When you list your property for sale, one of the most important (if not THE most important) elements of your listing are the photos. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then having at least 10 photos available will give you ten-thousand words.
With an estimated 80%+ of home buyers starting their search on the Internet, photos have replaced curb appeal as the most important place where first impressions are made. According to a National Assn. of Realtors survey of the Web features that buyers found most important, 83% chose photos, 81% selected detailed property information and 60% selected virtual tours.
Every day, decisions about which homes to see and which homes to skip are made based on what a home buyer sees while viewing homes online. You can clearly see the importance that photos have on selling your home. If you can’t get the buyer in the door, you can’t sell the house.
So, is there a way to get better photos, short of hiring a pro? Here are several tips to spruce up your home and photos for maximum effect.
- Try not to take a picture facing directly into a bright window. If it can’t be helped, try facing the camera away from the window, hold the shutter down half way and then face the window and take the shot. This will lock in the exposure and improve the exposure of the room.
- Make the room look inviting. Set the dining room table with fresh flowers and complete place settings.
- Arrange books or magazines on the coffee table with the colorful ones on top.
- Don’t ignore the background. Remove all electrical cords from view, tidy up bookcases and fluff couch pillows.
- Wet down the patio and concrete pool surround (but do not leave puddles) to avoid it being too bright in the photo. Wetting it down also brings out the rich color in the brick.
- Remove clutter! Also remove excessive personal photos. The goal is to have potential buyers envision themselves living in your house; your family’s photos interfere with that process.
- When shooting your pool, use a flash and try your shot in late afternoon or early morning.
- Consider using software such as Adobe Photoshop to touch up the exposure or color.
- If there’s no furniture in a room, get some or move it from another room.
- De-clutter. Remove all personal effects, especially items hanging on the refrigerator.
- Move excess furniture out of the way. You don’t want to be shooting directly into the backs of chairs.
Too many times, a “for sale by owner” home seller or even real estate agent will list a home without any photos or wait until a later date to upload photos. Do not make this mistake! Get a minimum of one or two photos and post them online at the time you first list your property and get the rest of the photos online as quick as humanly possible.
If you prefer to hire a professional, visit FSBOmarketplace.com’s Service Providers page for Real Estate Photographers and Virtual Tour Providers.
Tags: home photos, Real estate photography
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