Realtorese

There are lots of phony claims in real estate listings. “Renovated” is not necessarily completely false, but is certainly wide open for a particular agent’s interpretation, and can range from a complete, down-to-the-studs gut job and rebuild, to new kitchen cabinets, to sweeping the dust bunnies from out under the beds. But what really riles me is the description of a spec house as “custom built”. A bespoke suit is one thing, while an off the rack sack from Jos. A. Banks is another.

So today’s price cut on 12 Shore Road in Old Greenwich, from $3.199 million to $2.799 caught my eye, because it’s described as “custom built” — it was not.

A spec builder put it up in 2010, priced it at $3.495 (a silly price) and after giving up on that and renting it out, finally sold it to these owners in 2014 for $2.5. It’s a perfectly nice house on tidal waters bordering Stamford, but custom built it is not.

At least the description doesn’t claim that it’s been renovated since 2014, but that does raise the question of why it’s worth so much more today than what the sellers paid for it.