Since we have shifted to the internet as the first instance to find a property, we are being swamped by millions of pictures of properties. But can we trust the tiny close-up of the property and decide if it is suitable? Not all properties are in reality as they are pictured on the photos.
Generally, the red flags an experienced agent will see aren’t hidden where a Tom, Dick and Harry cannot see them. It’s probably down to the fact that a real estate agent sees thousands of homes and does the job everyday. While the rest of the world buys a home rather sporadically.
So which are the signs which should alert you to be careful? These are the most common ones:
> Lead photo shows the interior: exterior is ugly or needs a lot of work.
> No photos on a listing at all: It’s not likely a hidden gem, it’s probably hideous.
> “Depth stretching” in photos. When you look at real estate pictures, look at common items like sideboards or kitchen sinks that are on the sides of pictures. When you look close, some will look extra wide. This commonly leads to rooms looking much larger than they really are. The photographer used a fisheye objective to make the room look bigger.
> The photos mainly show close-ups of details in the room: There is lots of clutter and the property is not as attractive as you might anticipate.
