secretive home listings ??? (sale, foreclosures, brokers)

[totallyfrazzled]

I agree with Tom, the whole sector of part-time, pin-money-Mom dilettante realtors should be eliminated.

As far as photos go, I have no problem if a listing does not show bedrooms as long as it has a decent representation of the public rooms (kitchen, dining room, living room, at least one bathroom). Some people just don't want their "private spaces" shown to the entire world via the Internet.

What turns me off instantly about any listing photo is when it obviously was shot with either a horizontal-stretch or depth-stretch lens. The depth-stretch lens is instantly recognizable if you look at where the ceiling meets the walls (if you see a curve, it's the funky lens). Whenever I see those kinds of photos I immediately wonder what else the listing agent is trying to get away with misrepresenting. I don't care whether a photo is worth 10, 100, or 1000 words but they had better be TRUTHFUL words or else I simply won't bother "listening"!

[TomMoser]

Originally Posted by TeamExit

ii think there just needs to be more regulation. like a house that needs major work should not regarded as "fair". fair should mean something like "liveable, but needs work. TLC". and "good" should actually mean GOOD, minimal work needed, like maybe paint, etc.

I think I've done this before, but here is how to interpret the "appearance" field:

Poor = falling down
Good = needs a lot of work
Excellent = A regular, lived in house. (May need updating)
Mint = Updated within the past several years
Diamond = Very recently updated

The problem is that these terms are subjective. It is left up to the listing agent how to rate the home. Some simply don't know what they are doing and others purposely overrate the home. It's frustrating for us agents, too, when we go into a home and find that it is not what we expect to see.

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by totallyfrazzled

I agree with Tom, the whole sector of part-time, pin-money-Mom dilettante realtors should be eliminated.

I believe this market is starting to take its toll on the part-timers anyway. It takes more time/work/money to be successful and most part-timers aren't up to that, probably for a variety of reasons.

Of the 26,000 or so agents on Long Island last year, we're already down to about 23,000, with surely more leaving as their renewal comes up... A lot of them don't want to pay the dues, and pay for the continuing education courses, etc. if they don't see themselves making any money; not to mention spending money on marketing...

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by TomMoser

Poor = falling down
Good = needs a lot of work
Excellent = A regular, lived in house. (May need updating)
Mint = Updated within the past several years
Diamond = Very recently updated

The problem is that these terms are subjective. It is left up to the listing agent how to rate the home. Some simply don't know what they are doing and others purposely overrate the home. It's frustrating for us agents, too, when we go into a home and find that it is not what we expect to see.

You're so right, Tom!
I've gone to Open Houses with homes described as "mint" only to find that they are very clean, but IMHO would certainly only fall in the category of "excellent" because they were original and could use/needed updating... Perception/interpretation of what each description means!

[ShouldIMoveOrStayPut...?]

Looking at a listing today that is listed by what appears to be a reasonably honest and fair agent.

Description has the following passages:

"Dated but clean"
Both statements seem correct according to multiple photo's of home inside and out.


"Backs to Cemetery, so the neighborhood is quiet"
A creative use of the truth.........

Maybe a little too quiet.....

[jamie1219]

My pet peeve is when they post a picture of a beautiful piece of furniture within the home. This does not help me determine whether or not I want to actually take the time to look at a home.

Yes I may be stupid enough to buy your home for 350,000 but I am not stupid enough to think that your furniture will come with it.

[JudiPatooti]

Yeah, I just love those pictures of the bedrooms that only show three sets of comforters on a bed in the middle of each room.....and the two toilets or tubs in the two bathrooms, and then the table and chairs in the dining room. I mean, really----WHO CARES?!!

I agree with the OP, too. It would save everyone lots of time and energy if they'd just give an address on a listing. You can drive by it, or you already know the neighborhood. Either way it rules it in or out for you--time saved for you, the realtor and the homeowner--DUH.

And, thanks Tom Moser, whether it's subjective or not, at least you've given us an idea of what those terms mean. I wondered how they lined up for years now.

The more the world can do to make house hunting and home selling easier the better! Maybe it wouldn't have to be the nightmare experience it seems to be for everyone.

[hotkarl]

When did it become so complicated to close a real estate transaction around here?
Or has it always been that way?

Most of the country, you're living in your new house within 30 days of first seeing it.
It appears to be a much easier and streamlined process in other parts of the U.S.
Why is it such a cluster*blanketyblank* here?

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by hotkarl

When did it become so complicated to close a real estate transaction around here?
Or has it always been that way?

Most of the country, you're living in your new house within 30 days of first seeing it.
It appears to be a much easier and streamlined process in other parts of the U.S.
Why is it such a cluster*blanketyblank* here?

One word karl = ATTORNEYS! They run the show RE-wise around here and that is the way they like it ... an attorney can even get a RE license without taking the classes everyone else has to. They like things to be longer and more complicated because it means people will not rebel against spending their money on real estate attorneys' services.

[TomMoser]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

One word karl = ATTORNEYS! They run the show RE-wise around here and that is the way they like it ... an attorney can even get a RE license without taking the classes everyone else has to. They like things to be longer and more complicated because it means people will not rebel against spending their money on real estate attorneys' services.

I agree that it is attorneys who make the process so difficult here. In most parts of the country there are no attorneys involved in the process. Even in New York State, outside of Long Island and Westchester, there are usually no attorneys involved.

Here's a little saying that most real estate agents know:

Buyers are Liars.
Sellers are Yellers.
Lawyers are Destroyers.