Buyers Only Real Estate Association Warns a Picture May Not Be Worth 1000 Words

National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) explains the good, bad and ugly of online real estate photos AVONDALE, AZ September 20, 2010 – Real estate images can be misleading, warns the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA). Home staging has become a common practice in which experts make the property attractive to the highest number of potential homebuyers by enhancing its visual appeal. Taking that staging element to the dramatic editing of online photos is a relatively new tactic and can be misleading. Today’s homebuyer spends more time online when shopping for a home. The practice is growing and more popular than ever with the rise of smartphone apps that allow buyers to search property listings, calculate mortgages and more. Virtual showings are integral to the total home buying process and a large part of that is the ability to view the exterior and interior of a home before deciding to view it in person. “We advocate for clarity and integrity in every facet of the real estate buying transaction, and that extends to photographic representations of properties,” says Benjamin Clark, 2010 President of NAEBA. The following four tips will help buyers to assess photos in the proper context. 1. Pictures can look better than the actual home. Buyers should view pictures with that understanding and not make a sole judgment based on the photos. 2. Pictures may look worse than the actual home. Buyers may be discouraged by a poorly taken photo yet the property may actually represent a good bargain. 3. Order and flow make a difference. It can be difficult to get a sense of flow from photographs. If the photos are not listed in order, try to do it yourself so that you can follow the path of the home from the front door through the rooms of the house. 4. Photos distort scale. It is difficult to get a good view of a whole room from a small picture. Rely on floor plans and room dimensions rather than photos to judge the scale of rooms. Photos can provide additional information but homebuyers that rely solely on an image can miss out on a great home or be disappointed by an in person visit. Buyers should assess all available information about a home. Use Google Street View to see the surrounding neighborhood, and Yelp to read reviews about local businesses and stores. A picture may not be worth a thousand words but when added to detailed research it can be very valuable. For more home buying tips or to find a buyers agent in your area visit the NAEBA Website at https://naeba.wpengine.com. # # # # # About NAEBA The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) is an organization of companies dedicated to representing only buyers of real estate. NAEBA member brokerages do not list homes for sale and never represent sellers. This restriction to one side of the real estate transaction avoids conflicts and ensures that the interest of the home buyer is protected at all times from house-hunting and negotiation, to inspection, financing and closing. NAEBA is pioneering a nationwide effort to give today’s home-buying consumers the level of service they deserve and are increasingly demanding. NAEBA members firmly believe that home buyers have the same full and equal representation rights as sellers in any real estate transaction. NAEBA, in existence since 1995, is comprised of Exclusive Buyer Agencies most areas of the United States, and in some international markets. Media Contact: Kimberly Kahl, CAE, Executive Director National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents Phone: 800-786-1570 Email: [email protected]