Today while searching the MLS to assist a buyer in purchasing a home, I came across a beautiful 2 story,corner lot brick home. The description boasted “newly renovated kitchen, don’t miss out.” The price is great, it is located in a desirable area as well as has the square footage they require. I hurriedly click on the photos in anticipation to see the home. The exterior shots are great. The first couple photos of the interior were blah. I did not particularly care for the furniture. But that’s just stuff, I look past it very easily. Anxious to speed up and see the kitchen renovation, I clicked a little faster. Then I hit it. There it was. A photo of the newly renovation kitchen. 
The Price is Right loser horn instantly blared in my head. Lets call a spade a spade, call it like you see it, whatever phrase you use… Clearly this isn’t a kitchen renovation. The kitchen cabinets have been painted and perhaps they added new knobs. Yet the knob to the left of the kitchen sink is missing and the drawer pulls appears painted over… Obviously, the repairs are not worthy of boasting.
What happened when I saw that the kitchen was a total let down? I clicked out of the home and moved to the next property, as will most other buyers. According to National Association of Realtors, 92% of buyers are shopping on the internet. Online buyers have limited time and countless listings to review. Buyers will quickly move on if photos do not reflect the description of the home. Therefore, first impressions are imperative.
When a home is for sale, there is always competition. If competitive listings have well-lit photos and an adequate descriptions, while you don’t– you’re going to have more trouble getting potential buyers in the door. Thus causing your home to sit on the market longer and creates a stale listing. Properly describing the home and incorporating good photography within listing is imperative.
My advice is to pick a Realtor that knows your area and has a history of selling homes. Interview the Realtor before you hire them, ask lots of questions make certain they have your best interests in play and are willing to work hard to sell your home. A seasoned Realtor that understands today’s advancement in technology knows better than to make this mistake. This lowly blog post would be a giggle for them.
Here are some great articles about choosing a good Realtor:
Selling? 12 Tips to Choosing a Good Realtor
Tips for Choosing a Good Real Estate Agent
I love how some people count “renovations” as painting.
We are doing renos now and we are smothered in drywall dust!
That couple should have ripped out those cupboards and created more space in a teeny tiny kitchen. Wozza! Next is right!
not to mention the drawer beneath the stove looks a bit off and the dishwasher is tiny. No I would be looking elsewhere. Kitchens are a top in my world too when I look for a home.
Oh wow, I heard the horn, too! We did ALL of our preview shopping for a home online and then went to check out our top interests with our realtor. Great advice!
I am not looking for a home but I do like that there are listings these days with videos of the homes.
Wow, that is a total fail. I would be disappointed to read the listing without seeing the pictures and then show up to see that.
LOL Yeah, definitely not a renovation I’d brag about. I’d hate to see the “Before” pics!
We weren’t buying a house, but went through similar with looking for rental homes a couple of months ago. Since we live in a big military area and with the economy more people are renting than selling. I can’t tell you how much time I wasted and how many houses we flat out skipped because of less than truthful listings once you looked through the pictures, or only 3 pictures of the outside, etc. Ugh.