WatchIs it just me or do other people laugh when up to half of the description of a million dollar+ house for sale in the BA is taken up with details that total up to about $50K. It is like they are trying to justify the high price tag by pushing the absolutely incredible appliances, counters, built-in cabinets, etc.
The one thing that I am actually really interested in is never talked about. The damn layout! Pictures sometimes do it justice, but really, how hard would it be to put up the layout. This is the biggest sale of your life in most cases, so come on people, put some effort into it.
I have sold over 5 houses/condos in my lifetime so far. Some primary residence, some investments and each time I get compliments by all the information I give to people over the web. In total it takes me about a week of work to get it all up. In terms of the money at stake it is the best return on my time I can get. I don't really understand why others don't do the same.
I have seen everything from blurry pictures, pictures that show the place in a lived in mess, people and pets in the pictures, etc. WTF is wrong with people? Clean up your damn house you are trying to sell. Sometimes these crappy pictures or details are on the realtors website. These are people that supposedly have some training selling houses. Really? You would not say from the look at your techniques. The last 2 decades have been too easy on realtors.
I for one am happy for this bust. Not just because it will present me an opportunity to buy in the BA again, but because people are getting back to what works in selling houses. They just don't sell themselves anymore. In the end, hopefully, the better realtors will survive and prosper because of their dedication and honesty (said with a hint of sarcasm here).
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Oakland, CA
leo707's website
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There was a thread a while back that was all about the lack of posting layouts. If I had it handy I would post the link, but I don't...
However, I do agree layout is much more important to me than those other things.
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46 male
Menlo Park, CA
OK, picture this:
People go the open house with an iphone that is sending out ultrasonic ping signals which can then be automatically interpreted later to generate a layout diagram.
It would even get ceiling height.
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Monterey, CA
Patrick says
nice.
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46 male
Menlo Park, CA
I bet a bat could do it pretty easily. The problem is reading the bat's brain.
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Oakland, CA
leo707's website
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Patrick says
Echolocation is not just for bats.
http://www.mensjournal.com/the-blind-man-who-taught-himself-to-see
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46 male
Menlo Park, CA
That's impressive. Wish I could do it without practicing for years with my eyes closed.
People supposedly also have a much better sense of smell than is commonly assumed. In one of his books, Richard Feynman talks about a fun test he did in which he would handle one book, put it back with others, and let people sniff the row of books. He found people could consistently tell which one had been recently handled.
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San Jose, CA
The most funny part in house description, put by some relators to justify high price is in Property Features:
“Door weather-stripped” ...WOW!
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leoj707 says
Yes, that was my thread. It still baffles me, if you've got a good house, flaunt it.
http://patrick.net/forum/?p=1012060
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Baltimore, MD
The reason you see so many crappy real estate ads is because most people are too stupid or lazy to do it right. I see this all the time in eBay auctions or Craigslist ads.
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Oakland, CA
Patrick says
Actually, there already is an app for that: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/magicplan/id427424432?mt=8
:)
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America needs a Realtor® community registration page with the names and mug shots of Realtors® and their home addresses so people can track the monsters that live in and threaten their communities.
People have a right to know the horrors that lurk in their communities.
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San Francisco, CA
APOCALYPSEFUCK is Tony Manero says
Happy Valentine's Day, APOCALYPSEFUCK!
50k sounds generous. A lot of information is withheld from house buyers to best trick them into spending more money.
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A little Balagan is nice.
I'm interested in square footage, and other amenities, extra space, MIL quarters ect... If they want to post pics of their messy house, it certainly wont help their "Price" argument, when I make an offer.
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Features that people care about like access to running water, a sniper's nest and a draw bridge - they never list. You always have to ask. What is that all about?
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You, too!
It's been good so far.
Spouse gave me a bag of potato seed and 160 lbs of gun powder.
FunTime says
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APOCALYPSEFUCK is Tony Manero says
Haha. Happy Valentine's Day, AF.
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You, too, Mr Sitter!
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Denver, CO
RentingForHalfTheCost says
Completely agree with everything you are saying. I saw a description for a house that led with "New sewer in 2009"...that was their opening line trying to set the hook. Wow.
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swebb says
I have a septic tank, I would like to extend my house, over where part of the current system is. I can't, I had hoped that sooner or later the City Sewer would come through. But people tell me, that if even if it does to get hooked up will actually cost more than just draining and filling my existing system, and then move it.
Of course all of this was meant to be more latter than sooner, and as Murphy would have it, my toilet in the lowest part of the house is already starting to act up.
A new sewer in '09 would have been bad ass.
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Saint George, UT
elliemae's website
I don't know where you live, but I had a house outside Vegas that was on septic. Immediately after I sold it, they paved the road and charged $110/foot of frontage plus sewer hookup fees in the $5,000 range. If you didn't hook in when it was first offered, the next buyer had to hook up at the time of that purchase. So my buyers were on the hook for about $20k in fees immediately after purchase.
It rather sucked for them.
APOCALYPSEFUCK is Tony Manero says
Duh - you can set up a deer blind/tree stand for next to nothing, all you do is call it a tree house (even if it's installed on the power pole).
Draw bridge is a problem, you have to have a moat and then fill it with alligators. Everyone knows that alligators require permits and they tend to eat small children, so your progeny won't be safe unless you build a small fence. I'd go with snapping turtles or piranha, although they do come with their own set of problems (tend to eat each other). It's always best to do a bit of research as to the climate they require, because if their asses freeze to death you'll have spent the money for nothing and provided your enemies with direct access to your yard.
I thought you were brighter than that, af.
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Portland, OR
It's got butt ugly granite countertops like every other house! OMG!
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Permits? To prepare for Cannibal Anarchy?
elliemae says