The Reality of Selling Ugly Homes

Even listings with ugly photos DO sell. Many of my colleagues apparently disagree. "No photos" seems to be the option chosen by many agents, rather than posting realistic photos of their listings.

To quote one commenter on my post last week (Ugly Photos are Better Than No Photos):

I am really shocked at some of the lack of preparation ya'll are accepting as a-ok for your clients. You are relegating these homes and these sales to second-class listings...

PAUSE FOR A DOSE OF REALITY: Out there in the real world, "second-class" is probably a fair description of homes in many markets and, in fact, others are much worse than that. Even in markets where "first-class" is the norm, there are some homes that just don't measure up. Yet there is a buyer for every home.

Believe it or not, we know how to find them... it's our job as real estate professionals. We don't have the luxury of upgrading every home we sell to "first-class" listings. That's reality.

The commenter went on to say:

I think it's sad, sad, sad. We are talking about people's equity here, and the photos are representative of that. Attempting to educate your clients about the importance of staging is truly a part of your fiduciary responsibility!

You guys need some cajones.

PAUSE FOR ANOTHER DOSE OF REALITY - Some properties don't photograph well for reasons beyond the control of the owner, as well as the real estate agent. Rental properties, for example. What makes you think the seller is any happier about the property condition than the listing agent? They're not, and that's reality.

The commenter continued:

Deciding that your clients can't afford to even discuss or implement staging is verging on morally reprehensible these days... Please, stop underestimating the sellers and start helping them protect their equity. It's just the wrong way to handle your fiduciary responsibilities in today's RE industry."

REALITY TIME - Morally reprehensible... The wrong way to handle our fiduciary responsibility... Are you kidding me?

Selling the home – whether it is beautiful or ugly – THAT is my fiduciary responsibility!

The "ugly" photo that generated these and other comments belonged to a listing I'd just posted on MLS and YouTube. (Some of them are above.) As I explained in the post, it is a rental property in a college town where cash flow, cap rate, and vacancy factor are the key selling points. It's my job to know and promote the positives of each property... to know where and how to find likely buyers for every listing, even the ugly ones. Apparently I handled my fiduciary responsibility just fine with this listing because...

We had two non-contingent offers in hand within 3 weeks of listing this property and posting a bunch of ugly photos for potential buyers to see. In spite of (or because of) the ugly photos, the property is now under contract for nearly full price, no inspections, no closing help, no contingencies, three weeks 'til settlement... And the buyer is no fool - an experienced landlord and licensed real estate agent.

Listing agents have to live with the fact that not all listings are beautiful homes, and no amount of staging or photo-editing will make those "second-class" listings into beautiful homes where we can take photos fit for a magazine or slick brochure. But that's okay, because we know how to sell them.

HERE'S THE REALITY OF SELLING UGLY HOMES:

I'll be laughing all the way to the bank with a nice fat $10,000+ commission check for this "second-class" listing with ugly photos.