Misleading Adverts

mimi1234

Hi all.

Happy New Year to everyone.

I'm a first time buyer and have viewed about 20 properties over the last year and I am getting a bit annoyed with how devious sellers/estate agents are.

Is it normal to photoshop/tart up photos to attract attention when the actual property is a complete pig sty?

I went to see one the other day and the photos were not accurate at all. Half of one of the walls didn't have any wall paper, one of the walls was half broken, the photos didn't show some of the missing floorboards in the kitchen etc. The list could go on and on.

Is this normal? Have other people found this too? Is there any way to avoid this? Or is it a case of keep viewing until the right one comes along?

Thanks.

ellesbellesxxx

Unfortunately it does happen - but not in every case. Just keep viewing and the right one will turn up!

mimi1234

ellesbellesxxx wrote: »

Unfortunately it does happen - but not in every case. Just keep viewing and the right one will turn up!

Thanks for your response. I was naive enough to think they actually looked like what they did in the photos on websites etc. Silly me!

phill99

An estate agent is engaged to market a house. Therefore thay will use the best photos to entice you. They are highly unlikely to takes phots of damaged floors etc.

Remember the estste agent is employed by the vendor, not you.

Davesnave

This ^

After viewing 20 houses, perhaps you should be looking at this in a different way. Every defect you spot is a piece of ammunition in offering less than the asking price, and every offputting feature, provided it's cosmetic, is another plus point in getting the most house for the least money.

Alternatively, as a first time buyer, if you want a property which needs little or no work, you'll possibly need to lower your requirements to find the quality of presentation you seek.

It's a choice most of us have to make.

maninthestreet

How can a wall be 'half broken' ??

adhara

phill99 wrote: »

They are highly unlikely to takes phots of damaged floors etc.

Unless that's the best view of the property! haha

Bear in mind that rooms could have changed when the photos were taken, for example, if you see a Santa Claus on the front lawn in the sale photo, do you still expect it to be there in the midst of Feb?

The photos are just a way of showing you the layout. Have a look at the last few pages of "Have a look at this!" thread, it's great practice for looking for all the hidden bad things in EA pictures :rotfl:

Loopy28

I've viewed my fair share of houses where the photos have made it look stunning but the reality is they look like a shed inside.

I have also seen some where the photos made it look awful but the house was lovely so it can work both ways.

If every house you view has issues, could this be due to your budget? Perhaps they are priced for the condition meaning something well presented might be out of your price range?

JimmyTheWig

mimi1234 wrote: »

Is it normal to photoshop/tart up photos to attract attention when the actual property is a complete pig sty?

It's sales material, so I would expect it to show the property in the best light that it can without lying about it.
If the kitchen floor has missing floorboards then I wouldn't expect to see a photo of the kitchen floor.
But I wouldn't expect to see a picture of the kitchen with a photoshopped floor that makes it look like it doesn't have missing boards.

Give the estate agents feedback about the advert.
If there are some agents who present a property more accurately than others tell the agents who don't that you will always prefer to view properties the other agent has up for sale as you know what to expect.

rosie383

I agree with the others. You get a bit of an idea from the EA pictures but you can never tell until you actually view. I have been to see some which have been stunning in the pictures but mediocre at best in reality. On the other hand, I didn't like the pictures at all of the house that we want to buy but just went to see it because it is in my preferred area and within budget. Pictures made it look like it was an old person's house, dull and dingy and possibly a probate property. But it was lovely.
It can be frustrating but it really is par for the course.

PasturesNew

Remember - it wasn't that long ago that you'd have to visit EAs, or get on their mailing list and wait for the post, only to receive the details with ONE photo of the front of the house only.

You don't know you're born....