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Answers (13)
- ConnieK_Oklahoma
- Contributions:2900
Dan. I have seen it wrong in the mls too. So it would make sense to just check county records first all the time. I now avoid talking to the listing agent when there are gross inaccuracies. I send them a polite FYI email and if it was a mistake I get a thank you email and see it changed. If I get. I such response I assume it was not a mistake. This issue irritates me enough that I get a little too loud and worked up when talking to them if they clearly dont care or did it on purpose but this accomplishes nothing. So for now.... Email is safer I also get to irritated about violations in the comments that say "call me". And while I would like to not show that house. I just point out to m customer to ignore that
- Dan, "the_country_hick"
- Contributions:4709
Zillow historically had the lot size in square feet. Knowing this as it was listed in square feet I always searched for 1 million plus to get decent sized acreage here.
Agents should take care and post according to how a size lists the property. As the MLS is the local one the listing agents appear not to pay attention to details when they list. If the MLS said square feet for the lot list in square feet. If it lists in acres use acres. That seems simple enough.
I know this started in Florida and now is in Virginia. I have several states I am considering buying a house in. Not seeing real acreage only makes my search harder. When I was physically in Virginia even a realtor there had a hard time knowing what lot sizes were. He knew some were wrong because of the area they were in but others could have been right or wrong.
Agents should take care and post according to how a size lists the property. As the MLS is the local one the listing agents appear not to pay attention to details when they list. If the MLS said square feet for the lot list in square feet. If it lists in acres use acres. That seems simple enough.
I know this started in Florida and now is in Virginia. I have several states I am considering buying a house in. Not seeing real acreage only makes my search harder. When I was physically in Virginia even a realtor there had a hard time knowing what lot sizes were. He knew some were wrong because of the area they were in but others could have been right or wrong.
- Hamp Yonce, "Zilluminati"
- Contributions:3463
- Hamp Yonce, "Zilluminati"
- Contributions:3463
It's interesting that there was a post about eight to twelve days ago, complaining about all the lot sizes, in the listings, being in square feet.
I made a comment that I thought it was odd, since only a small percentage of the nation would need to use square footage to describe lot size, and the vast majority of the nation would speak in acres, or fractions of an acre. Then, shortly afterward, DTCH finds, and posts, this example.
Weren't all the listings on Zillow very recently, previously, described in square feet?
I made a comment that I thought it was odd, since only a small percentage of the nation would need to use square footage to describe lot size, and the vast majority of the nation would speak in acres, or fractions of an acre. Then, shortly afterward, DTCH finds, and posts, this example.
Weren't all the listings on Zillow very recently, previously, described in square feet?
- Dan, "the_country_hick"
- Contributions:4709
Hamp, "Has anybody ever told you , "don't believe anything you read on the internet". Juss sayin'."
Normally I would accept that. But we know that realtors have a code of ethics and only realtors list on the MLS. That means all listings on the MLS should be ethical and trustworthy right?
If we can not trust what a realtor shows in a listing how can a house search be done to buy the kind of property that is wanted?
Normally I would accept that. But we know that realtors have a code of ethics and only realtors list on the MLS. That means all listings on the MLS should be ethical and trustworthy right?
If we can not trust what a realtor shows in a listing how can a house search be done to buy the kind of property that is wanted?
- Hamp Yonce, "Zilluminati"
- Contributions:3463
Has anybody ever told you , "don't believe anything you read on the internet". Juss sayin'.
- Dan, "the_country_hick"
- Contributions:4709
This is not an isolated instance. I see it as a rampant problem. Realtors do not seem to double check a listing once they put it on the computer.
Here are a few examples.
3928 Mariposa PlAlexandria, VA 22309 A condo with 999 acres for $70k
369 Circle LnColonial Beach, VA 22443 20,037 acre lot with house for $80k
441 BlackwellColonial Beach, VA 22443 18,000 acres and a house for $120k
117 Meadow View LnColonial Beach, VA 22443 31,659 acres with house for $146k
00 Bowie Rd.Colonial Beach, VA 22443 10,800 acres with house for $150k
There are still more on just page one of the search results when searching for 20+ acres within 20 miles of Fredericksburg Virginia.
A small amount of fact checking on listings just inputted into the system could eliminate this kind of problem.
When I see a house for sale with any amount of acreage HOW can I trust it could even remotely be true? It does not matter if the house says thousands of acres or a small portion of one. It is obvious acreage in listings can not be trusted to be truthful or anywhere near accurate.
The same results would arrive in many different locations. Try it and see.
Here are a few examples.
3928 Mariposa PlAlexandria, VA 22309 A condo with 999 acres for $70k
369 Circle LnColonial Beach, VA 22443 20,037 acre lot with house for $80k
441 BlackwellColonial Beach, VA 22443 18,000 acres and a house for $120k
117 Meadow View LnColonial Beach, VA 22443 31,659 acres with house for $146k
00 Bowie Rd.Colonial Beach, VA 22443 10,800 acres with house for $150k
There are still more on just page one of the search results when searching for 20+ acres within 20 miles of Fredericksburg Virginia.
A small amount of fact checking on listings just inputted into the system could eliminate this kind of problem.
When I see a house for sale with any amount of acreage HOW can I trust it could even remotely be true? It does not matter if the house says thousands of acres or a small portion of one. It is obvious acreage in listings can not be trusted to be truthful or anywhere near accurate.
The same results would arrive in many different locations. Try it and see.
- Chris Richards,GRI, "Chris Richards"
- Contributions:280
In Missouri, Realtors use the tax records for the MLS data. They were most likely using square footage instead of acres and it was a typo.
- Bryan & Rachel Hoffman, "Bryan Hoffman"
- Contributions:13
Most of these types of errors are miscalculations by the real estate agent. The math isn't overly difficult but if the agent isn't paying attention or has an assistant that isn't familiar with the calculation(s), this problem can and does arise. This kind of error does not warranty that the difference between the published and actual acreage will be made up in way by the agent or seller, however. FYI: an acre is 208.71' x 208.71'. I suspect some agents are dividing the area of the lot into the acreage square footage, rather than the other way around.
- Dan, "the_country_hick"
- Contributions:4709
In this instance the listing realtor gave lot dimensions as "Approximate lot is 91 x 110 x 0 x 0". Somehow it confused the computer and I think it eliminated the x's or multiplied and we have bad data. (I knew it did not have the real acreage advertised.)
Listings realtors check your listings after inputting them to be sure they look right and the computer says what you thought you told it to say. That eliminates this kind of issue.
Other times I have not seen this be the cause yet the acreage was way off. Almost as bad is a listing that says x acres (small amount) and then "more available" (maybe 60). That stops my search cold as I do not look at the little x acres I look for the complete acres available. Usually that seems to not be listed so I can find it.
Connie, I was in Virginia and using a realtors MLS system in the RE office I saw unreal (read false high numbers) acreage listed on the actual MLS. It is not just on sites like zillow. I would contact the listing agent to verify lot sizes before showing anything when the buyer is looking for larger than standard lots. This lot size inaccuracy happens far to often.
Listings realtors check your listings after inputting them to be sure they look right and the computer says what you thought you told it to say. That eliminates this kind of issue.
Other times I have not seen this be the cause yet the acreage was way off. Almost as bad is a listing that says x acres (small amount) and then "more available" (maybe 60). That stops my search cold as I do not look at the little x acres I look for the complete acres available. Usually that seems to not be listed so I can find it.
Connie, I was in Virginia and using a realtors MLS system in the RE office I saw unreal (read false high numbers) acreage listed on the actual MLS. It is not just on sites like zillow. I would contact the listing agent to verify lot sizes before showing anything when the buyer is looking for larger than standard lots. This lot size inaccuracy happens far to often.
- Hamp Yonce, "Zilluminati"
- Contributions:3463
The Zillow listing seems more accurate.
.23 acres, but only 1730 square feet, must be minus garage.
.23 acres, but only 1730 square feet, must be minus garage.
- ConnieK_Oklahoma
- Contributions:2900
I don't know, I find it extremely irritating.
I had a showing about a week ago that was a zillow contact. I sent him the MLS info, talked to him at length on the phone about EVERYTHING else, set up the appointment to show the house, go show it...it's amazing house, everything he said he was interested in...then he asks...how is this 2 acres? i thought 2 acres was bigger. I said on no this is probably about .2 or maybe a little bigger, then checked MLS sheet to see it was .18- showed that and asked why he thought it was 2 acres.
because the listing on zillow said it was 2 acres.
so...
lesson for me- compare everything on the zillow ad to the MLS and to know info and POINT OUT variances before going to show, talk about them with the client and seek clarification. but still...it's irritating.
In this case it was a mistake. but I have seen listings where they put in a 1 when it's not an acre and they do it on purpose to get that zestimate up or something.
I had a showing about a week ago that was a zillow contact. I sent him the MLS info, talked to him at length on the phone about EVERYTHING else, set up the appointment to show the house, go show it...it's amazing house, everything he said he was interested in...then he asks...how is this 2 acres? i thought 2 acres was bigger. I said on no this is probably about .2 or maybe a little bigger, then checked MLS sheet to see it was .18- showed that and asked why he thought it was 2 acres.
because the listing on zillow said it was 2 acres.
so...
lesson for me- compare everything on the zillow ad to the MLS and to know info and POINT OUT variances before going to show, talk about them with the client and seek clarification. but still...it's irritating.
In this case it was a mistake. but I have seen listings where they put in a 1 when it's not an acre and they do it on purpose to get that zestimate up or something.
- hpvanc
- Contributions:2587
2,808 acres in FL for $110K would either have have a lot of 'gators and not much of any useful area on it or be require toxic contaminate cleanup on a significant portion of it.
But you already know that.
But you already know that.
Do realtors pay attention to lot sizes at all? 2,808 acres in a tight subdivision (please) for $110K
how big again?
When I look at google maps i shows nowhere near that kind of land.
It might be an acre if anywhere near that big. This is not an isolated mistake. It happens often. It really makes it a lot harder to find a lot with size or even eliminate lots under one acre. I noticed the same issue was rampant in Danville Va. when I looked at properties there. It also happens in other places. Why do realtors not verify the lot size and web site listing when they list the property?
Should I send the listing agent a full price offer via email provided it really has the 2,808 acres even if that is acreage off by 15%?
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