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Dario Ferreira, Internet Marketing & SEO

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Ambassador
5,224,095
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

No, it's very hard on the eyes - it's not just you! 

Feb 20, 2018 08:59 PM
Rainmaker
642,655
Greg Large
ERA Real Solutions - Grove City, OH
A Tradition of Trust

doesn't drive me mad but drives me away from the site, I am seeing a trend with a white or light background and light gray font which is also extremely hard to read, IMHO.

Feb 21, 2018 05:21 AM
Rainmaker
2,219,942
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

As long as I can read the the content, it does not bother me. 

Feb 21, 2018 05:02 AM
Ambassador
2,160,048
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Not a good idea for long text, maybe ok for a special purpose... like a "over the hill" birthday or something, but other than that, I can't think of a good reason. 

Feb 21, 2018 04:28 AM
Rainmaker
3,626,530
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

No sir, it's not only you, I don't care for them either

Feb 21, 2018 04:19 AM
Rainmaker
1,153,794
Kevin J. May
Florida Supreme Realty - Hobe Sound, FL
Serving the Treasure & Paradise Coasts of Florida

That depends how you look at things Dario? Would you say that your shirt is white with black stripes or is it vice versa?

Feb 21, 2018 02:04 AM
Rainmaker
710,515
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

As we get older, it is harder to read these types of websites.  I agree!

Feb 20, 2018 08:22 PM
Rainmaker
1,050,315
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Leave it to me to be the dissenter. I have 2 websites with black backgrounds/white lettering. They both have done extremely well. Those colors are my brand. My most recent redesign was by an upwardly mobile, wealthy, entrepreneurial web designer client who is a bullseye target demo. My instructions: I want you to attract more of you. We agreed that an Industrial looking design for CRE would be eye catching to prospectives.
Being a millennial, he crowdsourced it to 10m of his closest friends. (Seriously, many peers and everybody liked the design.)
So you can put me down in the 'I think it depends on what you're aiming at, and everybody has their taste' column.
I definitely did not want my brand to look like the sea of templated residential websites out there.

I am more nonplussed by something that doesn't stand out. Even if to some, it is wrong.

Feb 21, 2018 06:58 AM
Rainmaker
757,335
Peter Testa
Nationwide Homes - Danbury, CT
PETER TESTA

Then never turn on Night Mode on Twitter.

I don't care for that look either. 

Feb 21, 2018 06:41 AM
Ambassador
2,176,071
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

They don't drive me mad, they drive me away.  I can't read them and don't even try. 

Feb 21, 2018 06:39 AM
Rainmaker
4,800,082
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

It's not just you.

Feb 21, 2018 06:24 AM
Rainmaker
544,014
Dave Halpern
Dave Halpern Real Estate Agent, Inc., Louisville, KY (502) 664-7827 - Louisville, KY
Louisville Short Sale Expert

People spend less time on annoyingly hard to read websites, thereby saving electricity, thereby saving the earth and the polar bears. #praisetheannoyingwebsites

Feb 21, 2018 06:18 AM
Rainmaker
613,494
Eve Alexander
Buyers Broker of Florida - Tampa, FL
Exclusively Representing ONLY Tampa Home Buyers

That is as bad as a blog with no sentance or paragraph breaks.

Eve

Feb 21, 2018 06:16 AM
Rainmaker
5,102,824
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

It looks dramatic at first impression, but is hard to read. I agree with you.

Feb 21, 2018 06:00 AM
Rainmaker
5,205,874
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

No, it is not just you, it is me too!

Feb 21, 2018 05:40 AM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

I rarely see that.... not a popular design....

Feb 21, 2018 05:33 AM
Rainmaker
1,842,961
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Doesn't bother me at all. What BOTHERS ME are people that have Wordpress sites & don't change the light grey font & you can't read their posts. When I see that, I leave. There are many people here that do that.

Feb 21, 2018 05:31 AM
Rainmaker
2,180,305
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

small fonts give me a headsache

Feb 21, 2018 05:16 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,022
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

If i am searching for something i will still read it, but not very appeal-ling

Feb 21, 2018 05:14 AM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

James Dray nailed this one!

Feb 21, 2018 04:55 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Feb 21, 2018 04:54 AM
Rainmaker
1,539,715
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

The preferred is the exact opposite by most website specialists.

Feb 21, 2018 04:45 AM
Rainmaker
259,317
Lesley Wilson-VanGoethem
Innovative Realty Solutions Group - Winter Springs, FL
Residential Real Estate Broker Associate

I dont care for it,but my husband thinks its easier on his eyes...
He even has changed his kindle to black with white text

Feb 21, 2018 04:36 AM
Ambassador
2,430,413
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

I start seeing strange things in front of my eyes when I look away. If I really want to read it anyway, I skim it really fast and click off.

Feb 21, 2018 03:16 AM
Rainmaker
2,817,665
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Yes, they are much harder to read.  That's why the changed computers years ago from black background to white.

 

BTW, my site is purple background (which I know is not the greatest).  But, I make my font extra large so it's much easier to read.

Feb 21, 2018 02:46 AM
Rainmaker
1,621,596
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Same...

Feb 20, 2018 10:49 PM
Rainmaker
400,356
Jill Murty, Realtor - Orange County, CA
Movoto - Laguna Niguel, CA

It's not just you.  If they use a larger and/or bolder font, it could work. 

Feb 20, 2018 09:43 PM
Rainmaker
5,772,470
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

No, and we don't advise it.  It is cheap looking.  A

Feb 20, 2018 09:31 PM
Rainmaker
4,319,419
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Dario Ferreira - isn't it a personal choice?

Feb 20, 2018 09:22 PM
Ambassador
6,380,446
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

It does make it more difficult.

Feb 20, 2018 08:54 PM
Ambassador
2,682,719
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

 Poor contrast.  Not a good idea.

Feb 20, 2018 08:32 PM
Rainmaker
1,501,618
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

No, not just you.  Black with white is very annoying.  Same with certain color combos involving red or blue text.

Feb 21, 2018 09:19 AM
Rainmaker
7,822,429
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Hard on the eyes!

Feb 21, 2018 07:26 AM
Rainmaker
4,872,859
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Not very inviting.

Feb 21, 2018 06:49 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Except for four word headlines this is a bad practice.

Even worse is green background and magenta font.  The cones and rods get so confused it makes my head hurt.

Feb 21, 2018 05:15 AM
Rainmaker
4,566,354
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Likely not just you. 

Mar 22, 2018 08:37 PM
Rainmaker
5,862,877
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

It is difficult to read, I agree.

Feb 25, 2018 07:40 AM
Rainmaker
3,986,252
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I do agree

Feb 21, 2018 06:31 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Any post that is hard to read gets me to click off fast. 

Feb 21, 2018 06:18 PM
Ambassador
3,343,466
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Difficult to read for sure. 

Feb 21, 2018 05:20 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I agree

Feb 21, 2018 01:51 PM
Rainer
416,015
Caroline Gerardo
Licensed in 20 states - Newport Beach, CA
C. G. Barbeau the Loan Lady nmls 324982

Hard on the eyes- often used in horror genre

Feb 21, 2018 01:36 PM
Rainmaker
2,779,653
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Its hypnotic....

Feb 21, 2018 11:34 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,320
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

It needs to be the opposite. Same with those TYPE ALL WORDS IN UPPER CASE. THEY DRIVE mE nNUTs.

Feb 21, 2018 09:40 AM
Rainmaker
899,018
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

That is what zebras count on as a defense against predators - mess with their eyes. Don't think this is what the owners of the websites intended...

Feb 21, 2018 09:27 AM
Rainmaker
288,699
Dario Ferreira
Attleboro, MA
Internet Marketing & SEO

Thanks for all the responses.

It seems like it bothers the majority also.

By the way, I meant the entire background black or really dark, not just the header and/or nav. In this case, it can look good and adds a luxury feel to the site. The big problem is, when there are big blocks of text in small fonts.

I agree with others, light gray fonts on a white background are terrible.

Feb 21, 2018 09:20 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Dario Ferreira I agree, it is hard on the eyes.

Feb 21, 2018 06:41 AM