Altered photos—they’re everywhere. Image editing software like Photoshop has made it easy to alter pictures, profiles, memes…you name it. But where do we draw the line when it comes to altering real estate photos for a listing?
The purpose of listing photos is to serve as a first impression of your property to prospective buyers, which in turn allows them to decide whether they have an interest in seeing it in person and buying it. To this end, it might seem savvy to make a few minor fixes to some of the less appealing features in the photos to increase your home’s appeal to buyers browsing online. Trouble is, any buyer who shows up in person will quickly feel hoodwinked if they see that the immaculate kitchen from the listing is actually more of a fixer-upper.
Did the altered photos get potential buyers through the front door for a showing? Yes, but now they might turn right back around and decide to look elsewhere. After all, if you were trying to hide the defects in the photos, they probably figure you won’t be upfront about any unseen issues in the house.
When trying to sell a home, full-disclosure is generally the best way to go. But if you’re not comfortable with full disclosure in the online listing itself, it may be okay to name the basic features of the house and then discuss the details of the property only to seriously interested parties who contact you.
First impressions are not easy, especially within the real estate industry. But you have to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and identify the line between using discretion versus being deceitful.
At Title Junction, we care about helping you stay informed throughout your real estate transaction. The experts at our title company have extensive knowledge about real estate not only in Cape Coral and Fort Myers, but all of Florida as well.
Have questions? Give us a call at 239.415.6574.
In case you missed it, check out our last Title Junction post: Can I Secretly Record Home Buyers In My House?