With hundreds of new listings hitting the market every day, realtors are going to extraordinary lengths to ensure their listings stand out from the pack.

While some take the ostentatious route (Zed Real Estate, anyone?) others turn to gimmicks, with questionable results. But it turns out that if you really want to get people’s attention, all you’ve gotta do is tell the truth. That’s exactly what Gittoes Real Estate Agent Richard Faulkner did in his hilarious video for a property in North Gosford that takes the absolute piss out of traditional listings. And his move paid off—with the video becoming the most landed on listings in NSW in the last 5 years. It also drummed up considerable interest for the otherwise lacklustre property which went on to sell for $535,000.

The documentary-style video tour of the four-bedroom, two-bathroom house at 1 Linden Street features Mr Faulkner (AKA ‘Bruce’ of ‘Bruce’s Bangin’ Bargains’) listing the property’s many faults with brutal honesty and a good dose of Australian humour. The tour begins with a nod to the “deconstructed wall” upon entry, before explaining that “the previous tenant has already done us the curtesy of starting the renovation one punch at a time.”

Video:

In the kitchen, he praises the previous tenant’s styling choices by declaring “I love the mould splashback” and noting that the owners have kept the fungal theme throughout the rest of the house. Stained-carpet, exposed electrical wires, wall damage dubbed “abstract art”, and a curiously placed doorless ensuite bathroom all get air time, proving that absolutely nothing is off limits to the agent. Out the back, the viewer is treated to a look at the crumbling deck, as well as a peek under the house which is full of miscellaneous debris.

Sydneysiders are no strangers to dilapidated homes selling for unexpectedly high prices, oft advertised as ‘blank canvases’ or ‘a renovator’s dream.’ Some of you may recall the $4.6M sale of an uninhabitable Darlinghurst Terrace last year despite rotting floorboards, a collapsed ceiling, extensive water damage, and unstable flooring—none of which were acknowledged in the listing. Instead, BresicWhitney highlighted the “Potential to refurb a landmark”, its “expansive rear courtyard” and proximity to “some of Sydney’s best dining at the door.”

On the other hand, Faulkner’s refreshing listing on realestate.com.au joked that “the years of ignoring any upkeep has really assisted in getting the removal of the timber deck underway”, while bringing attention to “a severely deteriorating vanity”, and the main bathroom boasting the “final touch” of a new roll of toilet paper placed on the holder “however, unfortunately, all the preceding steps still need to be done.”

So, what inspired Faulkner’s searingly honest marketing campaign? “I didn’t want people to come to the property and be shocked”, he said. Mission well and truly accomplished.