May 12, 2010

Home descriptions translated


Don't you just love those oh-so-creative property descriptions?

There are many common phrases in real estate to describe a property and exaggerate highlight the positives. The Dallas area MLS limits descriptions to about 400 characters. A listing agent's job is to get the house sold and sometimes it can be difficult to fully describe the property in just a few words.

So we often see the same code words that most Realtors understand and many buyers should recognize too. Here's a little education in translating those home descriptions: 

Backs to Open Space = Future WalMart location
Motivated Seller = Desperate
Unusual = Weird
Priced to sell = Seller isn't budging on price
Cozy dollhouse = Tiny, cramped
Back on the market = Priced too high the first time around
No maintenance yard = Gravel or concrete
Priced below tax appraisal = Should have protested our appraisal
As is, where is = If you want it, you fix it
Price Reduced = Listed to high to begin with
Character = Older or strange or both
Classic = Traditional
Located in .... area = Located NEAR but not IN the better area
Easy access to major roads = Backs to highway
Close to shopping = next to the parking lot
Original condition = Home is covered in 70s wallpaper
Needs TLC, needs updating, needs work =  Needs a LOT of work
Lots of Potential = It's falling down
Diamond in the rough = Nothing nice to say about the house
On great lot = Bull doze it
No front photo of the house = Ugly
and my personal favorite ...
A Honey for the Money = I can't think of anything to say

1 comment:

Jeff Duffey said...

Jennie Ling is going to be mad at you. Didn't she invent Honey for the Money? :)

Great job translating!