I began reading this blog last year right after I first received my license. I took the class, the follow up class, graduated, found a brokerage, got the signature, then got my license. After all this I realized I knew nothing about Real Estate. I knew nothing at all. Where do I start? Google of course.
I found BHB. I began reading, reading, reading, and reading some more. I read Greg and what he does after he lists a property in Phoenix. I asked myself, “Would this work in Columbia SC?” I took it to heart and pondered it for several days. I finally came up with the answer. Some will, some will not. Thus is life. At this point, I began to slowly implement these ideas (though I didn’t grasp the ideas and honestly still don’t).
Tonight, I was writing a blog post on my personal blog about the most expensive houses in my market. Naturally, they do not resemble the prices that several of the Bloodhounds are used to. The average price in Columbia, SC is $145,000. I’ll take them all day long and sell every one I can. I like that price range personally.
I felt a little gluttonous this evening and decided to write the post. Of course, I pull up the MLS, do a basic all areas search for houses above $1 million in my markets. I was surprised to see a $5.75 million dollar property. I was more surprised to see the pictures. This is the headline image for the house (remember, this is the most expensive house on the market in Columbia, SC)
Lovely house I am sure. However, with this picture, I am going no where near it.
Now, ok, it’s not horrible…however, this is the 3rd most expensive house’s picture coming in at $3 million even.
Remember, the title of this post is ‘Not to beat a dead horse…’. I know this goes on all the time. Horrible pictures don’t sell houses, IDIOTS sell houses…apparently.
I do not claim to be a photographer by any means. I continuously cut my little sister out of photographs. If I stood to make nearly $100,000 in commissions though, I think I would cough up the $100 it would take to get good pictures, or buy a digital camera from CVS.
As I am writing this, I am doing a bit of soul searching. Why does this bother me so much? Why does this bother me so much that I put this on a national Real Estate Industry blog? Because, the customer comes first. That is it.
And I remember this Bible verse (sorry guys, I don’t speak Latin and am not a linguist, just a good ol’ southern boy)… Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
I am off my high horse now.
Michelle DeRepentigny says:
Those photos are just sad! I am by no means a professional, but if I Couldn’t do a better job than that , I would hire one.
July 1, 2008 — 7:17 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
I don’t think that horse is dead yet. I think it’s always good to remind all of us that we need to do, not the best we can, we need to do the BEST period every day.
Whether it’s taking pictures, writing, advising, whatever your job requires of you on that day, do it the best and then you’ll come close to living up to Greg’s standards, LOL.
Seriously, thanks for the reminder, Hunter.
Tom
July 1, 2008 — 7:32 pm
Hunter Jackson says:
I was in band in high school. Marching band. We worked hard, earned national championships in both marching band and wind ensemble.
I always try to live my life by what my band director, Bruce Dinkins, said “Early is on time, on time is late.”
Of course he meant time, but that can be expanded into so many different messages. Early means your best.
July 1, 2008 — 7:35 pm
Greg Swann says:
Years ago I made an English/Latin/Spanish side-by-side-by-side New Testamanent. I should dig that up and make it available as a PDF.
This is a great post, Hunter. It’s utterly amazing how many high-end listings make it to the MLS with lousy photography — or even none.
July 1, 2008 — 8:13 pm
Hunter Jackson says:
In all honesty, I just want to be in their head. What are they thinking. I honestly want to know.
There ya go, spanish, hablo espanol un poco.
July 1, 2008 — 8:18 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
Greg,
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you came to West Michigan or we got some Greg Swann wannabe’s who actually achieved even 75% success, you’d own the high end market by us.
Hunter, just by virtue of what you’ve written here, you’re a long ways down the road toward that type of success.
We all need to raise the bar higher and we will all benefit from it.
Tom
July 1, 2008 — 8:19 pm
Tom Bryant says:
I’ve been selling houses for 23 years, and it bothers me just as much. It similarly bothers me when agents go out of town without arranging for someone to cover their business. Or when I end up doing the other agent’s job, or when phone calls aren’t returned. Yes, it’s a chance for me to shine compared to the competition, but it’s also another small nick to the reputation of Realtors – another piece of evidence for naysayers that agents don’t “earn” their big commissions. Nothing’s ever that simple, of course, but half-hearted marketing effort like those you have pointed out stick with consumers.
Our MLS is changing to a new vendor at the end of the month, one that will allow an unlimited number of photos in the listing (our current vendor provides for 6). The great divide between those agents who are order takers, versus those who actually ‘market’ is about to become even wider in my opinion.
July 1, 2008 — 8:30 pm
Don Reedy says:
Hunter,
From the Book of James, another bit of wisdom that bears on this:
James 4:17 – Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
No need to make excuses for not speaking Latin. Perhaps Greg can teach us how to look at the photos in your post and say “This stuff is crap” in Latin.
July 1, 2008 — 9:09 pm
Greg Swann says:
Vide: LatinEnglishSpanishNewTestament.pdf.
It’s amazing to me how easy it is to make PDFs in OS X.
July 1, 2008 — 9:41 pm
Cheryl Johnson says:
Hunter, I have to confess, except for the truck in the driveway, I really like the first photo!
It tells a story; it is sometime in the early spring, the grass not quite green, the rising sun striking the upper windows.
There is a feeling of seclusion on wide open grounds, the windbreak of barren trees visible in the distance.
Yeah, I do like it. A pro photographer would have taken a different shot, no doubt, but the story would have gone untold.
July 2, 2008 — 6:20 am
Hunter Jackson says:
Cheryl,
I can definitely see what you are saying, but honestly, do you expect the average customer to look through the ‘bright side’ glasses, when they are looking at purchasing the most expensive house on the market?
The other pictures are of a dirt road, and the garage. No inside pictures etc.
Maybe I am too logical of a person. I am a self professed literalist. I dont look for a story beneath a picture, I see a picture and thats all (thats why the only art i have is dogs playing poker i guess).
July 2, 2008 — 7:16 am
TitleRep says:
At least these have images!
I just did a post on my blog of the Worst Real Estate Flyer Box Flyer Ever. There’s a white box (with border) where the photo should be. I took it right out of the flyer box in the yard this weekend, and just started laughing. Then I cried a little(not really), knowing that this seller hired someone who probably shouldn’t be in the business. It’s just kind of sad when you really think about it…
July 2, 2008 — 12:52 pm
Sue says:
Those homes deserve some nice pics and/or a professional photographer. I believe that regardless of the price by the way, its not that hard. I wonder if the homeowners have seen the pictures. 🙁
It is true, there are homes $1M+ on realtor.com without pictures. I actually use that stuff in my listing presentation.
July 2, 2008 — 7:15 pm
Heather Rankin says:
I just took two listings in the small hamlet (not big enough to be a town) next to the 420 some odd person town I live in – a 1/3 acre lot with utilities across the street and a 1/3 acre lot in a yet to be developed subdivision. One at a whopping $14,500 and one at $16,500. These were both expired listings.
The last brokerage did not bother to go find out where the lots were, or take photos and had them listed for six months. No photo, wrong address on one, and no sign.
I have produced two nice HDR images for each lot as well as a map (not the best but works) for the undeveloped lot. This has taken all of an hour or so.
So, yes, high priced deals make the agents more commission but behind every lot or home is a person, one who probably needs to sell it.
I am still aghast over the way this client was treated. May I NEVER get too busy to find the person behind the deal and the photo in the story.
July 3, 2008 — 12:06 am