Be Wary of Fluff in Listing Remarks

If you’ve ever searched for a home whether to buy or just seeing what’s out there, you’ve read the various remarks describing each property. And you may have noticed that some remarks/descriptions are more factual based while others are more descriptive and use a lot of adjectives…or as I like to call it, “fluff”. Facts are good, but you should be wary of fluff.

What are facts and what is fluff when it comes to listing remarks/descriptions?

Here is an example of a fact-based description/listing remarks…

This 4 BR, 2.5 BA, 3 level brick front town home has been renovated/updated throughout – kitchen, basement, bathrooms, fixtures, appliances, flooring, paint, landscaping, etc. Town home is in back of circle and backs to trees/common area. Fully finished walk-out basement, fenced in backyard w/brick patio & veg/flower garden. 2 assigned parking spaces + visitor spots. Comes w/home warranty policy.

And here is an example of a fluff-based description/listing remarks…

This charming rambler is a perfect 10! Great fully finished basement and incredible den/study attic. Closets galore! Private patio oasis out back. Backyard to die for! Your clients will be more than pleased.

See the difference?

Now why should you be wary of a “fluff” description like the one above? Let me tell you from first hand experience that the property with the “fluff” listing above was,

1. not charming
2. was not even close to being a perfect 10 (more like a 5)
3. the basement was far from great
4. the den/study attic was far from incredible
5. it had just an average number of closets for a rambler built in that year
6. the patio was far from being an oasis
7. the backyard was small, severely sloped toward the back of the house and needed serious landscaping help
8. and my clients were less than pleased (aka ticked off) that they wasted their time and mine going to see the property.

Speaking from experience and in talking with other agents and buyers, I can tell you that the greater the number of adjectives (descriptive words such as “great”, “beautiful”, etc), typically the worse the condition of the property is as compared to the description and the worse the let down is when a buyer sees the property in person.

Remember folks…the listing remarks/descriptions are written by either the seller or the listing agent (typically the listing agent). The listing agent’s goal is to get you to see the property in person and then to submit an offer. Some agents seem to believe that “fluff” will get both of these goals accomplished which is why you see so many “descriptive” words being used in descriptions. The problem with that theory is that the description may get buyers to come through the door, but then the buyers are ticked off that the description was a bunch of you-know-what and submitting an offer is the furthest thing from the buyer’s mind.

I’m not saying you or any other buyer should totally avoid listings that have such descriptions. Just be aware of what may happen and don’t get your hopes up only to be let down.

TIP: If you see a home for sale with a lot of fluff in the description, have your buyer’s agent preview the property on their own and report their findings back to you. That way, you avoid wasting your time going to see a property which won’t work for you.

On a related note…if you’re a seller that thinks fluff will get you an offer or you’re working with a listing agent that wants to use a lot of fluff or embellish, know that buyers and buyer’s agent are cautious and often turned off by such remarks. Be honest, straight forward and “wow” buyers with (real) photos of your property showing them how awesome it is. If you’re property is “beautiful” and “to die for”, the property will speak for itself.