How many left hands do YOU have? Writing directions for the MLS

 

I have a long-standing pet peeve that I wanted to vent about today.  I have been actively selling homes for more than a decade in and around Austin, but I have noticed a disturbing trend.

 

When one is a bad or clumsy dancer, he/she is said to have "two left feet".  I would like to coin a phrase today for agents who write directions incorrectly on their own listings - two left hands.

 

I have a GPS system in my vehicle, but it doesn't get every address in outlying areas of town.  I also have a pretty good sense of direction.  I am good at following instructions if given properly.  The key words in the last sentence were "if given properly".

 

PLEASE take the time to get the MLS directions right if you are a listing agent!  The last several homes I have shown have all had incorrect directions.

Let's see - "turn right on CR 198" - seems easy enough.  Wait.  There IS no right on CR 198.  What the heck?

 

"Turn right on Maple, then left on Main."  Oh, I see.  You meant it the other way around.  Makes perfect sense now. 

 

Have you actually visited the property in person?  Maybe this is the first step.  Believe me, I am not really super detail-oriented.  I consider myself more of a big picture kind of guy.  So, if incorrect directions bother me somewhat, it might actually make someone's else head explode.

I have another possible reason for this.  Maybe you are trying to give directions to me as if we are sitting face-to-face (my right is your left, my left is your right?). 

Maybe you are holding a map up to a mirror when you are entering your listings.  That would certainly make good sense, although it does seem a little odd, now that I think about it.

Since I have seen this repeatedly in recent days, maybe someone in that part of town messed up his/her directions, and everyone is just copying and modifying as necessary.

I have even had some that were correct until you get to the street itself - "house is on the right".  You mean in the drainage culvert?  The last time I checked, this direction is called "left".  My mom even taught me a cool trick when I was a kid.  Hold up your hands with palms down (not up).  Stick out your thumbs so that they are perpendicular to your hand, and make your thumbs touch each other.  Which hand makes an L shape?

I think I actually figured out the problem just now.  You are using your feet to type, rather than your hands.  Sorry - my bad.

Thanks for your time!

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