Okay this is just too funny not to post. Over in my favorite forum thread Detrimental Listing Photos Everett_Tom spotted this gem [update: the listing photo has since been changed—original screenshot here], where the (presumably) brown grass in the listing photo has been extremely poorly painted over in bright green in the only photo on the listing. Shortly thereafter, I spotted another similar example [original screenshot here], where the digital green spray paint is creeping all the way up the fence.
One thing led to another, somebody posted it to Reddit where it subsequently made the front page, and before you know it, guess which two homes are the most popular in all of Snohomish County on Redfin?
Who knew MS Paint could be so effective?
[Update]
Everett_Tom strikes again, pointing out that the MS-Paint-ified photo was just grabbed from Snohomish County records!
singliac » Jul 29, 2009 at 7:47 am
awesome.
Smitty » Jul 29, 2009 at 7:49 am
That’s classic. They should go all the way and paint in some granite countertops, too.
ray pepper » Jul 29, 2009 at 7:51 am
Looks like the green sponge like monster is beginning to attack the home. See this is why everyone needs glacial gravel and boulder for a home-like feel. No need for enhancement.
http://anonymousbloggers.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/eagleflood11.jpg
Sarge » Jul 29, 2009 at 8:14 am
Not just a bad job with the ‘grass’, they didn’t even try to remove the power lines. Bright green grass and the bluest skies you’ve ever seen, isn’t that what we all want?
bobesb » Jul 29, 2009 at 8:21 am
Too funny :-) But really on a sliding scale – how is this much different than the touched up pictures of the real estate agents on business cards and advertising flyers.
Lake Hills Renter » Jul 29, 2009 at 9:00 am
By bobesb @ 5:
Yes, we definitely need soft focus listing photos.
Everett_Tom » Jul 29, 2009 at 9:12 am
I look forward to the day when the agent photos have been touched up with MS Paint.
Everett_Tom » Jul 29, 2009 at 9:45 am
Turns out this gets funnier.
The photo which was “painted”? It’s from the Snohomish County Records.
You can see the original photo here .
Apparently the listing agent couldn’t even be bothered to drive out to the property and take photos.
Indy » Jul 29, 2009 at 10:10 am
It gets better! They whited out the little tricycle in the middle and put what would seem to be a giant grass bush over the pickup trick at the far right! Outstanding!
WestSideBilly » Jul 29, 2009 at 10:52 am
Grassing over the pickup truck was a nice touch. :D
biliruben » Jul 29, 2009 at 11:27 am
Using MS Paint is one thing. I walked by a house for sale in Wedgewood last year that used Krylon.
I walked by there a fair amount, because it was around the corner for The Grateful Bread, and noticed that the lawn was full of brown spots.
A week later, the brown spots were gone! I took a closer look, and they had spray-painted the brown spots green. Brilliant!
Niz Monkey » Jul 29, 2009 at 11:28 am
Perfect Timing! I needed a good laugh!
The Tim » Jul 29, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Via an anonymous source at Redfin, referring to the listing making it to the front page of Reddit:
Cheap South » Jul 29, 2009 at 1:10 pm
By The Tim @ 13:
Don’t they say “there is no bad publicity”?
RE Agent – Mission accomplished!!!
deejayoh » Jul 29, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I guess Hedyeh Doroud missed this article before he/she did the touch up work.
Six Amazing MS Paint Masterpieces
NoMoreWork » Jul 29, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Hilarious. Did anyone notice the taxes on that place? North of $7,000… Wowser. Who has money to water the lawn with taxes like that?
Matt » Jul 29, 2009 at 2:32 pm
To add to the comedy, someone with real photoshop skills should doctor the photo to actually make it look natual.
The Tim » Jul 29, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Aww, someone must have tipped off the listing agent that half the internet was poking fun of their “paint” job. They uploaded a new, undoctored photo.
WestSideBilly » Jul 29, 2009 at 6:15 pm
The truck is gone, I don’t want it anymore.
Scotsman » Jul 29, 2009 at 6:45 pm
RE: biliruben @ 11 –
I was watching HGTV (I think it was about must-sell properties) where they actually had a guy come out and spray all of the brown grass with heavy green latex paint using a commercial spray set-up. It was supposed to last for some time, and certainly looked better than what had been there. California or Arizona? Maybe it’s more the norm down there, who knows? Desperate times.
Charles » Jul 29, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Someone needs to submit this to http://photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com/. I guess that would be me….
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