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In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property. 6032 Baker Rd. Huntington WV 4 + 2.5 $189,900
http://www.homefinder.com/WV/Huntington/53291356d_6032_Baker_Rd
The photo spread brings a very positive first impression. The angle of the primary photo provides a good feel for the scope of the home. The remainder of the photo spread is well sorted among both exterior and interior photos. Exterior shots show how the small trees fit with the nice landscaping and look of the property from all sides. The interior shots give a potential buyer a very good idea of how the furniture and look of the various rooms can add to the appeal of the property.
However, the description follows by not supporting the photo spread. Selling points such as the shiny hardwood floors, deck, porch, and the 2-car attached garage are not mentioned early. Instead, the creator of this advertisement takes the approach that the potential buyer is already "sold" on considering this property. Pointing out when the roof, tile, and flooring were last updated is an important consideration to a potential buyer. Yet, my feeling from a marketing standpoint is that this is too soon of a time to present those details.
They are counting on keeping the readers' interest to the point of THEN finding out about the features of the interior and exterior, along with details such as all 4 bedrooms being a different size. Yet, after reading the entire page, we still do not know how many of the bedrooms are upstairs or downstairs. These days, 4-bedroom or larger houses are not always for families with children. It could be for a group of roommates or generations of family. In that event, this advertisement does not provide enough information to entice them to follow up. Yet, this could actually be an ideal property for that purpose.
Had the features I describe appeared within the description, and the detail in the description been held out or given later on, this would be a superb advertisement.
GRADE: C+
Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property. Its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property.
7818 Alyssum Dr. Louisville KY $189,900 3 + 2.5
http://www.homefinder.com/KY/Louisville/54457906d_7818_Alyssum_Dr
The first impression based on the primary photo and the appearance of the web page is somewhat positive. However, it stops there.
I can see that there is a series of more exterior and interior photos just under the primary photo. However, after clicking on each picture more than once and the arrow at the end of the line, I could not get any of them to come up. In other words, a technical glitch. Sure, these things happen. But this was my only visit to this page, so I don't know if this just started to happen or if this ad has always been this way. Regardless, it is a negative for a potential buyer who can click on to the next property in the area.
Upon further review of the one photo we can see in detail, this was not taken from the best angle. We see the electrical boxes sticking up fron the ground in the forefront, and the not-matching white fence is more prominent than it needs to be at the lower left of the house. This could have been eliminated by taking the photo from the driveway side. Would have come across as a much more attractive house to start out with.
Next, the description starts with "Better than new 4 yrs old". From there the description fails to prove how it is "better". A simple "Only 4 years old" would have done better. So much for the first impression on the description.
The rest of the description is well written when compared with many other listing descriptions. It is not filled with abbreviations and what I call "Realtor fluff" such as "must see". It does a solid job of presenting the selling points of the interior.
While I understand the intent of putting it in the copy, the "owner says great neighbors" comment comes across like a job resume where the applicant uses his or her parents as a reference. Straight out of the "What would you expect them to say?" category, instead of more copy that sells a specific feature.
I also like the mention of "Basement family room with office area or possible 4th bedroom". This provides a potential buyer with a chance to let his/her imagination run wild and think of what they could do with an extra room. Excellent addition to this copy.
The "Additional Details" section is basically ignored in parts. Sorry, but "2 floor(s)" and no other copy as an "Additional Detail" doesn't cut it. Especially when there is another chance to reinforce the "extra room" aspect. Instead, it gives a final impression to a potential buyer that there isn't anything additional of note to present. Not good at a time when a possible buyer is about to decide whether to pursue this property and contact the agent or move on to look at another listing. It is points like this that detract from the obvious time and effort spent on the mostly positive description copy.
GRADE: C
Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property. Its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
Here is another idea for coping with the current state of the economy.
One story early in this article says a lot:
http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-us-federal-government/13300462-1.html
The part about the couple getting one of the moms to sell and then they all combined their take and bought a wonderful place together.
A better standard of living in this market. True, a lot of people will tell you never to go in on a real estate or big ticket item with friends or family members. But those people also said that long before the economy tanked last year.
As I look around the country at home listings being advertised both on behalf of my clients and for my "Listing of the Day" marketing critiques, I am amazed at the large inventory of 3, 4, and even 5 bedroom homes out there. It doesn't always need a family with a lot of children to put those places to use.
After reading the above-linked article, I realize even more that the benefits of many of these larger houses make them appealing to generations of families.
If I am a seller of a 3 or more bedroom home, I would drop what I'm doing and walk around the house with a notepad. I would explore the possibilities for privacy and/or separation of bedrooms as well as a den or bonus room. If I have, say two bedrooms upstairs and 2 on the main level, it opens up "new" possibilities.
Just maybe there is a family with in-laws that would want a main level bedroom for easy access, while the middle generation uses the upstairs for themselves and for their kids. Gives the parents a built-in sitter, and the older generation the security of having people around them, protection, and a sense of belonging.
If I am a potential buyer of a house, I might want to consider the linked to story and examine the situation of parents or close relatives. Instead of, for example, $250,000 to spend, maybe another $150,000 could be added to the mix. The "in-laws" and us wind up with a much better house in a better area, yet we really save on the mortgage by pooling our resources.
If I am a realty agent, I would be touring my listed properties, whether in person or in my mind, and looking for angles as to how an extended family could be a buyer for a large property.
True, this situation is not for everyone. A couple with good credit won't want to take on an uncle with bad credit and increase risk. I get it.
But in a challenged real estate market, even a few hundred families out of millions could make a difference in the marketplace.
In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property.
17185 Waxwing St., Reno NV $180,000 4 + 2.5
http://realestate.yahoo.com/Nevada/Reno/17185-waxwing-st:58e2c8802f9947d76778d29d628a5dd1
The "first impression" fails to keep my interest. There is only one photo available, which is a wide exterior shot. However, this is late October, and I see a small tree without leaves and snow on the ground. Right away, this makes me think that either this property has been on the market since last winter (or the winter before that?), or that there is some extreme weather in the area, which could also be a turnoff. Either way, that doesn't make me want to look further.
Not only does the description copy fails to address this issue, but it says "completely landscaped with auto sprinklers" as the only reference to the exterior. Yet, the photo shows a worn looking and partially snow covered lawn. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Even though this is a 4 bedroom and 2 1/2 bath home, all we are told in the description is "one bedroom downstairs". Nothing about where the other 3 bedrooms are, whether or not they are different in size, and the placement of any of the bathrooms. Learning there arre "custom hickory cabinets" is nice, but frankly not an immediate concern for a potential buyer seeking a 4-bedroom property.
Worse yet, the information portals for "Neighborhood" and schools are left as "Not available". A chance to sell that is wasted, unless the neighborhood is not good and there are no schools close by.
At least there is phone contact information on the page, even if there aren't any reasons to use it. I mention this because I linked to the "more details" icon, and on the next page there is a space where phone contact information is left blank. My guess is that they don't expect anyone to click on it.
Upon clicking on the "more details" link, it still only offers the same single exterior photo and the exact same copy in the initial description. However, beyond that comes the details which contains several strong sales points not yet mentioned.
After all this, then we come to learn that there is a storage shed, covered patio, laundry room, and some nice features pertaining to the master bedroom. The very things that should have been first on the list. And now on the page that doesn't even have information on how to contact the agent.
If I was the seller, I would be disappointed at how the best selling points are buried until the end, at a point at which most people would likely have clicked to the next property available.
If I was a potential buyer, I wouldn't have stayed around anywhere near long enough to see the selling points that could have attracted my interest.
If I was the agent, I would have checked both of these ad pages long ago and made sure that the important sales points were addressed much sooner, that the photo(s) were current and appealing, and that I could easily be contacted.
GRADE: D+
Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property. Its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
A parking lot or homes in the neighborhood?
This is one of those arguments where both sides have some valid points. A popular restaurant and bar in a Milwaukee, WI suburb needs more room for its patrons to park. Area homeowners wants their streets and parking spaces back and don’t care about the restaurant. Local media coverage includes showing which City Council members voted which way by giving names.
http://www.wauwatosanow.com/news/63679912.html
While I can see both sides of the story, I find that from both a personal and professional standpoint I have the same opinion on this one.
I agree that this restaurant should be able to provide the additional parking and facilities to accommodate all of the customers it possibly can. If potential customers have the “but it’s hard to find parking” thought in the back of their mind, that restaurant is going to lose out on revenue. It would be one thing for someone to have to park ½ block or more away in warm weather, but Milwaukee is a cold weather city. People won’t go where they have to park further away. The area is not exactly a public transportation mecca.
The restaurant is correct in not wanting to have people who have had a few drinks walking down a neighborhood street, especially late at night. I would bet that some homeowners have been awakened by “conversation” in the night from people walking to their cars. Worse yet, I’m sure some have started a morning by noticing a section of lawn that has acted as a bathroom.
Yet, these same homeowners benefit by having the successful restaurant and bar right there in the community. It benefits the local economy and draws attention from people who might not otherwise come and spend in the area.
This vote is about razing 2 houses adjacent to the restaurant. My opinion is that given the choices a potential home buyer has in this market, living right next to a crowded restaurant and bar is not at the top of the list of preferences. Yet, living “down the block” from a thriving business but having peace and quiet and plenty of guest parking on the street would seem more appealing to a potential local buyer than the current situation.
If the real estate market were such that homes were in such demand, I might think differently on this.
One other personal comment. I’ll admit I would like to see this establishment succeed because it is willing to take on the responsibility of providing free parking and services for a large customer base. I take issue with having to pay to park to do business. I shouldn’t have to pay to be “outside” while I pay to do business inside an establishment. People are way too tolerant of paying to park, especially at downtown prices in most cities.
So, yes, knock down the 2 houses, give the restaurant the space it needs to do it right. Give the neighborhood some quiet, and let the economy flourish.
Would you do the same?
I made sure that many of my clients were made aware of this story - about how a former president of the Wisconsin Assn. of Realtors just filed for bankruptcy.
Yet, I don't have a client base in Wisconsin (as of now).
http://www.jsonline.com/business/64304382.html
Since this is still more negative publicity coming from the real estate industry, I'm betting that this story will get some national media play. And more consumers will see this and become more hesitant and/or skeptical about doing anything in the real estate market.
I'll pass along the same advice here as I am to my clients. This is a good time to softly let it be known that your company is on solid financial ground (provided it truly is) right now. Make a current and even potential client feel safe about contacting your office. Let consumers feel like this story is isolated and not a reflection of the marketplace.
There are still plenty of investors out there looking to make decisions by the end of the year. Those same investors saw the "sudden" rise in the stock market on the same day this real estate story broke.
More negative publicity for realty agents and home sellers to deal with. But it should be dealt with and not left out there to do any more P R damage. Right?
Admittedly I haven't been very kind to realty firms lately, based on the Listing of the Day marketing reviews and the rash of negative market publicity often fueled by realty associations.
But I must give a ton of credit to Re/Max of Northern Illinois for revealing some very interesting research within the past few days.
They quietly produced research about home sales and home prices in Chicago area suburbs in proximity to the region's commuter train line. And the results allow for a positive spin.
Again this year, their study measured home sales and home prices in selected suburbs and communities served by Metra trains. This year, the results showed that 19.2% fewer homes changed hands within the "Metra towns", along with price declines at levels 2% less than declines shown for all suburbs. The study included both attached and detached homes.
I agree with the speculation that this is due to the high cost of gas everywhere and for parking in Chicago. Even monthly parking "specials" are running upwards of $250 - $300 or more per month. Even parking meters have risen to $3.00 or more per hour. Factor in big city traffic, and a lot of the workforce sees the advantage of having proximity to a train that saves them time sitting in traffic, gas costs, and exhorbitant parking fees.
What this means for home owners in these areas (and near commuter train lines) is that they have gained a significant selling point to attract potential buyers if and when they are ready. And a reason to ask for a better price compared with an area which might be just a few miles further away.
Sellers in a "Metra town" can certainly gain from this. A potential buyer has a good reason to consider the location if they could ride the train to and from work or school every business day.
This is the type of story that realty agents should be all over. If I were a licensed agent but not with a Re/Max office, I would still alert my client "owners" in these areas to this study, and let them know that I can help them just the same as the company that released this information. And I would get a mailer or some sort of alert out to homes and condos within my farm area pronto. If I were a licensed agent with a Re/Max office, I would probably out knocking on doors personally to hand deliver this study within a couple miles of every Metra station I could get to.
And if I were a licensed realty agent in an area other than Chicago, I'd have dropped whatever I was doing to research commuter train usage within my farm area. Today.
This information certainly beats the usual "sales are down compared with last year, whoa is me" stories the realty associations churn out.
Let's see if the agents and home owners can take this news to the bank. By train, of course.
In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property.
3002 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee WI 5 + 2 $259,000
http://realestate.jsonline.com/properties/search/detail.php?qBackToSearch=qCity%3Dmilwaukee%26qState%3DWI%26propertyType%255B0%255D%3DSingle%2BFamily%26qMinPrice%3D175%252C000%26qMaxPrice%3D275%252C000%26qBedrooms%3D2-%26qBathrooms%3D1-%26qAction%3Dsearch%26qTerms%3Dsell%26qSearchTab%3Dsell%26propertySearchFormsubmit.x%3D44%26propertySearchFormsubmit.y%3D36%26pagesize%3D20%26view%3Ddetailed%26qtotal%3D117%26qSortBy%3DPrice%26qSortDirection%3DDESC&qAdid=10893060069001a6e67&propertyNumber=10
This listing advertisement review could be summed up in 3 words - Not enough information.
It appears there are several selling points for this home, yet they are either not presented or not reinforced.
The description begins by pointing out this is a "3 story classic restored to its original style - exquisite character....". Yet, all we are shown is one, count 'em, one photo. A photo which shows a tree with no leaves in front, while it is angled so that one can't easily determine if this is the front or back of the home. We don't see an entrance, where the home is relation to the street, whether or not there is a driveway, garage, or a yard. Keep in mind this is a FIVE bedroom home. The third floor looks very small from this angle, more like an add-on, guest room, or attic. There is no way to get a feel for the "exquisite character" when all we have is one poor photo.
In addition, the description copy is not geared toward who could live there, important since this is a 5 bedroom home. I understand that you cannot gear an ad toward a specific category or group of potential buyers, but this copy has nothing to make a guess about.
For example, there is zero mention of the area this home is in. Upon my checking the map link (and assuming the Google map is accurate this time around), this home is very near the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. That would cause me to speculate that a 5 bedroom home could be shared among students and/or be used as an income property. Putting in "1 block from UWM" would make that point obvious without actually saying it. If it is intended more for a large family, then the information about the home being restored to its original character has little to no bearing for a family looking for something affordable in this area.
Furthermore, the room dimensions below only include 4 bedrooms, and this is supposed to be a FIVE bedroom home. Worse yet, all 4 bedrooms which are shown have different dimensions, so we don't know if they left out a smaller or a larger bedroom.
Much of the description copy is shown with abbreviations. Not everyone knows automatically that "HWF" means hardwood floors. There is not even a period at the end of the last sentence, so we don't know if this ad was supposed to end there, or if copy was cut off. An advertisement seeking more than one-quarter million dollars from a buyer merits full sentences and a proper description.
This appears to be the listing agent merely copying the description from the MLS form which goes to other agents and slapped in any old photo, whose job it is to know the abbreviations.
Yet there is more. This ad is among those on this site showing the "original price" and "current price", which in this instance is the same amount. This tells a potential buyer (if still around to read it) that there is no price reduction (yet) for this home. Unless there has been a price reduction, this category should not be included. The advertiser should have the say. (If it is newspaper policy to always show this, then I would advertise new listings elsewhere to not scare away potential buyers.) To top it all off, there is not even a phone number to call the listing agent. (Maybe he knows nobody is going to bother based on the rest of this ad, but still.........)
Yet, this is what appears on the web site of the dominant newspaper in the marketplace.
If I was a potential buyer, I probably would not have kept looking after seeing that photo. If I had, I would have bailed after the description copy since it gives no idea about the area or hints about who should buy it.
If I was the seller, I would be furious that there are no additional photos and nowhere near enough information to entice a potential buyer. I would be upset that the agent I am trying to pay a commission to took what appears to be about 30 seconds to prepare this ad.
Including the few selling points helped raise my original grade just a bit.
GRADE: D-
Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property. Its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property.
15965 Madison Street, Omaha NE $245,000 4 + 3
http://homes.omaha.com/properties/search/detail.php?qBackToSearch=qAction%3Dsearch%26page%3D1%26qTerms%3Dsell%26mode%3Dsell%26qSearchTab%3Dsell%26propertyType%255B0%255D%3DHomes%26qBedrooms%3D2-%26qBathrooms%3D1-%26qLotSizeUnits%3DsmallUnits%26imp_propertyType_sell%3DHomes%26qMinPrice%3D150%252C000%26qMaxPrice%3D250%252C000%26imp_qBedrooms%3D2-%26imp_qBathrooms%3D1-%26qKeywords%3Domaha%26pagesize%3D20%26view%3Ddetailed%26qtotal%3D30%26qSortBy%3DPrice%26qSortDirection%3DDESC&qAdid=omaha_deebRE_2091767600000009c006f&propertyNumber=5
This ad reflects the real estate agent mindset of 15 years ago before the internet came into prominence. Not enough information. Potential buyers no longer have to place phone calls and wait for a return call after they have put away the newspaper or finished driving around.
For a job search, the purpose of the cover letter is to interest the employer into viewing the resume. The purpose of the resume is to get the interview. The purpose of the interview is to get the job. And so on.
In this instance, the ad has a very strong photo spread that brings out potential selling points of this home, even though the exterior shot was taken on a cloudy and dreary day. (It is advertising a quarter-million dollar home. Have the photo re-shot on a sunny day!) The use of a high percentage of interior photos is strong. There is enough furniture and fixtures on display to show a potential buyer how nice the various rooms can look.
However, it stops there. There is NO description copy. All we get are photos and some facts.
For "information" on this advertisement, all we get is the logo of the realty company and places to click to REQUEST more information.
Sorry, but considering that I can click "NEXT" and see details about other properties in the same area and price range, I see no reason to be on the internet and still have to wait until (or unless) someone follows up with me.
This home is not being "sold" in the ad. No sizzle and we see a little bit of the steak. It is far from being the only property available. Why should a potential buyer consider this property instead of others? I still don't know.
This agent did little or nothing more than place this ad without addressing the need for a sales pitch for the property. On the web site of the dominant newspaper in town. No thanks.
GRADE - D -
Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property and is its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property.Appleton St., Orlando FL 4 + 3 $349,900 http://www.homefinder.com/FL/Orlando/47698267dFrankly, this is one of those examples I would use in the first day of a marketing class. An example of why there is such a need for improvement when it comes to the advertising and marketing of properties.
First of all, there is no address shown for this property. It could be on Appleton Street, but this is actually a guess since this is where the Google map included shows it to be. Yet, we have no way to verify that it is in, as the ad reads, "one of orlando's premier neighborhoods". (Not to mention that I quote the ad directly which has the city of Orlando not capitalized.)
When I first randomly chose this ad on October 7th, it still showed that "will be Open House on October 4th". Later in the day when I went back to the page to complete this review, that had been removed. I can't overlook how I first saw an ad for a home with an Open House but no address. Ouch.
The photo spread is excellent with a nice blend of impressive interior photos combined with exterior shots which do a superb job of showcasing this property.
However, the description is inconsistent, especially for a home of this magnitude. Not only does it jump from outside to inside and all around, but a sentence consisting of "Home repiped" has absolutely no business being placed ahead of "Large fenced yard with great porches.". Actually, "Home repiped" has no business being anywhere in a description which is supposed to entice a potential buyer to want to know more.
Many of the selling points in the description are solid, even if not in reasonable order. Other selling points, based on seeing the photo spread, are not reinforced in the copy.
After reading the fragmented sentences, the name of the city not in capital letters, and about a home with no street address showing, I decided to check the realty firm's web site to try and find the street address. After looking through the upcoming weekend's open house profiles, I did not find this property there. I went to the list of agents in this office, yet could not find the name of the agent listed on this ad on the company web site.
To recap, I found this ad initially promoting an outdated Open House even though there is no address shown. The description is not fundamentally sound even with several good selling points. I could not find the address on either the supposed map page or on the company web site, then I could not find the supposed listing agent information.
Yet, the seller would pay a commission to this agent to help cover the cost of it being advertised via the web site of the Orlando Sentinel. It should be the responsibility of this agent (and any agent advertising a property) to check and double check every advertisement and representation that goes out there. Obviously, this one isn't.
GRADE: D+Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property and is its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
In an effort to improve the impact of the marketing of listings, I randomly choose current listings around the country in a variety of price ranges and comment on their effectiveness. No current clients of mine are used, nor do I know any sellers or buyers or have any additional information about the property.
1344 N. Pine Grove Wichita KS 5 + 2 $249,000
http://www.homefinder.com/KS/Wichita/54344110d_1344_N_Pine_Grove
This home is not the most nor the least expensive in this area.
On first impression, this photo spread is excellent. One of the best I have ever seen for a residential listing, especially for one priced under $300,000. It has an excellent sequence, showing that the proper planning and detail went into it.
The primary exterior photo immediately shows the detail, size, scope, and good landscaping of the home. The group of interior photos which follow give the potential buyer an impressive but realistic view of the various rooms. There is the right amount of furniture and pieces in the home to give it the "lived in" feel that I find important, rather than too much clutter or an empty room. The viewer of these photos has enough to get a perception of what his/her furniture could look like in these rooms. The one of the island kitchen is ideal, making the kitchen look both large and stylish, while keeping it real.
Wrapping up the photo spread with an exterior shot from the back works extremely well in this situation. It convinces potential buyers that the house is well kept all around. (Face it, some homes are not exactly as sharp from behind as they are from the front, but this one appears to be.)
Just as this home would build up my hope as a potential buyer, the description copy sets it back from the first line forward. "One owner home immaculate" communicates to messages; however this is not a sentence. "A lot of trim work" does not come across as a selling point. The skeptical potential buyer could have a number of interpretations of "trim work". Does this refer to interior? Exterior? Is it because it was badly in need of "a lot" of trim work?
Why is this such a big deal? Because there is a list of properties in this area within this price range. With so many properties to choose from, an ad or description which loses the potential buyer's interest gives him, her, or them a reason to click on to the next listing. The second thought should be a more significant selling point, which, based on the photo spread, this home has.
The remainder of the copy is grammatically incorrect. I found one spelling error, and that was from reading this. (It's not like I put it through spell check.) As of this writing, part of one sentence reads "Mst bdrm is hugh with master bath suite." Hugh? Worse yet, much of the copy fails to 'sell' this home.
Look at the last sentence, which reads "Electric dog fence, the lawn service is for common area only." This is the last sentence of a potential buyer's "first impression". A dog owner might not even want an electric fence, and a potential buyer without a dog doesn't care. I would like to think that "the lawn service" is not something that a new owner is forced to keep. And if it is, why would a seller want a negative to be known at the start?
Then again, that last sentence comes after the "5 don't miss showing this home.", which I am quoting directly.
Frankly, if I were the seller of this home, I would be furious with this ad. It appears on the leading local newspaper web site. Obviously, there wasn't so much as a proofreading before it went to press. Other than the excellent photos, the description overlooks several good selling points and contains errors.
The photos and the presentation of contact information are strong enough to raise this one grade point.
GRADE: D+Note: This commentary is uncompensated and for marketing purposes only and is no reflection on the featured property and is its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither Dave Kohl nor First In Promotions shall be held responsible for any representations.
At this time, I have openings for more realty agent/office clients to critique current and brand new listings on an hourly basis. No current or past client listings are featured on this blog.Random listings are chosen around the country.
Your comments are most welcome!
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