Property Descriptions - What’s in a word?

November 25, 2007 · Filed Under Real Estate Articles 

I recently read an article regarding Realtors “poetic descriptions” and how they relate to the property they were advertising. The article suggested that home sales from 1997 to 2000 found that listings using words such as “beautiful,” “good value” and “handyman special” sold faster, while listings with “rental” and “motivated” sat longer, and “must see,” “vacant” and “moving” made no significant difference. Whether this is fact or fiction, they did post a list of interesting words and “their” definitions of the words. Some are quite amusing.

LISTING LANGUAGE DECODER

Cut and paste from (www.seattlepi.com)

Some words and phrases real estate agents use in listings, along with what they (may) mean:

Very quiet interior: You can barely hear the freeway with the windows shut.

Convenient to shopping: Next to a strip mall.

3+1 bedrooms: The room in the basement isn’t a legal bedroom but, well, you know.

Great bones: You’ll need to tear it down to the studs.

Charming: Small.

Cozy: Tiny.

Cute: Small and fussy.

Dollhouse, adorable: Nauseatingly cute.

Turnkey: Just overhauled, complete with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

Unique: Remodeled by someone on acid.

Handyman special: Bring boots.

Motivated seller: They need to sell before they default on their mortgage.

Dirty, ugly, smelly: Dirty, ugly, smelly.

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