Two new web sites, ZipRealty, Inc. and Reply Inc., allow customers to post reviews of homes. Some are meant to be humorous, but some are mean-spirited and misleading. Is this the future of on-line real estate?
"At a condo on offer for $389,000 in Cambridge, Mass., another anonymous Zip reviewer spotted 'rot' in the bathroom, said the bathtub should be replaced and commented that the 'green paint isn't nearly as charming in person as in photos.' If all that wasn't bad enough, the reviewer added: 'Neighborhood questionable. Two kids had a loud, screaming fight outside the door during showing. Loud cars drive up and down the street with thumping music.'
Rude reviews threaten the "feel-good" language of promotional materials often associated with homes. Some real estate agents accuse other agents or home sellers of posting "hatchet jobs" to dampen competing bids.
On the other hand, these web-site owners suggest that reviews "provide valuable insights for home shoppers" and that "inappropriate content" such as "vulgarity, phone numbers, and advertisements, are blocked."
Read the full story: Snippy Things Folks Say About our Home Are Now Also Online
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