seller are that "creative" to the point of dishonesty, do you really want to risk a transaction with them?
We've had plenty of experience marketing Warren County homes. We'll use those "warm and fuzzy" descriptors and the facts to help get buyers interested in your home! Puffery is okay, lying is not. Any questions on what we can do for you, please don't hesitate to give us a call! Whether you're a home buyer, or home seller, we've got the tools to make your experience the best it can be!
Serving Warren County's real estate needs,
Liz and Bill aka BLiz
P.S. And don't even get us started on the puffery in use to market real estate agents! How many #1 agents can you have in a neighborhood anyway???
P.P.S. If you're looking for some H.R. Puffenstuf, check Youtube :)
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