Brutal Honesty in Real Estate Advertising

REALTOR Magazine Online had a very interesting article about Harry Ackley with Coldwell Banker Schweitzer-Bake Real Estate. Basically, the house he was listing was a dump. Instead of just putting something like “fixer-upper” or “handyman special” he went with a very honest, very straightforward approach. Here is how the remarks read:
The bottom of the barrel! I have avoided listing this one as long as possible, since it will take a miracle to sell. Sure, it has two bedrooms, one bathroom, and an oversized lot in a desirable Plymouth neighborhood. But beyond this, there’s nothing else that’s positive.
The strategy worked brilliantly. He had 15 showings and the house sold within 17 days. The buyer was looking for something he could live in and fix up. Although the remarks were not flattering, they did emphasize the two main strengths of the house: its lot size and its neighborhood. He thought about his potential buyer pool, and clearly it made no sense to stress how nice, cute, quaint, etc. the home was inside. That might have actually attracted the wrong prospects or kept the best prospects away from seeing the home.
The MLS remarks section is one of the best places to market your home. Take the time to write up a compelling sales pitch. Also, put yourself in your buyer’s shoes and avoid fluff content which will do nothing but waste their time or give them inflated expectations that don’t materialize when they actually view the home.