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.
Be sure to stop by Looney Listing for a steady dose of goofy listings all month long. If you’ve got a nomination for a listing photo that should appear here, drop me a line.
No particular theme this month. Just enjoy a collection of odd listing photos found by readers and yours truly.
Enough explanation. Let’s get to the photos! Click the photo to view the Real Actual Listing.

Another fine example of “let’s take a picture of a picture.” Found by Lori M.

I guess that’s one way to avoid breaking the NWMLS rule of no brokerage branding in your listing photos. Not a very classy way, but it is effective, I suppose.

But not motivated enough to, you know, stop by the property during the day and take some non-terrifying photos. Found by mukoh.

Because it will definitely be a great investment to build “luxury” homes directly over the freeway.

That is the most amazing and totally real fire I have ever seen (cropped for full effect). Found by David B.

Yikes. It looks like someone actually lives here. Technically.

This ultra-blurry bathroom photo is one of just five pictures of this home. Talk about phoning it in. Found by Beth T.

Wait a minute. I could swear there was a house for sale here. This is where the map says it should be, anyway.
Let me know if you have an idea for a future “Real Actual Listing Photos” theme, and be sure to check out Looney Listing for listing photo amusement throughout the month.
My goodness…..that fire one.
What the heck are people thinking when they do stupid stuff like that – it detracts from the pictures and just leaves a tacky feeling.
RE: No Name Guy @ 1 – Apparently there is fracking nearby.
In the “picture of a picture” one it appears they have tried to draw an arrow showing you where in the building the unit is. I take this one as an admirable attempt to not go horribly wrong with photoshop like everyone’s favorite fire bug did.
In “fire” pic I think the raging blaze that you can see inside the wood stove in the living room is more problematic, especially since many, though not all, stoves like that have a solid metal front rather than a glass window since they are supposed to be more functional than decorative.
RE: No Name Guy @ 1 – Indeed. When I first saw that picture while going through a new listing, my first thought was “What is that …thing… in the back yard? It looks sort of like a small volcano is shooting lava.” It literally took me half a minute to figure out it was someone’s attempt at Photoshop-ing a fake fire into the scene.
Wow- if you squint a little bit it looks like they’re roasting a squirrel on that fire- head to the right, pink tongue out, body in front of the flame and the tail mostly burned off. Or I’ve had too much to drink.
By David B. @ 4:
This is exactly why photo processing and other special effects should be very limited. Rather than thinking about the property for sale, the consumer is thinking about other things.