"BETTER Than New!"

Good post Dawn Brenengen . I think it also known as a 'legal exxageration'. I think we are sometimes allowed to 'exxagerate' without making a lie... New is new. Better than new...? How can it be? I know there's newer, meaning not entirely new, but almost new... Like the consumer products word "improved", you don't see this in our industry, "Here's a nice 'improved' resale".... just sounds funny. However, we do see, "remodeled" quite a lot. If you think of it, most of the homes we sell, unless it's never been lived in before, like a new build, are resales..., you know... used homes. Of course, we never use this word 'used'. So now, we have used homes better than new? Lets define "better"...

I love this business....

Fortunately, most buyers and all Realtors tend to discount this kind of promotional puffery. The idea is to get the listing noticed.

Did it work in this case?

You are correct about the overused descriptors in MLS. Better than new is only valid if the home (I think you mentioned) has had landscaping, upgrades and is still comparably priced to a bare bones new build.

Dear Dawn,

With new homes, you have a starting place. Most people paint, change flooring, landscape, etc. soon after buying, making the home nicer than the original Navajo White walls & linoleum flooring. However, some people just move in & never touch anything afterwards. Then they wonder, why the builder grade paint on the window frames turns to rotten frames a mere 5 years later.

I understand what you're saying, but I tend to think that a good resale is better than new. The yard is done, the home might be upgraded...new construction can also have issues which an older home has already had fixed. 

Dawn...trying to be a wordsmith can bite you in the butt...at the same time it's hard to find new descriptions...to keep an ad from being same-old, same-old...I think I'm better than new at this real estate stuff and I struggle to come up with fresh ads.

Its right up there with those other useless descriptors like cozy, cute, charming and, my favorite, just bring your toothbrush!

It depends on what you're comparing it to, isn't it? A new construction with a composite shingle roof, walls constructed with drywall, doors that are hollow, fixtures that are standard grade, no landscaping, without irrigation sprinkler front and back or block wall fencing and patio and I could go on and on.

The point is there are some homes better than new construction homes and let's not forget location. All those descriptions agents use should be demonstrable upon inspection, otherwise, they lose their credibility as a professional and perceived as being just a salesperson and IMO, not a very good one at that.

In this instance, I'm hoping that the home has been upgraded with features beyond those offered by the builder.  Specifics are better than a catch-all phrase.

If this home is in a market place that is competing directly with new construction, then it could make sense.  Obviously, then the home does need to have the correct amenities to offer to make it stand out as more finished or upgraded, either outside or inside.

Perhaps the listing agent wanted prospects to call and ask what was meant by "better than new".

While it's unfortunate it's mis labled I see nothing wrong with the way it was presented had it been for real. We see a lot of resales sell for far more than brand new homes for those exact reasons.

A lot of folks don't want to deal with landscaping, sprinkler systems, interior appointments, etc. They just want and need a home that's move in ready.

Some home descriptions are so off the mark..it's laughable!  That phrase 'better than new' is a poor one, I agree. This home was probably in an area that competes with nearby new construction

"Better" could describe price.  Also I find a home that is a few years old sometimes has had a chance to be "Shaken down" to reveal all the punch issues and for all the settling and so forth to take place.  Of course this assumes all those issues have been monitored and taken care of.

"Better than new" is one of those idiotic phrases many agents use in advertising that means nothing or means something different to every prospective buyer. We need to get away from cliches like this.

It is a bit of a treat going back and reading some of Active Rains best archives  like this one. Should be shared again.