No Photo Listings?
Why do some listings have no pictures (or only one)? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had Buyers ask me this question. I often ask the same thing myself. Then I wonder if the Seller is aware that their listing is being marketed so poorly.
The majority of my buyers will immediately discard a listing in the MLS if there are no photos. There are so many others to choose from, why waste your time on a house with no picture and usually a vague description of the property.
I wonder if this is the service the Seller expected when they signed a listing agreement with that Realtor?:
So, Mr. and Mrs. Seller, I would like you to pay me to not market your property. I don’t want people to know what it looks like. I’m not sure that they need to know how nice your house really is. The beauty of this plan is that while your home is listed with me, you will never be bothered by Buyers and other Agents looking through your home. No worries though, I’ll find you the Buyer since your Secret House is safe with me. We don’t need all the other hundreds of Realtors and their Buyers, too.
(Is this how the public should view your home?)
In my experience good pictures help sell homes. They entice a buyer to come take a look. The more people you have walk through your listing, the better chance you have in finding that one person who wants to buy it. Here’s an interesting bit of information I found posted on Realtor.org:
.homes with professional photographs were found, on average, to be viewed 61 percent more online than others in that price range shot with a lower-end camera. The listings that used digital SLR cameras also commanded a 47 percent higher asking price per square foot.
So, if you are wondering why your home hasn’t sold, it might be a good idea to check the listing your Realtor is marketing to the public. Besides pricing and location, this could be part of the problem.
