At some point in time, a Realtor® thought it would be a great idea to over embellish a property they had listed for sale by exaggerating how nice it was. Since then, the use of fancy descriptions full of excessive and misleading adjectives has become a real estate epidemic! For example, “GLEAMING hardwood floors,” is often used to describe everything from new hardwood (and often laminate!) to old, tired looking and scratched hardwood. “Highly Upgraded” and “Chef’s Kitchen” are used so frequently, many times of which the property doesn’t warrant the praise, that they’ve lost all meaning.
For buyers actively searching for homes, make sure you look beyond the fluff in a property description, pay attention to the photos and, better yet, get out to see the home in person.
For Realtors, call it what it is. Over embellishing a feature, or property as a whole, will set up visitors for disappointment, making it a more challenging sale. Consider replacing your “Gleaming hardwood floors” with a more accurate representation such as “Five-inch-wide, hand scraped oak flooring.”
Check out this video for another common misleading term used in real estate and comment below with the favourite words and descriptions you’ve come across when looking for a home.
If you need help deciphering property descriptions to find the perfect home, allow us to help! Contact our team today for help with your next move.