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Animals of the MLS

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Zion Realty

In this week's edition of Animals of the MLS we have a happy hound who's delighted to take center stage. These mid-sized dogs are usually the upbeat and energetic type who will bounce up and down the second their owner comes through the door after a long day at work. I bet this guy will wear you out on a trip to the park to play endless hours of fetch. There's also a good chance he likes to cuddle up on the couch with his owners for some late night movie watching in hopes of getting a few hand fed treats! 

These medium sized dogs generally pack a lot of energy which can mean bad things when it comes to preparing a home to be placed up for sale. First of all, these spirited and active tail-waggers are routinely known to be jumpers. If the animal is not removed or kenneled for showings a potential buyer could be turned off or distracted by the enthusiastic creature vying for their attention by jumping up on them. Secondly, a lively breed such as this can also be known for digging whether that be at the carpet inside, or the grass and gravel outside. A good agent would be prepared to give the homeowner a thorough and honest property evaluation to determine what, if any, repairs need to be done because of damaged caused by their beloved family pet. 

As for the picture of the room itself there are quite a few corrections I would have made aside from removing the precious pooch. You can see from the darkness through the windows that this photo shoot was done at night. Lack of natural light makes this space seem dark and uninviting. Having home pictures taken during daytime hours allows the ability to open up the window treatments and curtains to let the sun shine through which not only helps in enlarging spaces but giving a brighter feel to home shoppers. The second issue I have is the furniture. It's big, bulky, and taking up most of the room. Again, I'd venture to guess this front living area is much larger than the picture makes it seem but the over sized couches, and large coffee table don't do it justice. Hiring a professional stager to reconfigure this room would have done wonders in opening up the area to show it's true potential. 

If you're selling your home in Gilbert, Arizona or the East Valley let the experts at Zion Realty help you. We take professional photos and put together a perfect marketing strategy to sell your property. Contact us at ZionRealtyAZ.com today!

 

 

Comments(25)

Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Nicole - Cute mini-dog. The problem with so many room photos is the composition - this one should have focused on the room itself and avoided the entry.

Jan 30, 2016 05:49 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

I just wonder how many photos this dog tried to photo bomb Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert 

Jan 30, 2016 06:32 AM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

Bob - Yes, I failed to mention the very dirty carpet!

Tammy - But isn't it just so cute the way that dog jumped up all over you? NOT!

Sharon - Even if the owner is a day sleeper I would still find some sort of way to take those pictures during the daytime or at least before the sun went completely down.

Nina - Well, I didn't want to completely lambaste the picture. 

Raymond - The really tiny ones usually think they're even bigger!

Dick - I agree. It looks like they tried to walk a few steps up the stairway to get a different perspective but all it did was cut off the living space and bring in the unnecessary entry way. 

Paul - I bet he followed this agent around the whole time they were there!

Jan 30, 2016 06:49 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Nicole, the photo is dark and the pooch ... good grief. I just do not understand why some agents don't get a clue and why sellers hire agents that don't have a clue.

Jan 30, 2016 07:24 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

FEATURED IN CRAP-TACULAR


 

MR. CRAPPY DOES NOT LIKE CRAPPY MLS PHOTOS 

Jan 30, 2016 07:26 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Never get agents that take their interior photos at night.  It does look dark and depressing in there.

Jan 30, 2016 09:09 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Nicole I will give a benefit of a doubt that the dog may have jumped in the picture without the person taking the picture know.  BUT why post, and what was the purpose of taking a picture from that angle in the first place.  This one has me stumped.

Jan 30, 2016 09:18 AM
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Agreed.  There is probably another angle that would show off the room better.  Pooch is cute though.

Jan 30, 2016 10:31 AM
Rosemarie Heindel
Harry Norman Realtors - Big Canoe, GA
Rosemarie Heindel

I think animals should definitely be removed for all showings. That's harder to do with cats I know, but at least dog owners could throw a leash on their dogs and take them for a walk or a ride in the car.

Jan 30, 2016 01:13 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Good morning Nicole.  I have been in homes where the dogs or cats rule the roost.  Their owners think they (dogs or cats) cannot do no wrong.  No matter what one says.  Sometimes it is better to zip the lip and go with it than to talk to their owners about the turnoff to potential buyers.  

Jan 30, 2016 07:29 PM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Forget the dog, the least of the problems in this room.  The furniture is way too big for the space.

Jan 30, 2016 10:13 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

So much wrong with this picture. How any agent can think this is marketing is beyond me.

Jan 30, 2016 11:41 PM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

Kathleen - Mr. Crappy has every right to poo poo this photo!

Chris Ann - I've seen some really nice exterior night photos but those are usually luxury listings with great city views. Interior pictures at night? Not so much.

George - Any digital camera lets you review each photo as you take them. This could have easily been re-shot after the dog was removed.

Ryan - I know that front room is bigger than it seems in the photo. Too bad potential buyers didn't get the full scope. 

Rosemarie - It is more difficult with cats, but then again, usually with cats they'll hide out until you and your buyers are gone. 

James - I've found that most pet owners are receptive to at least hearing me talk about the cons of having their animals in the house for showings. 

Roger - It's massive! It really should have been scaled down or reconfigured. 

Sharon - It's getting better industry wide the past few years. I think this picture was from 2012. 

Jan 31, 2016 06:19 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

It's always fun to see the animals from your MLS. There are a lot of them. I'll have to watch ours more closely.

Some of those little rascals can be really fierce, even if they appear friendly in their photos

Sadlt the pooch doesn't add to the quality of this photo. He may be the best thing about it

Jeff

Jan 31, 2016 07:19 AM
Conrad Allen
Re/Max Professional Associates - Webster, MA
Webster, Ma, Realtor

Hi Nicole.  Potential buyers are always worried about being bitten by the little yappers.

Jan 31, 2016 09:09 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Nicole --- Another edition "Of What Was The Listing Agent Thinking?".   Yikes!

Jan 31, 2016 11:33 PM
John Meussner
Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA
#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

Cute pup, not not a good look on the photobomb!  It's a shame this pic was taken at night, with those large windows the sunlight certainly would have livened the place up.

Feb 01, 2016 06:48 AM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

 Good evening Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert . Looks to be another rank amateur shot from a real estate agent impersonating a photographer.

Feb 01, 2016 07:15 AM
Rob Thomas
Prestige Homes of The Tri Cities, Inc. CALL....423-341-6954 - Bristol, TN
Bristol TN-VA & Tri Cities Agent, ABR, GRI, e-Pro

Don't know how I missed this one Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert ....I love this series!

Feb 01, 2016 08:37 AM
Robert Vegas Bob Swetz
Las Vegas, NV

Hello Nicole ... cute photo and it's hilarious and weird how animals get caught up in these photos!

Feb 01, 2016 11:40 AM