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I overheard a real estate agent the other day saying that write-ups are a “thing of the past”.
In the modern world we live in it is true that previously important and highly valued features of life are indeed things of the past.
The horse and buggy is, largely, a “thing of the past”. As much as I like the monochrome image, it is undoubtedly true that black and white televisions are a thing of the past.
Video recorders, tape decks, the typewriter and the polaroid instamatic camera are all deserving of being labelled a thing of the past.
The history of human habitation of our planet is a catalogue of things that were once useful and highly valued but, thanks to the march of human advancement, became things of the past.
We don’t see modern armies confronting the enemy with bows and arrows much these days. Rarely do sailing ships with hundreds of people on board traverse the oceans to begin life in the New World.
There are some things that have stood the test of time and, while they might have evolved, they have not become things of the past.
A piece of art is a good example. Yes, art has changed … witness installation art and other forms of contemporary artistic expression displays show creativity in a very different way.
But the good old painting on canvas has not gone away. Many modern artists still paint the same way the masters did centuries ago. The most expensive paintings are those done years ago by now-dead artists.
Those painters might be of the past but their works are as relevant and important today as ever. Their paintings are not “things of the past”.
Now, as I climb down from my high horse to make my point I will say that in a world of social media videos, Instagram, text messaging and email alerts there is still a vital role for real estate write-ups.
Yes, we must evolve and make the most of every single bit of modern technology to market and sell real estate to the very best of our ability, but the write-up still has a crucial place.
People need information and a well-presented and thought-out write-up provides that but it also creates the emotional connection that many buyers need if you are going to attract them to a property.
There are other important tools beyond the write-up that we must all master but if an agent doesn’t put thought into a write-up they are letting down the seller and failing to reach all potential buyers. So there!
