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Old 03-06-2008, 08:10 PM
 
Location: Houston, Texas
469 posts, read 1,481,146 times
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I have read many acedemic studies on wording of listing advertising and they all have similar out comes of the one below. Despite this I consistently here buyers say that they do not like sensational wording in listing comments. I like to give potential clients and buyers for my clients' properties what they desire but, studies such as that below makes it difficult for me to leave out these statements. Because ultimately I need to do what is best for my clients. I would like to know what people out there think on this subject and if they run into the same issues.

Interesting article on msn.com about how the choice of words in a listing can increase — or lower — the perceived value of the house.
“In real-estate listings, what’s the difference between describing your home as “beautiful” versus “move-in condition”? About $12,500 on a $250,000 home. Professor Paul Anglin, a real-estate economist in Guelph, Ontario, says that homes described as “beautiful” in real-estate listings sell for 5% more while “move-in condition” has no effect on sale price.”
Word choices can also affect the time it takes to sell.
“Listings with the words “beautiful” or “gorgeous” sold 15% faster. “Landscaping” in a listing hastened a sale by 20%. Describing a property as in “move-in condition” quickened the sale by 12%. Calling a home a “handyman special” cut sale time by half (researchers excluded listings that used the term to describe a workshop or hobby area). “
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Old 03-06-2008, 09:14 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,503 posts, read 40,215,771 times
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This is a really difficult issue because you really aren't comparing apples to apples. What if the home really was beautiful and other other one was just average. That would impact the sale. Statisticians just look at averages, which is not always helpful.

I think the most important thing is to write a good description that has some creative flair, but doesn't go over the top. There is nothing worse than reading an over fluffed description of a property. You need to have SOME adjectives in your description, but some agents go way over the top.
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Old 03-06-2008, 11:03 PM
 
Location: Prospect, KY
5,284 posts, read 19,994,603 times
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I think good pictures and lots of them do more to sell a house than words.
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Old 03-07-2008, 05:54 AM
 
19,959 posts, read 30,024,460 times
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cattknap is right!!

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are so many personal variables of whats important to one particular buyer.
price is justified value to that particular buyer

and if you call a property beautiful, or gorgeous, the expectation may be so high, that the least bit flaw will be over-emphasized. tho i have used those terms before, mostly for areas of specifics, like a back yard, or views, or beautiful new kitchen etc.
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Old 03-07-2008, 09:44 AM
 
Location: Chaos Central
1,122 posts, read 4,096,248 times
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From my viewpoint as a recent seller and prospective buyer, I agree with the above postings 100%.

“Listings with the words “beautiful” or “gorgeous” sold 15% faster. “Landscaping” in a listing hastened a sale by 20%. Describing a property as in “move-in condition” quickened the sale by 12%. Calling a home a “handyman special” cut sale time by half"
I have to question the research protocols in this paragraph above. Maybe many the houses listed as 'beautiful' or 'gorgeous' or 'move-in condition' really were. Any home that's a real handyman special is of course going to sell more slowly. Without knowing how the study was done, what controls were used, etc., I can't consider it a valid source of information.

Regarding the comment that 'beautiful' outsells 'move-in condition; well, we all know that some houses listed as 'move-in condition' means there's a roof, walls, and your suitcase will fit through the door, and that's about it

Ever read the book "A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle? There's some captivating stories about how the real estate market and home renovations work there. One memorable passage describes a buyer anxiously asking if a house is fit to live in. The agent shrugs and replies of course, the present owners do......
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Old 03-07-2008, 11:25 AM
 
339 posts, read 1,515,317 times
Reputation: 240
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boomerang View Post
I have to question the research protocols in this paragraph above. Maybe many the houses listed as 'beautiful' or 'gorgeous' or 'move-in condition' really were. Any home that's a real handyman special is of course going to sell more slowly. Without knowing how the study was done, what controls were used, etc., I can't consider it a valid source of information.

I have to agree with Boomerang. I'd like to see if the research takes into account situations in which the adjectives don't match the house or the buyers perception. How does it change the results then? Knowing how the study was done and what controls were used is imperative.

While I have been one to say don't use extra adjectives, I do so not because I think the use of adjectives is completely bad, it's because I don't trust the owner's subjective opinion (or sometimes even the agent's opinion) to use accurate adjectives that buyers will agree with. I tend to think it's the disconnect between the seller/agent perception of the property and buyer perception of the property that kills many deals.
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Old 03-07-2008, 08:40 PM
 
Location: Gilbert - Val Vista Lakes
6,069 posts, read 14,730,418 times
Reputation: 3876
In my opinion, buyers by benefits, not beautiful features.

They can see the beautiful in the photos, if the photos are current and not lying.

So I would concentrate on great photos that cover the features of the house and especially the important features; and use text to describe how those important features benefit the buyer.
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