How to respond?

[Truzi]

My father was a realtor, and at one point was involved in relocation. The vacant relocation homes might be in pristine shape, but he would have the carpet replaced with neutral colors, and the walls painted similarly. I asked why waste money, and he said the companies want to move the house, and making in neutral will appeal to more people.

My best friend and I are "window shopping" on the internet. We're not ready to buy a house, but getting a feel for the market and what we may want. Certain things do strike us poorly. Usually it's a house in ill repair, or horrible decor (or the dumb little hangings that say "Kitchen.")
We can see past those things and would not let it affect a decision, but sometimes it can take effort.

That said, I think the complaint made about your photos is a bit dumb. I guess it's more about whether you want to move your house quickly, or make sure it "goes to a good home," lol.

 

[jeffreyg]

I am not selling my house and have two nudes on the walls one of which is an Edward Weston "Floating Nude". If I was selling the house I would upon the advice of the realtor remove all our art work and repaint the walls. Either that or make it very clear that the art does not go with the house to the buyer. Incidentally, over the forty years that we have been in our house no one has ever complained about there being photographs of nudes including those there with small children and even some members of the clergy. The folks who complained need to get a life. However, if they are serious buyers and are prepared to place a deposit or sign a contract I would take them down .

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[winger]

My parents house is on the market (anyone want to move to central New York State?) and they were told to pack all pictures of people first and to completely clean off the fridge (had the usual grandparent art collection). But then it didn't get shown until after they'd moved out and it was pretty much empty. And it hasn't sold, so maybe being empty is not helping.

I think someone commenting like that after an open house is kinda dumb, but I'd listen to the realtor. Sometimes they don't notice the "little things" until they're pointed out.

Like Truzi, I've looked at houses on the web (ours is getting smaller and has no storage). What bugs me are when the photos don't show the character of the house, but show the stuff in it instead. Or the ubiquitous shot of the commode.

 

[Eric Rose]

Take them down. You want their money to buy your house, not feed your ego.

 

[Nodda Duma]

Sell the house, not the stuff in it.

You're not helping yourself if you distract people from looking at the house.

 

[jvo]

tell your agent to do his/her job - sell...

have agent call the complainer and tell him to buy the house and you'll remove them immediately!

 

[Helios 1984]

"The house is owned by a renown photographer. See all those pieces of fine art hanging on the walls? Worth a fortune."

 

[wiltw]

So many buyers are totally unable to divorce the owner's contents of a house (bed, wall decorations) from the items which stay (washer, dryer, stove). They criticize carpet as if it cannot be removed and replaced with something to their liking. They criticize paint as if they cannot cover it with a color of their liking. Most buyers are STUPID in that regard, so anything that displeases them comes between them and a sale of your house!

That is why staging of a house with rented furniture is so often done. Are you trying to sell your home, or show off a photographic works exhibit? Make your actions suit your GOAL.

 

[Leigh B]

Any potential buyers of a mid-range house will likely bring kids with them.

I would feel obliged to make the decor kid-friendly. Whatever works for you.

- Leigh

 

[MattKing]

The buyers would be lot happier if the owner dropped dead.

Be careful about saying that.
I did the legal work once on a deal where one of the sellers did drop dead.
And then the contract got finally signed, under a Power of Attorney, without anyone disclosing that the Power of Attorney was invalid due to that death.
It was a real mess for my clients, who were the buyers.
Thankfully, it got straightened out, and my clients got their new house, even if they were a bit delayed.
By the way, the Attorney who signed using the Power of Attorney? She was the sellers' niece, and was a licensed realtor, who clearly knew better.

 

[BrianShaw]

... seller dropped dead and realtors dropped the ball. Sounds like a feeding frenzy for the lawyers who know the law.

 

[EdSawyer]

real estate agents just want the property to sell, they don't care about anything else that gets in the way of that, so take their advice with that as the overriding reason behind any of their (mostly useless) opinions.

Personally, if I hadn't already moved to a new house, I wouldn't take anything down. You still need to live there in the meantime. If you had 30+ lookers on the first day, it should sell no problem. The hell with wankers that are offended, you don't need them anyway.

 

[faberryman]

In the alternative, you could put the same warning on your front door that you put on your website and see how that works out.

Please Note: some images in this portfolio contain nudity and may not be appropriate for all audiences. If you are not at least 18 years of age, you should exit now! viewer' discretion is advised. Nevertheless, my records prove that all featured models were at least 18 years of age at the time these images were made.

Who would want to look at a house that sounds like a porn site?

 

[MattKing]

... seller dropped dead and realtors dropped the ball. Sounds like a feeding frenzy for the lawyers who know the law.

Actually, in that case, a realtor came close to committing/may have committed fraud.
And as for the lawyers, as usual, we were the ones who did most of the necessary work to fix things - the negotiation of the revised terms of contract, the steps required to transmit the title to the surviving joint tenant, the revisions to the closing documentation and procedures and the necessary revisions to the purchasers' mortgage financing documentation.
The surviving widow got her money, and my clients got their home. I and the lawyer for the seller(s) also received increased fees, for the additional work required.

 

[TheToadMen]

... a man with darkrooms in 3 states has little to lose

Wish that would be about me

 

[BrianShaw]

Actually, in that case, a realtor came close to committing/may have committed fraud.
And as for the lawyers, as usual, we were the ones who did most of the necessary work to fix things - the negotiation of the revised terms of contract, the steps required to transmit the title to the surviving joint tenant, the revisions to the closing documentation and procedures and the necessary revisions to the purchasers' mortgage financing documentation.
The surviving widow got her money, and my clients got their home. I and the lawyer for the seller(s) also received increased fees, for the additional work required.

It's always a happy ending when the lawyers make more money.

Lately I've learned a lot about home buyers, their agents, and fraud...

Or as a lawyer would state it: the potential appearance of possibly fraudulent behavior that may or may not be intentionally dishonest or an intentional or inadvertent misrepresentation of an allegedly truthful condition or statement of alleged fact.

 

[rthollenbeck]

I suspect this is just a complainer and not a purchaser. Like in almost any other context worrying about who you may offend is a waist of your time. If it's not that it would be something else. If this person does buy your home they can have the satisfaction of taking down anything they don't like that you leave behind.

 

[BrianShaw]

Realtors have a very high set of standards set by the real estate commission, and if you are a realtor, you'll do everything you can to stay out of the back pages of the REC quarterly. People with integrity issues don't last long, not in NC for sure. Can be a real tightrope walk if you're not careful.

Yes.

 

[MattKing]

Realtors have a very high set of standards set by the real estate commission, and if you are a realtor, you'll do everything you can to stay out of the back pages of the REC quarterly. People with integrity issues don't last long, not in NC for sure. Can be a real tightrope walk if you're not careful.

I certainly don't disagree.
But as in everything, some people will be tempted to take the easy way out.
The transaction I referenced had a bunch of other complications that I didn't touch on, but aren't all that unusual or problematic in themselves. They just meant more delay and expense (for the sellers).

 

[jgoody]

I would take the advice of the realtor for a different reason -- if you are cooperative it may get them to put out more effort on your behalf.

 

[Nige]

another aspect is you'll need to replace the frames with something or repaint the area as leaving hooks or holes won't be acceptable either

 

[canuhead]

...The house was owned by a Rabbi, and had religious fixtures on doors throughout house. We were told many people were offended, so he wound up taking our reduced offer...

people were offended by mezuzahs ? wow probably didn't understand why there were two sets of cutlery in separate drawers either...

 

[harlequin]

I worked in the adult film industry (behind the camera) in Van Nuys/Chatsworth, before the internet was giving it away free.

Had all sorts of erotic art, S+M images, Sculpture (looked like Helmut Newton's studio probably), got a lot of static from realtor
so I put up a 16x20 BW print, spray painted over it, "you're buying the House, NOT my Imagination" had 4 competing offers in
10 days, then at escrow closing asked the agent, if she was so insulted now that she got a larger commission check.....

S I L E N C E!

Fast forward 5 months, the home was torn down for another McMansion anyway.....
Its a business transaction. FLIP or FLOP......

 

[Pentode]

A potential buyer whining about the art on the walls is likely the type of person who would have been a PITA in other aspects of a real estate transaction. He or she, as an attendee of an open house, is also in no position to demand anything... at all... of anyone.

That said, moving house is one of the most stressful, aggravating things one can do in life. Why make it more so? If the real estate agent suggests that it would make things easier if you took the artwork down, just play the game. It's not about making a statement about censorship - there are better suited places for that - it's about getting your house sold.

Sure, the potential buyer's a weenie, but so what? They won't be your problem for very long.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I can't believe what just happened.Our house is on the market.Yesterday our agent held an open house and 30+ people came and took a look.One person found my images on the wall(all my own photographs)offensive,called the agency and demanded that these pictures are taken down. I am now pressured by the agent to take them down to avoid a distraction from the home and to theeby increase the chances of a sale. My first reaction is f&#ck 'em but how would you respond.The images in question are all on my website at rlambrec.com

Don't let the prudes dictate what art you hang in your house. Today, people get offended much too easily.