by Ross Kaplan on March 26, 2012
Layout Problem . . . Solved!
“One nerd is an island. Two are a club. Three are a clique.”
–Ross Kaplan, based on observing my 12 year-old son and his friends.
Non-Realtors would have no reason to know this, but photos on MLS are designed to lay out horizontally.
So, if you input 17 horizontal photos and one vertical one (18 is the max allowed), the result is unaesthetic and odd-looking.
The solution?
Input two such photos, side by side.
That creates a symmetric — and appealing — layout.
Thanks to Mare Sukov at Edina Realty’s front desk for figuring that one out.
P.S. The photos above are from my new listing at 4812 West 28th Street, in St. Louis Park’s Fern Hill neighborhood.
by Ross Kaplan on February 14, 2012
Guilt By Association
When agents see a listing — on February 14, in Minnesota – with leafy trees and a bright, green lawn (like the one above), their knee-jerk response isn’t to say to themselves, “My, what gorgeous landscaping.”
It’s to click on “History” on MLS to see how long the home’s been on the market — and find out how many price reductions the Seller has taken since then.
The answers in this case?
Eight months; and two, each for $25k.
Which is why home sellers who are especially proud of their (flattering) landscaping should put Summer photos on their Dining Room table, where prospective Buyers will be sure to see them when they do a showing.
But make sure that the photos on MLS are seasonal . . .
P.S.: the other association Realtors have with unseasonal photos is that the house is a foreclosure.
When that’s the case, though, there are usually only a few (grainy) photos attached to the listing, not the full complement of 18 allowed by MLS.
by Ross Kaplan on January 24, 2012
(More) Real Estate Cliches
Two of the more overused real estate cliches (redundant, I know) is “curb appeal is deceptive” and its first-cousin, “not a drive-by.”
So, are they ever true?
Usually, not.
However, there are exceptions to every rule.
Exceptions to the Rule
Once in awhile, you do see a listed home with a plain (or ugly!) exterior, where the inside is in fact smashing.
When that’s the case, there are usually lots of flattering interior photos (the maximum on MLS is 18) that back up the Realtor’s claim.
The other instance where the curb appeal is in fact deceptive is when the home is especially deep and/or it’s a walkout (it’s on a sloping lot, so the basement is all above grade).
Both of those are true of this split-level located in St. Louis Park’s Lake Forest neighborhood, as the front (above) and rear (below) photos make clear.
P.S.: For more real estate cliches, see “Real Estate Euphemisms; “Real Estate Cliches and How to Avoid Them“; “Show and Sell!”
by Ross Kaplan on October 22, 2011
Blame it on Having 2 Adolescent Sons*
If you had multiple shots of a Living Room, you’d label them “Living Room #1″ and “Living Room #2,” right?
Likewise, if you had two photos of a Dining Room, you’d logically call them “Dining Room #1″ and “Dining Room #2.”
So, how would you caption two shots of an especially deluxe and spacious Master Bath?
I suppose you could call them ”Bathroom #1″ and “Bathroom #2.”
But I went with 
the classier “Bathroom — 1st view” and “Bathroom — 2nd view.”
*Actually, the most uncouth member of my household would be . . . my 7 year-old daughter.
