PH first let me say that you’re doing a great thing by helping your grandson move back to Maine. I know that this will bring you comfort having family closer.

I also appreciate your take on various things in life. As one former New Englander to another I can relate to your rants..

I do real estate photos part-time and I make a point of taking "real" and accurate photos. I too hate when photos are shopped to death and make the house look great when it is a dump.

I also use matterport 3d tours in addition to regular photography. This technology does a great job of showing the house in an accurate light.

I used to straighten up homes for lazy homeowners who couldn't be bothered to do so before the photos. That, I will never do again. If you don't have time to help your house look presentable and clean in order to sell it then oh well. I am not doing it for you and the photos will reflect your lack of effort and upkeep. In addition your selling price will very likely reflect your efforts or lack thereof.

The deceptive language in listing is another treat. All Executive homes. I guess nothing for the blue collar guy. Fixer upper. Great schools, desirable neighborhood. Nobody really tells it like it is. You know, not much gunfire during the day, drug dealing limited etc.

Just be glad you can find a house for under $300k out there.

if they have kids don't forget to use a pedophile locator, usually found on the city or county police website

As a part-time real estate photographer, how exactly are wide-angle photos “misrepresenting” the property?

A wide-angle lens is used to show most, if not all, of a room in a single photo. Do you want to see a picture of the kitchen or do you want to see a picture of the sink and counter, a picture of the stove and fridge, and a picture of the doorway and dishwasher?

You might have an argument if things were being materially changed (photoshopping out utility poles, the storm drainage pond in the backyard, or a roof that needs replacing).

If you don’t understand scale and two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional spaces is that on the photographer? You see a “standard” 6-8 foot long sofa in a room that almost covers the entire wall, but because of the perspective you “think” the wall is 15’ long? How many 12’ sofas have you seen in a modest home? You think a home listed at 1400 sq ft is going to have a 500 sq ft kitchen?

As another post said, yes - photos are meant to draw attention to schedule a showing. No professional is trying to mislead anyone, that would be a waste of everyone’s time.


Also, FYI MANY agents take their own photos because they don’t want to pay a photographer. To be fair, in those instances it is more likely the crappy cellphone pics lead to less interest and little attention than it does to eager interest because it looks “too good”.

As for the basement horror story, if something is truly not as listed, have your agent address it with the multiple listing service. The one in my area cracks down hard on misrepresented properties either by description or photos. Fines and loss of listing privileges are not unheard of.

I think we've checked the cape off the list. Many things to like, but age and work needed tip the scales.

Scheduled to look at a 1980 stick built. Further away from us, but closer to decent-sized city while still being rural, bigger lot.

And more money...

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Could be worse. Could be trapezoids.

This isn't Star Trek. I'm sure their race has nothing to do with it.

I dabble in real estate photography. I wrote a blog post about it for my wife's real estate blog.

https://www.liveworkoc.com/hom...os-to-sell-your-home

You can see a side by side comparison of a professionally shot photo and a pretty good cell phone photo (Pixel 2, highest rated cell phone camera by DXO Mark).

I wide angle lens actually looks more natural. Your eyes are side by side, and has a pretty wide field of view.

I think it is a myth that people buy houses based on pictures. No sane person will do that. Pretty pictures are for RE agents and maybe sellers, not serious buyers.

I, too, do some real estate photography. Before I even go to a site, I give the realtor a four-page document with plain-English recommendations on preparing a home for photographs. I'm very surprised that so many seem to ignore the recommendations and want things shot as-is, but then Photoshopped to remove "debris". I refuse to remove such junk and to make a Yugo look like a Mercedes. After all, it's my reputation as a photographer on the line, and my copyright attached to each photo.

quote:

Originally posted by nasig:
I think it is a myth that people buy houses based on pictures. No sane person will do that. Pretty pictures are for RE agents and maybe sellers, not serious buyers.

Good photos attract more prospective buyers than crappy, cell phone photos, by far.

well, they attract more people that like to look at pictures and houses, that's true. serious buyers look right through such stuff.

Looked at another place yesterday.

Pictures were spot on. Attractive without being glitzy.

40 year old house that's been lived in and showed it in the fine details.

Well maintained, great location, large lot, reasonable price. It'd be perfect for Grandson and his family.

But, it's been on the market 2 days and we were the 3rd showing with another scheduled after we left. Being close to the State Capital, 3 minutes from the Interstate yet rural (gentleman farmers and the horsey set) I expect it'll go quick, and he has to get his place under contract before he can make an offer.

quote:

e has to get his place under contract before he can make an offer.

Why not make an offer contingent on the sale of his current home? A buyer is likely to take other offers first, but you don't have a chance at all if you don't try.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:

quote:

e has to get his place under contract before he can make an offer.

Why not make an offer contingent on the sale of his current home? A buyer is likely to take other offers first, but you don't have a chance at all if you don't try.

I'll pass that on to him, thanks.

Disclaimer: my wife sells real estate.

If those complaining only know what it was really like in that business.
Wait until you're the person that wants or needs to sell your house. You'll want every trick in the book to be used to make your property present well and to sell for the most money. Every business is like that.
That doesn't excuse sellers or their agents that do things that are unethical and intentionally misrepresent.
Your agent should be a person that knows their market to guide you and you should be a person that knows how to search out and find that person.
It's likely not your cousin or best friend or the agents that suck you in promising well below market fee's. Do it on your own so you don't pay anyone a commission? It can happen but your in the wild west in that case and better be really lucky or be prepared to take a big haircut.
Just like buying a firearm, you have to use at least some common sense and educate yourself first. Go randomly visit ten local gun stores and tell me how many are full of competent, completely honest people.
For most this is a huge amount of money. For many it's the most they ever spend on anything in their entire lifetime, by far.
Even here, where we have Para and his helpers, and the other members, somebody occasionally slips through and tries to do people wrong. We are blessed here to have someone monitoring buyers and sellers and setting clear rules that are enforced. There is no guardian angel (like here) watching over you in the real world.