South Seattle: Terminology Taboos

Apparently there’s a right and a wrong way to word your real estate listing and the Seattle Times published an article explaining the issue. Read here for Cynthia’s further musing on the same report. This piqued my curiosity, so I ran through a selection of my area’s Redfin listings that have been on the website for 45+ days. I figured I could skip the testing phase for correct phraseology, as those properties are likely to be selling like hotcakes.
Lo and behold we have some long time hangers on…could the blurbs be to blame?

“Motivated seller” is frowned upon by those in the know.

According to the study, “as is” is a no no.

I guess “new paint” indicates it’s covering a multitude of sins.

The researchers would be aghast at this double whammy: a motivated seller who just painted.

Whether their wording proves to be a pitfall or not, each of these listings will pass muster with Strunk and White in at least one regard; Strunk himself wrote that “vigorous writing is concise”.