I work with home buyers but I work with sellers too. Part of my job as a listing agent is to make homes look as attractive as possible on the internet and in the marketing materials.
I spend a significant amount of time taking interior and exterior shots from just the right angles to make them as appealing as possible, it is my job. I emphasize anything about the home that I think will make it attractive to buyers.
When I work with buyers, sometimes we drive up to a home that they asked to see and they are disappointed. They say that it doesn't look the same when they see it as it did on the internet. It is a good idea to drive by homes before making appointments to see them. The drive by gives buyers a chance to see what is next door, and a cross the street. Peeling paint and roofs that need repair become obvious too. Those types of problems don't always show up in photos and most agents don't go out of their way to highlight anything about a home that does not look appealing.
Anyone purchasing a home will need to see it first. They do look different during a tour than they did on the internet. Some homes look better than how they are portrayed in the marketing materials. It takes some practice to look at listings on the internet and try to decide if they are worth seeing.
Driving or walking past a home is also a great way to get a feel for what the neighborhood is like. The internet is a wonderful tool but is still not as good as seeing the homes. I like to use it as a screening tool to figure out which properties are not worth looking at.