Brokers have to be delicate when describing an investment property that has an elderly rent-controlled tenant. How to explain that you might be able to move in sooner rather than later, while not being offensive? A Curbed reader thinks Elliman broker Silvia Aboud has found the perfect strategy for selling this $295,000 Suttonish studio: include a covert photo of the tenant in the listing pics. The commentary:
Notice the silver-haired lady grasping her walker, looking closer to kicking-the-bucket then kicking up her heels? Since it is probably the ONLY photo on the Elliman site with an occupant in the photo, I don’t think it is much of a leap to guess why they included her in the pics. Is this savvy marketing, advertising the apartment's potential? Perhaps, but at the expense of being really tacky. Call me an old softy, but I find waving the scent of death under investors’ noses is just plain bad taste.True, but talk about a deal!
· Listing: 220 East 57th Street [Elliman]