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Doozergirl

PasturesNew wrote: »

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....

You're so right! It wasn't that long ago! I have all the particulars of the places we've bought and then sold, apart from the first.The details from our second place are laughable. I made the decision to view it just because it had roses around the door. That was the only part of the flat visible from the road and that was what they photographed.

googler

The EA is being paid by the vendor to generate interest in the property, not to put people off.

Having said that, photoshopping out a defect to hide it, and using the photoshopped photo, would appear to explicitly contravene the provisions of both the former Property Misdescriptions Act, now replaced by the Consumer Protection Regulations.

Mickygg

Yes they do do this.

I go against thud grain with EAs, and also on this as well. When I sell houses I want some of the photos on line but keep some of the good rooms as well for people to look round and be happy with what they are seeing rather than all good rooms on line and crappy ones to see first hand on a viewing.

But yes I viewed a property a few weeks ago, just what I wanted from the pics, but when I saw the property it was far worse condition than the pictures showed.

lincroft1710

PasturesNew wrote: »

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....

Photo? Photo?

I can remember when sales particulars didn't even have a photo, unless it was a "highly desirable (gentleman's) residence" when you may have got a small black and white photo. I seem to recall that even in the late 1970s, some agents didn't use photos for their cheaper, less attractive properties.

Loopy28

When I have shown family and friends the photos on rightmove of the property we are buying, I have seen they are not impressed! But in person the property is lovely.

My house doesn't look great in the photos. I think some EAs use lots of good photography to make rooms look larger and neater, others aren't good and make even a good property look dire.

phoebe1989seb

Doozergirl wrote: »

You're so right! It wasn't that long ago! I have all the particulars of the places we've bought and then sold, apart from the first.The details from our second place are laughable. I made the decision to view it just because it had roses around the door. That was the only part of the flat visible from the road and that was what they photographed.

Me too and also particulars for loads we didn't buy - mostly amazing project houses as that's what we go for - and some make very amusing reading, whilst giving very little away visually of the horrors that lurked within

Our current house - completed 16th Dec - had pics online (and printed particulars) showing an amazing landscaped garden with blurb referring to it as 'clearly the result of a labour of love of a rather keen gardener'. The reality - having driven 3.5 hours to view - was somewhat different as the property had been vacant for at least two years, the vendor having already bought a new home, and in the interim the once picturesque garden had been allowed to fall into a state of overgrown chaos......which tbh made the prospect even more inviting to DH and me

mimi1234

Thanks so much for all the responses guys. It makes much better sense. I guess I was naive enough to think the houses I have viewed would actually more or less like they did in the photos.

I will refine my searches and bear all yours advice and tips in mind.

Have a fab NY all.

[Deleted User]

it always amazes me that you see house pics on right move etc where they have dirty pots in the sink and untidy rooms,utterly astounding,then they wonder why they get no viewings

Davesnave

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

Ordinary sellers have always been doing this on a small scale (e.g.deliberately not revamping an outdated extra bathroom in an otherwise perfect property) because they know that won't put off most buyers but it will definitely encourage a certain type of buyer.

The man sees the profit to be made and the woman sees the chance to 'put her stamp on it' and Bob's your uncle, you've got a good sale.

I think you're right that re-vamping a tired house may not result in the fantastic bargain imagined during the sale process. Much depends upon the purchaser's own skills and/or connections with tradespeople.

Against this, there is the situation where grabbing an opportunity can pay off. I'm thinking here of someone young, who buys shrewdly in an upcoming area and works on a house for a number of years, reaping the rewards later. They might not have the money to buy an up-together example, but they can just stretch to a fixer-upper.

I did that, and now one of my children is doing the same thing. However, it's important they enjoy the process and have a willingness to learn and get their hands dirty. Otherwise, it could be a nightmare.