Listing of the Day advertising critique - Biloxi MS

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.


227 Rue Petit Bois, Biloxi MS 3 + 2 $249,999


http://www.homefinder.com/MS/Biloxi/60147845d_227_Rue_Petit_Bois

There is only one photo in this advertisement and it leads to a mixed reaction upon first glance. The house itself looks to be solid, well built, newer, and large, which is a positive. We can clearly see that there is an attached garage, also a positive in this warm climate environment. However, we have a car and a van in the driveway, a less-than-spectacular looking lawn, and what appears to be an empty house inside.

The description copy is also a mixed bag. Terms such as “amazing style” and “open concept living” were probably put in to add sizzle, but they fail to tell a potential buyer anything helpful. Even after personally reading thousands of property ads over the years, I’m not sure I know what “bullnose corners” are, while I have to guess that “s.s. appl’s” refers to stainless steel appliances.

The last sentence is Realtor fluff at its best, ending with “convenient w. Biloxi location too!”. We are left with no idea of what makes this property a good location. We can tell from the address of the property that it is in Biloxi, along with the fact that many potential buyers probably find this advertisement because they search by city. There are only 4 lines of description copy as it is, and wasting words wastes the selling opportunity for the listing agent. We are never told how many cars fit in the garage anywhere in this advertisement.

Worse yet, this ad still needs editing. One sentence starts with a lower case letter, it shows “s. S. Appl’s” just like that, which is not correct casing in addition to being a confusing abbreviation. Sorry, but this typesetting makes everyone look bad. If this is really how the listing agent turned in this ad, the newspaper should have made the necessary punctuation changes.

Meanwhile, the description does not enhance the photo, and vice versa. Too little thought went into the preparation. If this is a “custom home”, we have nothing in the photo to support that since it doesn’t look lived in. If this is a newly built home (which we are not told), the photo would support that, but the current description copy does not. For a quarter-million dollar property, when there are other homes in the same price range and area now available, potential buyers do not need to be seek clarification when they can easily click ahead to the next property. The seller is entitled to having the agent do more than put in a hastily snapped single photo and some fluff in the copy being the representation of this property.

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!

Listing of the Day advertising critique - Annapolis MD

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 infomation about the property.


2572 Riva Rd. #7B Annapolis MD, 2 + 1 $194,000

http://www.homesinannapolis.com/homedetails.html?lid=11655


This is another example of the carelessness of realty agents and how much it adds to the challenges of today’s marketplace. The seller should be livid over this.

After the good primary photo, it is all downhill from there. The remainder of the photo spread is of the interior, which normally is a solid strategy. However, in this instance it shows that the unit is empty, which does not allow a potential buyer to get a feel for the depth and scope of a room. In addition, there are 2 photos of the bathroom, which does not appear as having been upgraded or anything spectacular.

The agent is also hurt by the headline key facts which show this 2-bedroom unit as reportedly being under 1,000 square feet. The description copy starts out reasonably well even if it only highlights exterior features such as the view and the location. It goes totally downhill from there. We learn that the “condo fee includes pool, gas heat, cooking, water……” and more, yet are not given any indication as to whether or not the fee is a large amount or not. But we need to back up. The condo fee includes “cooking”??? Not to be a wise guy, but does this mean that someone cooks your meals for you? That if the buyer doesn’t cook their own food, they are still charged?

Somehow, the copy gets even worse. I found this advertisement on April 14th. Yet, the last 2 sentences of the description refer to the tax credit, with the last line reading “Must settle by November 30, 2009 for credit!”. The photos were clearly not updated, since even this agent wouldn’t replace furnished rooms with shots of empty rooms. Therefore, this unit must have been empty for at least 7 months by now. With no indication of a price reduction (after all this time!), and zero urgency communicated anywhere in this advertisement.

It is more than just the poorly composed advertisement. How does copy outdated by nearly 5 full months continue running? Here is proof positive that this agent does not do a thorough job. This is a poor reflection on the property, her, and the (large) firm she represents.

GRADE: F


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!

Listing of the Day - St. Augustine FL

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.


1323 Powis Rd. St. Augustine FL 4 + 4 $275,000

http://homes.jacksonville.com/realestate?tp=homes2.jacksonville.com&classification=mdRealEstate&temp_type=detail&listing_id=43830433


This advertisement is actually quite interesting. The potential buyer is not told this is really for a Short Sale until the very last part of the description copy, appearing at a point by which they have been well 'sold' on the appeal of this property.

It will be interesting to check the reaction of my clients as well as agents who always read these critiques about the ethics of burying the fact that this is for a Short Sale. From a marketing standpoint, I'm somewhat impressed at how the agent does her job of "selling" the property first. Well, almost first.

The primary photo is an impressive view, showing the scope of the home with the photo taken at the best possible angle to show the large driveway and 3-car attached garage. However, there are no interior photos at all on the spread, and that is a big waste of opportunity. A family (or investor) looking at a 4-bedroom home, especially one that shows as well as this one does from the exterior, is bound to be curious to see how the inside looks. In addition, the side and back exterior photos appear to be taken in different light and make the house look to be in a different color than the front. While I can understand showing a home in relation to a pond or lake, we don't know whether this photo was taken looking from the home for sale, or from across the pond looking toward it. At least two of these photos should have been interior shots.

Although the description copy highlights several prime sales points, the "Realtor fluff" that starts it out should be eliminated and it would make the copy much more effective. The "Look no further" bit explains absolutely nothing about the property.

I like how the description copy (after the first line) provides an excellent balance of interior and exterior selling points. It furthers the point about the need for interior photos to appear within the picture spread and what a tremendous reinforcement opportunity is lost.

Holding off revealing this is a Short Sale until the end could entice investors to pursue it, but might lose a family looking for a home for the immediate future. Personally, I prefer this approach, since it reflects better on the listing agent. Far too many agents listing short sales make it obvious they spent about 10 seconds on the advertisement and make an investor skeptical that the agent is capable of getting a deal done.

GRADE: B-




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!

Listing of the Day - Dearborn MI

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.




711 Meridian St., Dearborn MI 4 + 1.5 $299,900


http://www.homefinder.com/MI/Dearborn/60187617d_711_Meridan_St


This advertisement is another example of why the primary photo is so important toward attracting potential buyers on first impression. The angle is not favorable at all. The eyes are drawn to the left side of the home, which has what is either an enclosed patio or an add-on. (The description copy doesn't even clarify.) We don't get to see whether or not there is a driveway and/or garage from this photo. This is Dearborn, home to a lot of auto company executives, and yet the parking situation is not dealt with at all in the exterior photo or the description.

In addition, this advertisement is still running in April, and the only exterior photo shows snow all over the property. Put these factors together, and the initial impression is that this home has been on the market for weeks, looks smaller because of the emphasis of the add-on or patio in the photo, and may not have any form of covered parking, despite an asking price touching $300,000.

As for the remainder of the photo spread, the majority of the interior photos are well done, but with one exception. Most of the time, including a photo of a bathroom is a positive, showing a nice design, plenty of room, new or modern fixtures, and the like. The bathroom photo on this spread is nothing but a negative. This enables us to see how narrow the room is, how "basic" its contents are, and how people can see into the room from the outside. (You can see the house next door looking out through the bathroom window in this photograph.) How on earth is that a selling point?

For those that stay on this property long enough to read the description copy, we have a case of too many abbreviations. I would like to think that for a nearly $300,000 property the agent would spend a few more dollars to have enough lines in the ad to actually indicate the selling points. What likely really happened is that the agent (or whoever handles the advertising) merely took the already written copy for the MLS and stuck it in the ad. As if that isn't bad enough, the opening line of copy refers to the "$150,000 in updates". Hopefully the view of the neighbor's house from the bathroom isn't one of those updates, but it's hard to say what they are.

It's the very end of the ad copy that tells a lot, "fam rm w/heatilator f/place, and sep kitchen eating". I'll admit that I don't know what a "heatilator" fireplace is, so I'm not sure if that's good or bad. (And if I don't know after seeing thousands of property descriptions, it likely isn't good for the occasional home shopper either.) The "sep kitchen eating" (without a period to punctuate the end of the copy) makes no sense. Do people have to eat in a separate kitchen? Or did they intend to say "eat-in kitchen". Guess we'll never know.

As careless as this advertisement is, it doesn't take that much time and effort to turn it around and make it effective. A more recent exterior photo from a better angle, one less interior photo, and copy written to show the true selling points would make all the difference.

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!

Listing of the Day - Chicago IL

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.


8156 S. Luella Ave. 3 + 2 $275,000

http://homes.searchchicago.suntimes.com/properties/search/detail.php?qBackToSearch=qTerms%3Dsell%26qSearchTab%3Dsell%26qAction%3Dsearch%26qRegion%3DChicago%252C%2BSouth%260%26qMinPrice%3D200%252C000%26qMaxPrice%3D300%252C000%26qBedrooms%3D2-%26qBathrooms%3D1-%26propertyType%255B0%255D%3DHouses%26pagesize%3D20%26view%3Ddetailed%26qtotal%3D42%26qSortBy%3DPrice%26qSortDirection%3DDESC&qAdid=mls-07480039&propertyNumber=8


A classic example of a property that could be marketed much better than it is in this advertisement.

In this instance, the choice of the primary photo is not a good one. Just because it is the only exterior photo in the spread should not make it an automatic choice. The big tree takes away from the exterior view while the wide shot serves to diminish the big size of this home, as touted within the description. In addition, the first line of the description copy indicates "Double Corner Lot", even though one cannot tell that due to the angle of this photo.

Ideally, the exterior photo should have been taken from a closer angle without the tree in the way and showing the scope of the corner lot. Furthermore, at least 2 of the interior photos in this spread would have better served to have been the primary photo and demonstrate the size and luxury of this home. For that matter, it appears that the leaves are falling off the trees, meaning this photo could well have been taken last fall (or earlier), and this ad appears at the end of March. Not exactly a "fresh" looking property based on the one exterior photo.

Most of the interior photos are the strongest selling points for this home, showing the size and lavish potential.

Not only is the description copy far too brief, but it fails to prioritize the selling points. Starting with "5 Minutes To Lake" is not an important consideration for the majority of potential buyers considering this community. Especially with a custom built home on a "double corner lot" located in Chicago. Listing an approximately 2,600 square foot home within a large city for under $300,000 is a significant headline, yet there is such little emphasis on this fact.

The picky potential buyer will also notice that the "Details" under the photo show "3 bedroom 2 bath" before the brief description copy shows "3 br, 1.5 ba", and that is a negative to, in effect, 'take away' 1/2 of a bath from a potential buyer.

In addition, the onslaught of abbreviations makes it appear that the advertiser was more concerned about saving money on the ad than presenting the selling points of the home. Even with my experience, I had to stop and think of what a "custom designed wbfp" is. I'm sure that will be another potential selling point that will go untouched by any potential buyers who stick around beyond the primary photo.

Yes, what might have been. A primary photo of one of the wide interior shots and a description about the large size and custom features for under $300,000 would make a huge difference for this seller, who should be very disappointed in the agent's efforts.

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!

Listing of the Day - Evansville IN

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.



734 Greengate Ct. Evansville IN 4 + 3 1/2 $249,900


http://realestate.courierpress.com/for-sale/listing/344-172834/Evansville-IN-USA/2-beds/1-baths/SINGLE-FAMILY-type/150000-250000-price/364-167557--344-172834--7821-172313--7821-170382--307-171616--24-5501655--7821-172750--323-170106--323-168044--1993-171681-ls/218-t


This advertisement is a mixed bag of good and bad. The primary exterior photo is a positve, showing off a well landscaped larger home with a unique entrance way that should attract potential buyers to click in for more.

However, as much as I like multiple interior photos within an advertisement, the use of photos of empty rooms takes away more than it adds. The left column clearly states that this is a newly listed property (showing as 6 days at press time). Showing us that the home is empty when this home does not appear to be new construction (and it doesn't appear to be, but that is a guess) is a negative. It raises questions. If this is new construction or just rehabbed to be sold, there is no indication. If the seller has just moved out, it seems odd that the photos and the actual listing would have been so recently done.

With other choices in this area and same price range, a percentage of potential buyers won't stick around past the photo spread to find out.

On to the description. It starts with a line of "Realtor fluff". The "You'll be proud to give out this address...." line is laughable. In this day and age, people are not into "giving out" an address. At least not a family that would seriously consider a 4-bedroom neighborhood home. For an investor it could be a different story, but use of this line to start narrows the focus toward investors only. That is not fair to the seller to narrow down the possibilities with the first sentence.

Some of the description copy does a good job at hitting interior selling points, such as the "full bath and a whirlpool bath", "walk-in closet", "large kitchen has a nook area", and how "one of the garages has been converted to an office". Yet, we don't see anything of the supposed 2 large garages on this property in any of the photos, not even the primary exterior shot. Same with the "beautiful fenced back yard".

Furthermore, the lack of any details whatsoever about the neighborhood, schools (and this is a 4-bedroom home), or the community, fails to support the first line about "You'll be proud....". We are not given one reason why a buyer would be proud of that address, whether that copy works or not.

The creator of this advertisement failed to coordinate between the photo spread, the description copy, and the adjacent information. If the listing agent had someone create this ad, he should have made certain it flowed a lot better before letting it go public. The seller has reason for concern, especially about people so easily able to find out the home is empty. Potential buyers are not given any reasons to possibly pursue this property until well after they have been shown reasons not to. If presented right, this property could be justified at over a quarter-million dollars. Presented the way it is now, it doesn't come close.

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!

Listing of the Day - New Haven CT

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.

Fountain St., New Haven CT $216,900 3 + 2

http://homes.localhomesinct.com/sales/detail/203-N297656

Listing advertisements such as this one are the reason I first got involved with the advertising and marketing of properties more than 20 years ago. The people have a right to know.

This home was built in 1937. This advertisement comes off as if it was designed when the house was brand new. There is no address given. I even checked on the company web site and didn't find one there either. The map feature shows the arrow on Fountain Street, but that isn't confirmed. Thus, no one could possibly drive by this property.

There is no description copy either. No selling points. Not even fluff copy. Other than being told 3 bedrooms and 2 baths and the square footage, we get only one other "fact". As of press time, this so-called advertisement shows "Monthly tax: $4,961". Say what? If I read that right the owner of this property pays $59,532 per year in taxes alone. No wonder the address is a secret.

All of this "information" comes after the primary photo, which I couldn't even identify when I first clicked on the ad to review it. Turns out it is a photo looking down on top of a fireplace. Unless this is the only fireplace in a house within miles, this is hardly a big deal. In more than 20 years of looking at property ads, I have never seen a single fireplace given such priority.

Out of 8 photos in the photo spread (the only redeeming part of this "ad"), only 3 have any merit toward a potential buyer. One of the exterior shots shows 2 cars in the driveway. Besides being a security concern, it reminds us that we don't know if the garage appearing in one of the photos is for this property or not. If it is only single lane parking for 2 cars, it means that a home owner with more than 1 car has to be concerned with the order of the cars being parked and struggle getting in and out on a daily basis.

Two photos show the back yard. Normally that would be fine, except that the lawn is in poor shape. Even if due to the season, these photos do not show the property in a good light. One of the living room photos reveals a poor quality table covered with a cheap looking table cloth. Not flattering for a home asking more than $200,000.

After all this, there is no agent name listed (which is almost understanable given the presentation), and the "Contact Information" link goes to the office web site and not a specific name or anything further about this property.

How a seller would allow this as a representation of their property is beyond me. How an agent from a name brand real estate office can, in 2010, put an advertisement online with no selling points and a possible serious financial error (not sure what to think about the "tax" line) is even further beyond me. The only way this agent would get a commission is to sell others a list of anyone who would actually inquire about this home based on this advertisement.

That there are a couple of decent photos raises the grade from F- to a straight F.

GRADE: F




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!

Listing of the Day - West Chester PA

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.



330 St. James Rd., West Chester PA 3 + 1 $297,500


http://dailylocal.localre247.com/homes/listing/223-5476160/West-Chester-PA-USA/2-beds/1-baths/SINGLE-FAMILY-HOME-type/200000-300000-price/261-2492505--223-5476160--261-5623524--326-5669536--261-5604939--261-5488494--261-5580547--223-5478740--261-5558314--261-5597694-ls/13-t/Price_Sales,1-ns


Overall this advertisement is well done. The photo spread is prominent and includes numerous interior shots to give the potential buyer a fast but thorough overview. More importantly, it gives reason to continue along to the description, which gets right into the selling points without fluff copy. All of this combines to lend credibility to the agent, who clearly worked on presenting this advertisement.

If I was a potential buyer looking at this property, I would be satisfied with this advertisement, probably enough to want to follow up. If I was the seller, I would be pleased with how the home is presented and feel as though the key selling facts are included.

Yet, I see the need for some touching up that would take this ad up another notch.

The primary exterior photo does not do all that it can and should to present this home. This photo needs to be re-shot from a side angle over the left (from our current view) and extending the shot out to the right. Even though this shot gives a good perspective on the house, my feeling is that a potential buyer over the age of 50 would not go any further.

From this angle, we do not see a sidewalk or walkway leading toward the front steps. We do not see the garage or its proximity. But we do see a huge front lawn. These are concerns for many middle-aged and seniors who prefer a single level home but are more concerned about easy access. This house may have easy access, but it doesn't show on this photo. Granted, a young family needing a 3-bedroom home is probably enticed by the big and roomy front lawn, but in this market properties need to be well presented to all age groups.

While the description copy hits upon selling point after selling point (which is a big plus), a few simple changes would take this from a good advertisement to a great one.

One of those changes, however, is to fix the typo which appears as this is being written. The term "double oven" shows as "double overn". Yes, mistakes happen, but for the agent to take the time he did to formulate this advertisement, a few minutes to check and double-check upon publication would have saved him the embarassment. (I have had several agents and consumers tell me it is a red flag when another agent leaves any type of error in a listing, especially one in the $300,000 range.)

The other part to fix is the last part of the copy, which reads "outside entrance to attached 1 car garage". The idea of having the last few words be a selling point instead of the "must see!" type of fluff is excellent. However, this choice of words sends potential buyers out on a lesser note, right at the point where he/she is deciding whether or not to contact the agent and pursue this listing.

I'm confused. Is there a SEPARATE outside entrance? Is there ONLY an outside entrance? I don't know that I could go from inside the house right into the garage or if I would need to go outside, which partially defeats the purpose of an "attached" garage.

Since there is a 1-car garage for a 3-bedroom home, there are 2 better ways to handle presenting this. If, for example, there is a driveway with room for more parking (and we don't know based on what we see here), this would be a better way to go. Better choices to present this would be "parking for 3 cars" or "attached garage".

Overall, this advertisement is a few minor changes away from excellence.

GRADE: B


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!

Listing of the Day - Anchorage AK

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.



3051 Brookview Dr. Anchorage AK $250,000 3 + 3


http://www.homefinder.com/AK/Anchorage/60203813d_3051_Brookview_Dr


The expression "one picture is worth 1,000 words" was obviously not in the mind of whoever decided to use the only photo for this property advertisement. What a horrible injustice to the seller!

When the only photo is of what could be the front door area of a home with a snow covered bench in front, there is no reason for a potential buyer to want to look any further. If there is nothing more positive to show, it can't be good.

Yet, the description of this home is reasonably well written. Frankly, this ad would be better off without that photo at all. We read on and on about how much of the home has been remodeled and how much "new" there is. How can there not be photos?

In addition, we are not told anything about the community other than the nearby schools.

Those amenities which are included in the description, such as marble fireplace, master bedroom with attached bath, and granite counters, make this home seem appealing. There is only a minimal amount of "Realtor fluff" in the copy, and that is at the very end with "Top-of-the-line remodel".

This listing agent would argue with me that when a potential buyer clicks on the "Click here for listing details" link it brings them to an extended group of interior photos which do highlight the remodeled parts of the home.

However, this home is one of several in this area and price range. Potential buyers have a choice and can easily click to the next listing. The first thing they see is that photo, and the early description about a remodeled home. Neither will entice a potential buyer to click to the next link before clicking out to look at the next listing.

Unlike many other listing ads I see and review, this one is among the easiest to fix quickly by putting up one of the other interior photos. Until or unless that happens, this will remain a struggle.

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!

Listing of the Day - Knoxville TN

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.



844 Tanner Lane Knoxville TN $249,900 3 + 2 1/2

http://realestate.homemarketnow.com/for-sale/listing/7714-702574/Knoxville-TN-USA/2-beds/1-baths/SINGLE-FAMILY-type/150000-250000-price/7647-693905--7714-684396--7714-684460--7714-703151--7714-702574--7714-701563--7714-701075--7714-700916--8029-700692--7714-700136-ls/915-t

This listing agent spent more time on this ad than many other agents do, yet there is room for improvement - with the advertisement. The primary exterior photo is a very good photo for presenting the size and scope of the house and clearly shows the 2-car (or more) attached garage and the attractive landscaping. However, there is a very noticeable shadow covering the front lawn. Even though the house itself is in sunshine, there is no clear explanation for the shadow on this photo, leaving us to speculate.

It could be another home or building close by, thus limiting the amount of sunshine onto this property. My hunch is that it was a big cloud rolling in and the photographer was in a hurry to snap this photo while the house was still in sunshine. Sorry, but either way this doesn't cut it with me. The photographer didn't have to be in that big of a hurry, since he or she is helping to get a quarter-million dollar property sold. He or she could have taken the exterior photo from a different angle and not had that huge shadow be such a negative to an otherwise attractive property.

On a positive note, the use of extensive interior photos, including showing everything including the kitchen sink (literally) with most rooms from different angles is excellent. We can clearly see that this home is well taken care of based on the layout and the coordination of the furniture and appliances.

The description does what it is supposed to do, which is to begin with strong selling points right away. In this case the focus is on the community, and the copy sets the scene quite well. The best terms are "Landcapted yard - fenced and fully private w/large patio", and "filled with natural light". Terms like this which describe a definitive positive image in a few words are key in advertising an upscale property.

However, there is too much "Realtor fluff" instead of what are additional selling points. The use of "stunning showplace!" doesn't help a large family which isn't looking to entertain in this 3-bedroom home. The "Look no further - this is it!" at the end is a complete waste of space.

Instead, the facts found below in the description are left out of the places they would have had much more impact. For example, we are not told anywhere on the page (or I couldn't find it - and I was specifically looking) anything about the size of the attached garage. Facts such as this home being just over 5 years old are among those which would "sell" a lot better than "This is it!". Once a potential buyer loses interest, he/she/they are not going to continue reading below to see if there are additional selling points.

What starts out as a description with punch slowly deteriorates into Realtor fluff, and there were more sales points that should have been used.

A few changes to the description and the seller and agent would have a winner.

GRADE: B-


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!

Listing of the Day - Midland TX

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.


3115 W. Louisiana Ave, Midland TX 3 + 3 $154,900


http://www.homeswesttexas.com/property.php?id=80986


Could this agent be any more careless about this listing? Two of the photos in the photo spread are sideways. As much as I like interior photos in a property ad, this one lacks even one exterior shot. Makes me think it must look like a dump from the outside.

Yet, the agent has topped that. There is one item under "Amenities" on the left column. That is "Auto Garage Opener". We find this out before we are told there is a garage. Right under "Not Listed" shown for "Window Treatments".

There is no paragraph description at all. The photos show this house is empty. There is nothing about the community. We can see that this home is now 60 years old.

This is not the only home available in this area and price range. If the agent puts this little effort into getting the home sold, how is it ever going to happen?

An embarassment to the industry.

GRADE: F




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!

Listing of the Day - Tucson AZ

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.


3460 E. Nugget Canyon Place, Tuscon AZ, 3 + 2 $275,000


http://www.tucson.com/homes/resalehomes/index.php?action=view&ml_number=20926912


This is a terrible photo spread. From what I can see of the house through the trees and broken shrubbery in the photo, I cannot tell if this is the front or the back or tell where an entrance is.

Only 1 of the 6 photos in the spread does an acceptable job of presenting this property (the one with the front entrance and part of the driveway). One of the photos looks like 2 chairs that were thrown out into the forest. (And I doubt those chairs would be a bargaining point for a potential buyer.)

The description picks up on "several patio areas and a screened-in patio!", along with the 2-car garage. That is fine and dandy for someone that wants to spend the maximum amount of time outside. However, this is a house listed for more than 1/4 of a million dollars, and a potential buyer needs more than "large master suite with separate reading area and a big walk-in closet" and "fireplace" as the entire description of the interior portion.

There are at least 10 other homes in the area at the exact same price as of press time. That translates to at least 10 other reasons to click on the next property.

While the description itself has only a small amount of "Realtor fluff", the web page has a larger profile of the husband and wife agent team than it has a description of the property itself. Granted, it is the format of the advertisement and not the fault of the listing agents, but because of that situation these agents need to work a lot harder to market this listing. They fail to present enough reasons to contact them about this or any other listing.

If I were a betting man, I would bet that these agents are the first to tell colleagues that "we're not getting any calls and there is no business out there". Not if they keep driving it away.

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!

Listing of the Day - El Paso TX

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.


7937 Khouri Circle El Paso TX 4 + 4 $249,900


http://www.homefinder.com/TX/El_Paso/59187911d_7937_Khouri_Cir


The photos do not do justice for this listing. In the link shown above, there is only one photo. Upon first glance, there is no way one would ever guess this is a 4 bedroom 4 bath house. Frankly, the primary photo, showing two vehicles parked in the driveway, should never have been allowed. It is not only a security threat to show specific vehicles, but they also block part of the view of the home, and make a skeptical potential buyer wonder why those vehicles are parked outside and not in the garage.

There is a link to another web page for this listing with a group of interior photos. However, these photos do not take up the entire photo block and continue to make this house appear way smaller than it is reported to be. This is especially significant when you read the start of the description copy and learn this is on a 9,800+ square foot lot.

While the description copy hits several good selling points (basement theatre room, fireplace, large bedroom, upstairs loft), there is also too much space taken up with lesser amenities. Being told that "refrigerator stays with property" and "breakfast area, dining room and living room w/fireplace sit on the main level" are taking up space that should be used to promote the size of the property, the area, and exactly what is meant by "1 full and 3 3/4 baths".

The left column adds that the house itself is approximately 3,300+ square feet and that it was built in 2008. Again, this is not at all reinforced by the exterior photo. A potential buyer who proceeds by clicking on the link to another web page about this property will see some additional selling points, such as this house being on a cul-de-sac.

However, this ad is presented as going from "small to large" in scope. The listing agent doesn't get it. This listing is among several in the same area and price range. You have to hit potential buyers with your best selling points early on, or they will be on to the next listing before getting to the selling points that could have kept their attention and grown their interest.

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!

Listing of the Day - Dayton OH

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.


1500 Elm Brook Trail, Dayton OH 4 + 3 1/2 $250,000


http://classifieds.daytondailynews.com/real-estate-homes-apts/all/single-family/listing/636710/?sale=for_sale&q=dayton%2C+oh&minprice=150000&maxprice=250000&bed=2&bath=1

So what if the primary exterior photo is not from a bright, sunny day. The first impression photo is very real. Snow on the ground and a cloudy day in the background. Yet, the size and scope of the house comes "shining" through to a potential buyer. The wide driveway and 3-car garage as part of this large 2-story home are immediately evident.

This ad has one of the best photo spreads I have seen in years, and not because there are 20 photos overall. A couple of them wisely duplicate a room but provide different angles to give a more positive perspective. From having seen the photos, and seeing a large amount of description copy to read, I already feel as though this is a very professional presentation of an upscale listing.

The description does not let the reader down either. I didn't find any spelling errors or confusing abbreviations. Better yet, there is absolutely no "Realtor fluff" (such as "shows well", etc.), leaving every phrase to bring out selling points.

Many of these selling points are unique, and the agent carefully brings them out. Points such as "sunny morning room", "bay window", and "basement is plumbed for an additional bath" add a ton to the first impression. This is important when you consider there are several other homes in this price range also available right now.

I especially like the "finished basement features a media room wired for 7.1 surround sound" line. A movie or music lover understands he/she could have a state-of-the-art system right off the bat. If a potential buyer doesn't care about that, it still shows the precision and capabilities of the property, becoming an immediate future selling point.

Even at the end of the description, major sales points are still flowing. From the "oversized shower" and "double sinks" of the master bath to then pointing out it is a 3-car garage, the benefits continue.

This agent even includes "high speed internet" among the "Interior Features" below. A great strategy, especially for a 4-bedroom home where chances are more than one computer would be in use.

Mentioning features such as the surround sound, internet, and double sinks are huge because they tell us exactly how the buyer can and will use the home on a regular basis. These are practical amenities that some homes either do not have or fail to point out.

Simply put, this is one of the most well done listing ads I have seen in years. The sellers should be pleased with how their home is being marketed.

GRADE: A




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!

Listing of the Day - Jackson MS

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.




1767 Plantation Blvd., Jackson MS 4+2 $175,000


http://www.homefinder.com/MS/Jackson/49615989d_1767_Plantation_Blvd


The primary photo brings a very strong first impression to this southern mansion with the exterior shot highlighing the surrounding trees and the size and scope of the home. The remaining photos are used wisely, showing the exterior from behind, and the interior photos showing off the different rooms including giving the viewer a good idea of how the furniture would fit.

While the description copy does well at bringing out several of the selling points of the home, it suffers only slightly from too many abbreviations. Stating "nearby study/br" is confusing, as is the phrase "Master suite is down + 1/2ba. 2 br/1 ba up". If after personally seeing property ads from around the country every week for the past 20 years I am somewhat baffled by the description, I would bet that many potential buyers experienced confusion from those phrases.

Those points could and should have been better explained. The "word limit" excuse doesn't fly. Instead of the "fabulous feeling house" and "move-in condition" phrases, there should have been a more thorough explanation of selling points.

Yet, the use of "closets galore" says a lot in just 2 words. Good writing technique. However, even though it may not be the agent's fault, having a misspelled word (breakfast is spelled incorrectly in the description) always relflects poorly on the agent. Sorry, but agents (or at the very least an office secretary) are supposed to know to check and double check their advertising.

Having a 2-car garage plus 2 parking spaces is also a plus, although this is not pointed out until below in the "exterior details" section. Buyers looking at a 4-bedroom home are likely to be very concerned about parking possibilities.

The right information and a very solid photo spread should make a potential buyer want to pursue this property, even though there is room for improvement.

GRADE: B-



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!

Listing of the Day - Columbus GA

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.



2 Rimrock Ct. Columbus GA 3 + 2 $176,500


http://www.homefinder.com/GA/Columbus/53434353d_2_Rimrock_Ct


http://www.coldwellbanker.com/servlet/PropertyListing?action=detail&ComColdwellbankerDataProperty_id=71758252&page=property


The only thing I can gather from this advertisement is that neither the seller nor the agent cares if this home ever sells. I found the first ad linked via the Columbus newspaper's web site, listed among several others listed within that same price range.

At first I thought that this listing agent must not have known that this listing was even appearing to the public when I clicked on the Coldwell Banker office link for the ad of this same property (shown here as the 2nd link). I very rarely show a 2nd link, figuring that a potential buyer wouldn't go that far. To my amazement, the office site has the same lack of information.

Incredibly, both "advertisements" to the public refer only to showing the home and to not let the pets out of the gate. I was going to give some credit to the ad on the Coldwell Banker office site showing several photos. However, there are problems with those. One of them is with the garage door open and shows 2 vehicles parked inside. This creates a security risk for the property by enabling the public to see the cars by the people who live there. It is wrong to publish those.

One of the interior photos shows only an excercise machine on a wood floor (I couldn't even see a mat) with no other furniture. Of course, we have no idea whether or not the excercise machine comes with the house. Others are taken at poor angles.

Combine this with absolutely no description, no "sizzle" to bring out selling points, and nothing about the neighborhood or unique amenities, and you have a total disaster of an advertisement.

There is absolutely no reason for anyone to follow up about this home. Sorry, but the only viewers who could benefit from this ad are criminals.

GRADE: F



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!

Listing of the Day - Phoenix AZ

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.



8318 N. 5th Ave., Phoenix AZ 4 + 2 $300,000


http://www.homefinder.com/AZ/Phoenix/58745409d_8318_N_5th_Avenue

The first thing I saw was the photo and I made a guess that this listing was a 2 bedroom house. Turns out it is a 4-bedroom home. No way anyone could possibly tell from the angle of the photo. It would have shown much better taken from a corner which would have made the home seem large enough to hold 4 bedrooms, and not allowed for so much sky. It's Phoenix and we know it's going to be sunny.

Next, the description copy consists of about 80% of what I call "Realtor fluff". The first sentence and its "just driving up the pristine street you'll feel the appeal" demonstrates this. People are looking online to see whether or not they would be interested in driving by. It goes on as if you are entering the home. While it is not the fault of the agent that only one photo is used in these ads, the copy is written as if the potential buyer can see these things, which they cannot.

We are then told how the "formal living room is currently used as a formal dining room". How does finding out that one of the rooms is currently being used for a different purpose makes us want to check into this home?

Topping it all of are a pair of grammatical errors, which always reflect poorly on the listing agent. The "interior will make you feel like your in the pottery barn" not only should be "you're in....", but provokes the image of a barn instead of a well kept house. After a misspelled word, the end phrase is "just bring your clothers, don't miss out!". What are 'clothers'? And if we "just" need those, does that mean the home comes furnished? The run-on sentences with changing thoughts make it appear that the agent spent about 30 seconds looking up buzz words and even less time actually describing any unique selling points the home might have.

Nothing specific about the neighborhood, schools, or playgrounds anywhere on the page. For a 4 bedroom home??

OK copy for a $19.99 kitchen utensil, but miles off the mark for a $300,000 home when numerous other choices exist.

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!

Listing of the Day - Hinsdale IL

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.



16w751 90th St. Hinsdale IL 3 + 3 $269,900


http://www.homefinder.com/IL/Hinsdale/45388527d_16w751_90th_St


Only one photo to create the first impression. Yet, upon randomly choosing this advertisement during the first week of January, the one photo has green grass and blue sky from what looks like a summer day. Keep in mind that Hinsdale is a quaint and upscale suburb of Chicago. Right off the bat we can easily guess that this home has been listed for a long time, or if not then it is not a current photo. Either way, that is not a good start.

In addition, the angle of the photo is not as good as it could be. It is too wide of a shot and does not feature the exterior details, nor does it make it clear that it has a 2-car attached garage.

The description copy begins with "New in '06:" and goes into an abbreviated list of amenities. Some would think that the house was built in '06 from that way that is written, while others would have already seen the line to the left showing that this home was built in 1978. Three year old improvements are not "new" enough to make that the first selling point. Features such as "kitchen cabs, appls, front door, crown molding & trim, ceiling fans in all bedrooms" which are more than 3 years old?

Next, we are told that the house is being sold "as is" and "needs a few repairs, mostly cosmetic". I understand that this has to be explained. Yet the "mostly cosmetic" essentially negates the entire description we had just read, which highlights the 3+ year old amenities.

Next, we get what I call the "fluff" copy about the seller being "very motivated". Sorry, but it sure doesn't show, at least not from this agent. Showing a summer photo in January? "New" from 2006?

It's only when we read the quick facts below (which a lot of people who check out this advertisement won't even stick around for) that we discover there is a 2-car attached garage and central air. These are better selling points than most of the ones listed.

Nothing about the community, schools, or the neighborhood either to entice a potential buyer.

While I understand the mention of "possible short sale" is intended to encourage offers, it doesn't work in the context in which it is presented. Factor in the photo, the 2006 reference, and the other negatives, and the vast majority of this page really says "Offer anything and get this property off the market ASAP" without offering nearly enough reasons to do so.

It is even more disappointing to note that I randomly selected this listing via the Chicago Tribune web site, which is one of the busiest real estate web sites in the country. The lack of effort from the listing agent comes across throughout. I wouldn't be surprised if I check back in 6 months and see the exact same ad, even if the photo would then appear to be fresh.

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!

Listing of the Day - Riverside 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.




2895 Donovan Court Riverside, CA 4 + 2 $284,900


http://pe.sawbuck.com/property/Inland_Empire/Riverside/Presidential_Park/1139767-2895-Donovan-Court


The first problem with this listing advertisement is not completely the fault of the agent (advertiser). Upon finding this advertisement on New Year's weekend, the top fact to the right of the listing price was that this home has been listed for 180 days. Ouch. On one hand, this is not the advertiser's fault, given that every listing advertised via this source provides the number of days each specific listing has been on the market.

While such information helps the consumer, it often hurts the listing agent (advertiser). Yet, I say "not completely" the advertiser's fault. If I were the advertiser at this source I would pull any ads on the market for more than 35 days maximum. After 6 months on the market, showing that amount of time does the property and the advertiser more of a disservice. A potential buyer knows he or she can wait for more price reduction and feels no sense of urgency to follow up. I have seen too many instances over the years where realty agents and offices put up with policies by advertising sources instead of dropping out and forcing change. But that is a separate matter.

Even though the seven photo spread for this advertisement features mostly interior photos, this photo spread does not do the job the way it should. The primary exterior photo is too far back. I understand showing the line of palm trees, but the photo leaves too much sky and street and not enough detail of the house itself. The second photo is either of the side or the rear of the home, but the angle shows more of neighboring properties and takes away from the focus being on this home.

Most of the photos have a July date clearly visible at the lower right, serving as another reminder of how many months this home has been listed. Even worse are the angles of a few of them. One shot of the den has a lamp in the way, while the photo of the office or library shows two computers and accessories with wires dangling all over the place. (Obviously, these computers do not come with the house but make the sellers appear sloppy.)

The description copy consists of numerous abbreviations, although I will say that in this instance the abbreviations are easy to understand. Yet, even as the primary exterior photo shows an attached garage, we are not told for sure it is a 2-car garage until further down on the page, likely after a potential buyer would have moved on to the next listing. Instead, the description copy wraps up commenting about the "Motivated Seller". I wonder what has kept them motivated for 6 months.

Wrapping it all up at the bottom is the name and office of the listing agent, but without any direct contact information. It appears that a potential buyer needs to contact a service of some sort and there is also space for a login. This is a problem because I got to this advertisement through the biggest local newspaper web site. Thus, I know nothing about any "service" or login.

Sorry, but if I'm the listing agent, I wouldn't put up with an advertisement showing how very long this listing has been on the market, while not showing direct contact information. Even if it's not the agent's fault.

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!

Listing of the Day - Fargo ND

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.



18th St. South, Fargo ND 2 + 1 1/2 $125,000

http://www.harmonhomes.com/real-estate/homes-for-sale/North-Dakota/Fargo/detail/41234326


The first impression of this listing advertisement is not positive at all. Some of the advertising copy appears to bleed into the photo making it hard to tell whether or not that is planned. The photo itself is not visually appealing. Frankly, it looks like a photo taken from the back of the unit featuring 3 separate garages. It is nearly impossible to tell whether a small tree at the lower right corner of the home is growing into the the upstairs overhang or was being thrown out at the time of the photo.

Worse yet, this advertisement does not show an address. (I got the "18th Street South" location from the map link.) People looking on this site (and other advertising web sites) have plenty of other properties to choose from that give the exact address. Not showing this probably eliminates potential buyers seeking a particular neighborhood and/or school district. In this case, this is one of the higher priced listings for a 2 bedroom home.

Adding to the confusion is that the beginning of the description tell us this is a "twinhome". Then, the remainder of the description fails to clarify whether or not this is a shared property and whether or not the land and entire building are included within the price. This is not sufficient information to entice a potential investor either.

The first line of the description copy refers to the $4,000 price reduction. However, the price reduction shows as being from November 16, and I found this advertisement 40 days later. Sorry, but more than 10 days later it tells people who were aware of the price reduction that there still hasn't been activity on the listing, and it tells those "new" to this listing that this property has been sitting on the market.

Next, the first reference to what is inside the home tells us that it includes "windows, light fixtures, and floor covering - carpet and vinyl". To put it mildly, that description doesn't exactly make this home seem like the greatest listing ever. Especially when this listing is among the higher priced ones in the market for 2 bedroom homes!

In the next sentence we learn of the "large deck with a restive view of the backyard". Restive? Then, we learn that "Plan includes living room, kitchen/dining area with access to deck....".

Finally, the last sentence of the description says "Get ahold of us for more details". There is no such word as "ahold", but I'm probably the only person to still be reading that far.

All anybody learns from this advertisement is why this property has been on the market for so long.

GRADE: F



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!