It’s time for another installment of Real Actual Listing Photos. Once a month (or so) I round up some of the most bizarre listing photos from around the Seattle area and post them here, with brief excerpts from the real actual listing description, and probably a bit of snarky commentary.
The idea for this series stems from the ongoing forum thread Detrimental Listing Photos, which is where you should post your nominations for next month’s Real Actual Listing Photos post.
This month’s theme is MEGA MOUNTAIN. Yes, you can see Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, the Cascades, and the Olympics from various homes in the Seattle area. However, no, they will not fill your entire field of vision. Of course, that bothersome fact won’t stop listing agents from posting photos that attempt to fool buyers into thinking they will!
On a related note, there are 664 listings across King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties that mention Mount Rainier in the description, 628 that mention the Olympics, 463 that mention the Cascades, and just 86 that mention Mount Baker.
Enough explanation. Let’s get to the photos! Click the photo to view the Real Actual Listing.
“The calm of Elliot Bay; the vibrancy of the downtown Seattle skyline; the singular majesty of Mt. Rainier are equally matched by this classically inspired residence.”
Wow. What can I even add to that kind of description? Classic, indeed.
“Exceptional and unique in every way. .. truly an heirloom quality home.”
Exaggerated photos of mountain views and exaggerated listing descriptions. Two great tastes that taste great together.
“Cascades & Mt Rainier follow you up to the rooftop patio.”
Whoa, not sure I’d want to be stalked by an entire mountain.
“A true blend of Tuscan and Northwest style, this residence offers the timeless beauty & craftsmanship of authentic old world stucco with compliments of intricate wood detailing.”
Seriously, is there some sort of special superfluous adjective thesaurus that these listing agents use to write these descriptions? “Authentic old world stucco”? Really? Authentic? They shipped 200+ year-old stucco across the planet to install in this 2006-built Kirkland home? Somehow I doubt that.
“Soaring 180 degree views from beautifully crafted home perched high above water overlooking Hat Island, views stretch from Mt Baker to Mt Rainier!”
I wonder what the difference is between a regular view and a “soaring” view.
“Breathtaking views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains & picturesque Shilshole Bay Marina. Spectacular sunsets, soaring eagles & the allure of yachts & sailboats…”
Because most people want to spend all of their time at home staring outside at the “allure of yachts.”
“Remarkably one of the most stunning homes with sunrises and sunsets.”
I thought we would close things up with a couple of more realistic mountain photos. This shot from a condo for sale at the super luxury Fifteen Twenty-One Second Avenue building appears to be zoomed in a bit, but at least they didn’t overdo it (with the photo anyway).
“Extraordinary Northwest style. .. custom designed with an open expansive layout that takes full advantage of all day sun and panoramic views from Mt Rainier to the Olympics.”
Heh, not sure I would have chosen to feature the patio furniture quite so prominently, but at least the mountain is shown at a realistic scale.
Let me know if you have an idea for the next “Real Actual Listing Photos” theme.