Real Estate Marketing: Why Things Are Not Always As They Appear

People claim that with internet real estate marketing, Google images, property videos, virtual floor plans, (and more), there are very few surprises. I tend to disagree. My wife and I have used the internet tirelessly over the past eight months to find “temporary” homes for our family across seven countries. One of the constants with each property is that it was never what we expected when we arrived. How is this possible after 500 Google images, 100 reviews, 10 videos and emails with even more questions answered?
My conclusion is that the mind’s eye is very powerful AND with all the faith we put in internet marketing, we feel somehow misguided when what we see before us is somehow not exactly what we pictured.
My suggestion is the 25% rule. When you are doing your internet research for a vacation, a home purchase, or even preparing for a face to face client meeting with someone you have only spoken with on the phone, reserve 25% of your mental picture to fill in upon arrival. The reason this works is because you then arrive open-minded. Instead of feeling defensive that what is before you is not what you imagined, you can take note of the things that feel right and even notice what exceeds your expectations. It doesn’t mean it will be the right house or client or resort, but it does mean that you will save a lot of time and energy by planning for the uncertainty that certainly exists.