bobrk
You kids get offa my lawn
Premium
join:2000-02-02
San Jose, CA
 ·SONIC.NET
| reply to pagerboy
Re: The ethics of "Photoshopping" Real Estate Listings.
It's a single family home, governed by CC&Rs much like a condo. You own the land, however, with easements to your neighbors.
Since I bough the place directly from the developer, my realtor (unfortunately) was not involved. We bought the place based on a drive by--it was located conveniently in our neighborhood.
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Iraq Coalition Deaths, Graphic | RC5 | bobrk |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
 ·T-Mobile US
| reply to B52GUNR
said by B52GUNR  :I think it needs to be criminal, to be honest. We have young girls trying to look like these models at great risk to their health and the models don't even look like how they are portrayed. I think it's not only unethical, but disgusting. »www.metacafe.com/watch/268634/mo···otoshop/
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician. |
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B52GUNR
KM 7D love and D3 Nirvana
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-06
Vallejo, CA
clubs:   | That's exactly what I'm talking about. |
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yock
TFTC
Premium
join:2000-11-21
Fairfield, OH
| reply to Splitpair
said by Splitpair :said by pete424 : I don't put trees or grass where there is none but I might make the toys in the backyard go away. Then legally you have moved from a photograph of the property to a representation of the property. Wayne Removing incidental items that would not be present on the property once you take ownership isn't at all a misrepresentation.
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Laughter is the closest distance between two people. --Victor Borge
"The opposite of war isn't peace, it's creation." |
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nvmp7
join:2004-07-11
Auburn, ME | reply to Edit This
How many Real Estate Professionals do we have engaged in this discussion? |
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Cariad
Logo Queen
Premium,ExMod 2001-03
join:2000-07-02
Staten Island, NY
clubs:
| reply to Edit This
The photo is to draw the buyer in, if the buyer doesn't notice the power lines/water tower/big honking power plant, behind the house or any other discrepancies when he/she goes to visit the house then it's his/her fault.
Who buys a house without looking at it first?
I find listing the wrong neighborhood in the ad. more annoying than prettying up the photo - but again it's a ploy to get the buyer to come look at the house.
Can I sue applebees because the plate of food they gave didn't look like the menu photo? |
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Mauricio9
Premium
join:2001-12-04
Vancouver, BC
| Shall we give it one more round?
Yes, if you buy the house based on a false photo, you are an idiot.
But when I was shopping for a house, I was sometimes driving 1+ hours to check them out. I know people who flew in to check out houses. Will a realtor reimburse me for my airfare if I flew in to check out a house based on a false photo?
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My photo galleries |
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Gizy
Have you thanked a soldier today?
Premium
join:2002-08-26
Lake Oswego, OR
clubs: | reply to nvmp7
At least one in the business. |
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nvmp7
join:2004-07-11
Auburn, ME
| Make that two, or one-and-a-half.
My wife is a broker, and I take all of her photos as well as accompany her to most of her showings/open houses. We also own rental property. Bottom line is, we've never run into a situation where a buyer purchases (or a renter signs a lease) sight unseen. We've had buyers/renters inquire about the possibility, however, we've simply suggested strongly against it. If the prospect is serious about the property, they'll come to look at it. We've had a couple sales of military personnel. In one case the husband couldn't come to the showing so the wife came alone. The other case the both of them came. They flew 1500 miles for three days to look at multiple properties they had set up appointments for. Whether it's NYC, Auburn Maine or Los Angeles, if you're serious about buying a piece of property you better make time to check it out.
In our MLS we can only upload 8 photos. There is no way to post enough photos to cover what may potentially turn someone on/off. Everyone's just a little bit different.
If your Realtor is at least worth their weight in business cards, you should be a happy buyer/seller.
Nate |
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Mauricio9
Premium
join:2001-12-04
Vancouver, BC
1 edit | said by nvmp7 :In our MLS we can only upload 8 photos. There is no way to post enough photos to cover what may potentially turn someone on/off. Everyone's just a little bit different. That's not the issue here. The question is whether it is ethical for a realtor to post a photo where elements that may potentially turn someone off have deliberately been edited out. What's your take on that?
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My photo galleries |
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nvmp7
join:2004-07-11
Auburn, ME
| My apologies, I was busy passing on some of my experiences that I forgot to comment on the original point...
In no way should a photo be manipulated in order to make the property seem more appealing than it's natural state in regards to removing/adding "elements" such as other buildings, landscapes or even power lines. I believe there was a question raised as to whether it was deceitful to put on the superwide lens and get the property without the power lines in the frame. The problem here is, there is no way to be able to tell if it was done in a deceitful way or if some agent with his/her $15 disposable camera just got "lucky" with the shot and never even noticed the power lines were there.
At the end of the day, the term "to accurately represent" is too subjective. That's why the buyer needs to physically look at the property. I could go on for hours giving different experiences....
Nate |
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Mauricio9
Premium
join:2001-12-04
Vancouver, BC
1 edit | That's my thinking... there are sins of omission and sins of commission. It is very hard to determine someone's responsibility for the first type. The second type, however, are definitely unethical and should be outright illegal.
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My photo galleries |
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wwdubbia
join:2002-06-03
Clinton, NY
1 edit | reply to Edit This
this isn't much different than the owner painting over that water spot in the ceiling to hide the leaky roof, is it? You'd be upset when you found out about it, right? |
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