MLS photo discussion

[Gregory Beck]

I only use MLS photos if my subject is in a gated community and one of my comparables are in a competing neighborhood and the guard or card gate won't let me in to take the photo in the competing neighborhood. Run on sentence ya think?

 

[Gregory Beck]

I have one of those super high speed cameras why shucks I can go by doin 30 and get a great shot!

 

[TEL2002]

At least one picture in every report will show part of my mirror. If it does not, it is not my report. I use this as a means of hidden identification. There is something in every house that I always take a picture of and include in the report as one of the subject's photos. Again, hidden identification.


What is to be gained by getting out of your car when you are in front of a comp? I'm thinking it just might get you a trip to the hospital....especially on some of the very busy streets.

 

[BRCJR]

I only use MLS photos if my subject is in a gated community and one of my comparables are in a competing neighborhood and the guard or card gate won't let me in to take the photo in the competing neighborhood. Run on sentence ya think?

How do you certify you inspected from at least the street?

 

[Dennis J. Black ASA IFAS]

For the lurkers. Just think about all of the great information that is missed by not even making an attempt to talk to the buyer by knocking on the door. Not home, leave a card.

Now you are going to hear all sorts of stories about bad neighborhoods and thats not the appraisers job or I don't get paid for that.

 

[Mike Boyd]

Dennis.....sometimes that is necessary but not always and certainly a long way from the majority of assignments. Need I remind you that most residential reports are SUMMARY reports and often LIMITED summary reports. Most MLS printouts are complete and provide a plethora of useable data. When they do not, THEN knocking on the door might be necessary. To flat out state that a GOOD appraiser must get out of his car to take a comp photo is wrong wrong wrong!

 

[CANative]

How do you certify you inspected from at least the street?

It says so right in the report. In fact it is pre-printed.

Mr. Black... If intended users thought it was necessary for residential appraisers to personally inspect the comparable sales and interview the property owner then they would make that a requirement and would be willing to pay the much higher appraisal fees. But they don't and they won't.

That's not to say that I don't ocassionally inspect comparable sales and listings. When I need a comp that hasn't been listed in MLS I will contact the new owner and ask if I can come by and take a picture and ask a few questions. Or if I see someone outside one of the comp sales and the moment feels right I may get out and introduce myself and strike up a conversation. Sometimes this will result in a viewing of the interior. Sometimes I'll come across a listing with a lockbox and I'll spend some time measuring and taking photos.

But I just don't have the time to make this a routine.

 

[Tomasz]

Lazy. Does your partner bother to get out of the car to shot his comp pics or can we find his sideview mirror in all of them.

I don't get out of the car for some of my photos and many appraisers in my area simply use MLS photos. You get out of the car in some neighborhoods here and you're asking for trouble.

Used to stop the car and walk into the street or opposing sidewalk for every photo, but I found that it doesn't make a difference. So long as I'm being diligent in taking a clear shot, then I guarantee that not a single person can tell the difference in perspective. Then again, my truck sits pretty high!

Not trying to be argumentative, just stating that I wouldn't chalk this practice up to being lazy. It's just one aspect of the job where many of us have decided that a "drive-by" photo works just as well if you actually slow down or pull over to snap the shot.

Also, I will use a MLS photo if there are children in front of the home or crack dealers lingering around, then make a disclosure as to my reasoning.

 

[Richard Carlsen]

MLS photos IMNSHO are more representative of the condition of the property at the time that the buying decision was made. They are a source for confirmation of the data that is one the listing data report.

Our MLS just posted the following note:

ATTENTION:All listings now have the capacity to upload 20 photos.

Imagine, there is the potential of having 20 photos of the inside and the outside of the property to look at and to judge condition. Virtual tours take too long so lots of photos will help us with our analysis.

As to taking comp photos, I go back to what an old appraiser told me years ago (he was even older than Mike and me). He said the only reason that comp photos were required to be put in reports in the first place was to prove that the comps existed. Not to show the condition of the property or anything else. Just to prove that the appraiser was making up comps. (Must have been that Skippies grand-dad was an appraiser also).

Bottom line is, I like comp photos both for examination for data, quality, conditions, etc. at the time of the sale plus they are representative of the property described in the MLS data. I always take the time to view all photos of comps that are available.

 

[Michigan CG]

For the lurkers. Just think about all of the great information that is missed by not even making an attempt to talk to the buyer by knocking on the door. Not home, leave a card.
.....

I do it all the time.