My 3 Biggest Upsets in the MLS that Make Agents Look Unprofessional
Typos are my #1 upset: My absolute number one upset is searching listings in the MLS and seeing misspelled words. I am a member of CRMLS and we have a spell check but I remember when we did not. I used to copy it onto Word and do my own “Spell Check” to make sure I had no horrible typos.
Just now, I did a random search in the MLS and went through 30 listings and came up with 9 misspelled words in the “Description” section. Everyone eventually sees it since the MLS listings are driven to hundreds of other web sites. I have listed some examples I found below. Almost one third of the listings I went through had typos!
· HOUSE INCLUDES LARGE INCLOSED SCREENED IN PATIO
· Nice for students or fist time home buyers.
· GREAT FOR SMELL FAMILY.
· Well estlablished Neighbor hood Great for first time homebuyer
· THIS IS A SHORT SALE PROPERTY SUBJET TO LENDER APPROVAL.
· NICE PATIO COVER WITH ROUT IRON FENCE.
· SOLD AS IS WITHOU WARRANTY
· PLEASE DONO DISTURB OCCUPANTS
· EACH ROOM HAS ITS OWN SEPERATE BATHROOM
· Lets have a sucessful escrow.
I am not making excuses for agents as I have put listings in at 1:00 AM, tired, rushing and finally done when I hit the submit button. But go back and read it when the link appears. I usually do not like the way it reads and I will edit it 2 or 3 more times until I get it perfect. Yes, 99% of the time, I use the spell check provided. But the next day, I still go back and look again as after a good night sleep. I usually see something I want to change.
Now, just looking at these phrases listed above, do they know how to spell or are they just in hurry and typing the wrong keys? Probably a combination of both but for goodness' sakes, fix it! This is a reflection on the individual agent that he/she is not good with detail, not well educated, and not very professional. Plus it is a reflection on all agents. You can imagine what the readers may be saying to themselves. Don’t they know how to spell? Don’t they have spell check?
To be a real estate agent, you do not have to be English major or even have a college degree. But take a couple of minutes to proof read your product.
When I first started in real estate, I used to do flyers on all my listings. The program had spell check and I thought I carefully proofread them each time. I had this lovely large home and I used the term “Turnkey” in my flyer. I had it listed for several weeks and was doing an open house when a prospective buyer walked in to visit and asked me if I had prepared the flyer. While smiling, I said “Yes I did, why?” He then asked me what a “turkey” house was. I was horrified!! When I thought that this flyer had already been distributed by 60-80 interested buyers already and perhaps they all saw turkey instead of turnkey. Later that day, I showed several of my co-workers and not one of them spotted the typo so I think it may have been hidden well. But believe me, this taught me a valuable lesson. Look over your work product and read, read, read……. The sad thing here, I am not perfect and I had read this flyer over several times and just didn’t spot it!
No pictures in the MLS is my #2 Upset or the main picture taken with a cell phone. I saw 2 of those while finding my misspelled words just now. I think to myself, how lazy can this agent be. Surely we must all have digital cameras as the price is so inexpensive these days.
One of the funniest things I ever saw was a new REO listing with1 picture in the MLS. The agent put in a picture taken when the police were there at the eviction as the car was parked right in front on a dirt circular driveway. Apparently the agent had never gone back to take another picture since. Funny but sad!
For the majority of you, this is not directed at you but just the few agents who are in a hurry and don’t care! I have had misspellings in the past and I am sure I will in the future but all I am saying is proofread and you will have less errors and your image as a professional will be good.
*Our MLS which covers most of California now, will fine agents if they fail to add a front view picture within 10 days of entry of listing.
A really bad photo is my #3 Upset: Can you believe this messy photo? Would you take your buyers to see this house? Either shoot higher than the mess or leave the photo out completely. You do not have to be a professional photographer but with the great digital cameras we have now, it is not too hard to take numerous photos of the room and then go home and crop it. It should not be your intention to mislead the consumer but you want to make the home look good. You want the prospective buyer to see all the nice qualities and cover up any messes.
I actually saw this picture in the MLS; Can you imagine?
My MLS lets us put in 35 pictures so I typically put in all 35. The first place your listing shows up is on the computer so give the buyer a complete picture as I feel, the more the better. Maybe a buyer will call you to show them the house. That’s what we want, right?
*Make your listing look great so that homeowners know what a professional real estate agent you truly are. Perhaps they will call you to list your house as well.
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