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Why would you not have pictures for a property?

By
Real Estate Agent with ERA Henley Real Estate
Why would you not have pictures for a property? This is the question that a young client ask me as we were touring a property the very nice that had no pictures in the MLS for over 10 days. My answer was incompetence. I know the agent and she has been a good agent for a long time. However that seem to be changing. It is changing because she is not keeping up with what is needed in todays world where 80% of the buyers are using the Internet to decide what properties they want to see. This is also the way most agents are previewing properties to show. I showed the property because I knew the street and ask my clients if they would go see. It was not on their list. Our policy is we will not enter a property in the MLS until it has pictures to enter with it. Would we list a property and not put up a sign for 10 to 14 days? It is just as important to have pictures and more than one or two. In our MLS nearly everyday a third to half of the new listings on the hot sheet have less than 2 pictures and most of those have no pictures. I do feel that is incompetence. We as REALTORS need to do better for our clients.
Debi Braulik
www.roundrealestate.com - Maple Valley, WA
Selling Maple Valley to Fife WA Homes For Sale
No pictures in the MLS bugs me! It is such a simple thing to do. Our MLS lets you put in 12 pictures. I usually manage to fill all of the slots. Lucky for you if only 1/3 to 1/2 of the listings do not get pictures, it will be really easy for you to distinguish yourself!
Apr 06, 2007 03:23 AM
Herb Hamilton
RE/MAX Preferred Inc. Realtors - Portland, OR
Real Estate Broker ,CDPE, Downtown Portland

Rusty,

It is an incredible loss of marketing opportunity. When I look in the MLS and see no photo, I immediately think that the house must be a Dog or has some sort of terrible feature next door that they do not want anyone to see. So I don't. Or at least it is put on the back burner as a will see last. Top priorities are reserved for properties with photos and descriptions.

Apr 06, 2007 03:28 AM
Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est
Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA
Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

Wow, 10 days??  In our MLS you can get a fine if you do not post at least one picture within 24 hours.

I have noticed one agent in our MLS putting only one picture up and a once sentence description, if any, for her listings.  I know that at least one of those homes was just beautiful and deserved a nice paragraph describing its features and several interior pictures.

Some of them may be of the "old school" thinking, stating that "Don't give them too much information, make them hungry for more and force them to make an appointment.."  but that just doesn't work.  When I was searching for homes for a possible relocation to Missouri, I didn't even bookmark the ones without pictures or with only an exterior shot.  And we all know I'm not alone... 

Apr 06, 2007 03:32 AM
Scott Gormley
Oak Valley Mortgage-California Home Loans and Refinancing - Chico, CA

But what is worse than that...People that take blurry pictures that are out of focus or don't do the property justice.

Scott

Apr 06, 2007 03:33 AM
Renée Donohue~Home Photography
Savvy Home Pix - Allegan, MI
Western Michigan Real Estate Photographer

I love when people use their cell phones and they are old cell phones and blurry (like Scott says!)

Randy Prothero wrote on this.  Possible pocket listing perhaps? 

Apr 06, 2007 04:17 AM
George W. Miller
Keller Williams Realty - Naugatuck, CT
Naugatuck and Beacon Falls Real Estate
I agree with Herb, whenever I see a listing without pictures and one with only one picture I get the feeling its a poor property. I also push aside listings with no description. I hate to take the chance that I'll miss a good property but I can't waste time on properties that tell me or show me nothing.
Apr 06, 2007 04:31 AM
Portland Oregon Real Estate | Alecia Barnes - Broker
Portland, OR
The last statistic that I was quoted on regarding buyers and the internet was that 77% of all home searches start on the Internet. What a dis-service to our potential clients relocating from another market. This growing segment of buyers absolutely love virtual tours, and lots of photos. I look for the listings that give me the best possible feeling for the property.
Apr 07, 2007 05:33 PM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals
Don't forget real estate staging before those photos are taken will give the best impression to those 77-80% searching on the internet.  We don't want the wow to stop when they open the door either. "I love it & I'll take it" is what we as a team are looking for.
May 14, 2007 04:49 PM