Listing of the Day - Folsom CA

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.


127 Casselman St, Folsom CA $269,900 3 + 2


http://template.metrolistmls.com/sacramentobee/cgi-bin/GetOne.cfm?MLSNum=90076410&


The first impression is not as strong as it could be. The initial photo is one of only 2 exterior photos, and because of the big tree in front it shows off little more than the garage and driveway. The other exterior photo is of the back of the house. As a result, we are unable to get a true feel for the appearance of the exterior. Of course, we easily see the For Sale sign in the front. As if that would have any impact on a potential buyer. Over the years, I have seen it too many times where the For Sale sign seems to have an impact on the angle of a photo. Not a smart move.

While presenting several interior photos is usually a good thing, the empty room shots make it difficult for a potential buyer to envision how furniture or decorations would fill the room. Seeing a tag (which appears to be a price or service tag) on the dishwasher in the kitchen shot seems odd, since there is nothing in the copy to indicate any new appliances.

The description copy is too much Realtor fluff and not enough facts to entice a potential buyer. We are not told or shown why this is a "Great Location". We are told this property is "Turn-Key", but having seen that it is empty from the photos makes a potential buyer think of the work needed to fill the house with furniture. Using description copy for "Look at the pics!" is a waste of time. Being told this is "Not A Short Sale or REO" could be interpreted as this home not being available at a low or special price.

Having RV or boat parking could be a plus, although we don't know enough about the location to determine if there is a lake and/or recreation area nearby. The very last fact is "Horse prop", with no further details.

As a potential buyer, I could GUESS that the home is in or near a recreation area, could have horses and is near camping and boating. But, frankly, I have no idea. I also know this property is empty.

This home is far from the only one in this same area and within this price range. I can't even see what the actual front of the house looks like. Details and selling points are few and far between.

Use of "Response to offers immediately" within the description is not only poor grammar (which reflects on the listing agent), but indicates desparation.

In my opinion, the agent will keep going back to the seller saying "I'm not getting offers which are high enough" and blame the marketplace. The seller should blame the agent for presenting this property in such a way that there is little to no reason to make a full-price offer.

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!