Jay's Blog

1 Sparrow Rd Norfolk, MA MLS ID# 70907289

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:04:14 -0600

Check out this beautiful home in Pheasant Hill Estates

CLICK HERE for an INTERACTIVE tour of this home

Watch this video to learn about a customized financing package for this home:

Beautiful Swedish Townhouse FOR RENT on Lake Winnipesaukee

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:16:24 -0500

Click to view virtual tour--> http://www.OnlinePropertyShowcase.com/showcase/10290

Available November 1, 2009
Beautiful Swedish Townhouse on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in the Breakwater condominium neighborhood.

Deck overlooks the pool and tennis/basketball court, and large manicured lawn.
Just a few steps to the lake and the day dock.
A short drive to the slopes of Gunstock Mountain.
Close to fine restaurants and shopping.
Quiet complex.
Well maintained unit is move-in ready.
Extremely energy efficient unit features multiple heating options.Electric heat and water, Propane (underground tank) forced hot air and second water heater and two Monitor K1 systems
3 bedrooms
2 full bathrooms
Fully insulated walk-out lower-level
Washer and dryer hook-ups
No Pets - No Smoking
$1,200/mo + utilities

10 Orchard Hill Drive Westborough, MA 01581 MLS ID#: 70832493

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:38:15 -0500

CLICK THE PHOTO FOR AN INTERACTIVE TOUR OF THIS HOME

THE BUILDERS OWN. QUALITY, LOCATION, AMENITIES, DESIGN, ENERGY EFFICIENCY. THE QUALITY OF LIFESTYLE YOUR FAMILY IS LOOKING FOR, THIS HOME HAS IT ALL.
Property Highlights * Impressive design features throughout * Gunite pool and spa * Desirable commuter loaction * Spectacular sunset views * 3 car attached and 2 car detached garages * Easy access to Rtes 9, 495 and Mass Pike

Property Description
Magnificent Home on Picturesque Setting with all the Quality Appointments you can imagine. Kitchen with Subzero and Wolf Appliances. Butlers Pantry, Wine room with Subzero Wine Reserve and Refrigerator Draws. Hardwoods, Marble, Granite, Moldings thru-out. Master Suite with Sitting Room, multiple Walk-ins, Heated Bath Floor. Family Room and Study with Firelaces. Sunroom with lots of windows overlooking Gunite Pool. Additional finish in lower level with Wet Bar, Media, Exercise and Game area. Additional 2 car detached garage.

MLS ID#: 70832493

To view an INTERACTIVE TOUR of this home click here:
http://www.OnlinePropertyShowcase.com/showcase/10282

Watch a YouTube Streaming Video Presentation here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mez8wqs7iiI

10 Orchard Hill Drive
Westboro, MA 01581

About the Photographer:
Jay Groccia is a Massachusetts based photographer who provides stunning images for clients that want to present their projects with the best possible architectural photography. His skills at dealing with challenging interior lighting situations are no obstacle for him as he creates amazing photographs that capture the emotion of a room. Top real estate agents use Jay when they need their listings to look like they jumped off the pages of fine living magazines like Better Homes & Gardens, Architectural Digest, Dwell, or Martha Stewart Living. The 360° panoramas he photographs are sharp, rich in color and detail, and distortion free filling the screen with architectural accuracy. Jay also enjoys creating beautiful aerial photographs for his clients that really make a property shine. In addition to his architectural work, Jay is an accomplished food photographer and has created hundreds of business portraits and professional identity packages for real estate agents, other business professionals, and political candidates. He generously donates his skills to the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange to photograph older children in need of a loving family.

http://www.OnsiteStudios.com

REBARCAMP - BOSTON - - - GROUP PHOTO

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:38:52 -0500

Here's a first for REBARCAMP - a GROUP PHOTO

Jay Groccia

Principal Photographer, OnSite Studios™

Founder, OnlinePropertyShowcase™

2 Chapin Road Upton MA

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:16:04 -0500

This is a Beautiful piece of Property! Horse lovers, or Horsepower. 2400 SQ.FT Heated barn. Over 3 acres. Level back yard. This is not your regular cookie-cutter home. Custom Built.

Property Description

Look Out Point! Over 3 acres, one of a kind Builders Custom Home, come and see the great flow that this home has. Large 2 Story great room kitchen combo. formal living room & dinning. 2 fireplaces, 2Large Master suites w/ his & hers walk-in closets & master bath. 1 located on 1ST floor. Great for entertaining. Large level fenced-in back yard, w/ screened-in porch. There is a 2400sq ft heated barn on property as well, for horses or horsepower, agriculture zoned. Cul-De-Sac.

MLS ID#: 70927083

CLICK THE PHOTO for a fully interactive tour of the entire property - Check out the classic Corvettes in the barn!

Jay Groccia

Principal Photographer, OnSite Studios™

Founder, OnlinePropertyShowcase™

Tiny Planet - Back Yard of Paxton, MA Home

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:48:28 -0500

A "Tiny Planet" is a new digital art form where a panoramic photograph is manipulated to make it look like a sphere in space.

If you CLICK on the photo you can take an interactive tour of the entire home as it appears in real life.

Jay Groccia

Principal Photographer, OnSite Studios™

Founder, OnlinePropertyShowcase™

Amazing Completely Restored and Modernized Victorian Mansion

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:27:25 -0500

Here is an amazing home originally built in 1830. In 1877 it underwent a major expansion and the tower was added. Over the past two years the home underwent substantial structural rehab along with modernizing the elecritcal, plumbing, heating, and cooling systems.

The house was staged by Cabot House of Framingham, MA

If you click on the photo you can take an entire online tour of the home.

Jay Groccia

Principal Photographer, OnSite Studios™

Founder, OnlinePropertyShowcase™

The true cost of a free photograph

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:19:56 -0500

I had a conversation with a photographer that relocated to Ft. Lauderdale, FL from the Boston area. She is considering being an OnlinePropertyShowcase™ Authorized Photographer. She told me that when she was house hunting she saw a home that had terrible photos of the interior and she had less than zero interest in the home. Everytime she did a search the home would pop up in the search results and again, she would click away from the listing and move on to the next.

One day whe was with her buyer's agent and after they finished a walk-though of a home he suggested that she look at another home a few doors down - she tool one look at the front of the house and told the agent that she wasn't interested because she didn't like the inside. I guess he applied a bit of pressure because they did go in a and she was in for the surprise of her life - she absolutlely LOVED the inside, so much so whe decided to purchase the home.

Now here's the kicker, she was ready, willing, and able to purchase that home SIX MONTHS earlier and the original listing price (it was afterall in her search criteria), but by the time she saw the house in person, its price had been lowered by $100,000.

So that homeowner lost $100,000 plus six months of carrying costs and of course the agent lost the commission and whatever marketing dollars they spent during that time. How effective is that?

I believe that the real estate industry is about to undergo a fundamental change. With nearly 90% of all home buyers using the internet as their primary source of information to locate a new home, the concept of curb appeal takes on an entirely new dimension. Instead of just having an immaculate front yard to impress people as they come to visit the home, the online presentation of the home must be an immediate slam-dunk. Agents must commit to budgeting 1/10% to 2/10% for PROFESSINAL staging and photography for an effective online presentation be it a slide-show, streaming video presentation, 'virtual tour', MLS photo gallery, or any other medium. Just as everything else in media: CONTENT IS KING

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios™

OnlinePropertyShowcase™

The Online Presentation of Your Listing

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:28:46 -0500

The online presentation of a home is the most crucial component of the sales plan of a listing. For many real estate agents, it’s the only thing that matters.

Take a look at this home.
Here it is with a ‘typical’ real estate photos:
http://www.weichert.com/search/realestate/propertyimages.aspx?p=20573116

Here is is with professional photography:
http://www.OnlinePropertyShowcase.com/showcase/10240

Which presentation do you think gets people interested to visit the home?

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios™

OnlinePropertyShowcase™

Virtual Tours Done Right

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:09:44 -0500

No matter the medium - video, stills, 360° views - CONTENT is king. Great photos are the foundation for an effective marketing campaign and that's what we bring to the table. Click on the link below to experience the wow.

Ballymeade Estates

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios™

OnlinePropertyShowcase™

New Construction - Minimal Staging

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:38:29 -0500

I was asked to come back and do some more photography of a home that was built last year, but is still on the market. It is a fairly expensive home and has some amazing amenities, but New Englanders tend to be a bit staid when it comes to new(er) designs. This home looks like a colonial on the outside, but the inside is all open like many modern contemporary homes. People walking through the house complained that there was no "official" dining room so the agent had the home minimally furnished to give it some scale. Click on the photo to see the rest of the home.

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios

Forget the Gimmicks

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:24:56 -0500

Keychains, calendars, water bottles, and worst of all - lipstick on a pig!

We've all seen hundreds of things that people use to 'keep me in their minds' and yet when it comes down to actually getting that listing sold (and isn't that why we do what we do?) what do 99% of real estate agents do? A DYI marketing campaign that actually pales in comparison to what the average FSBO can now mount using professional service providers and the internet.

Example:

Agent A:

Goes out and gets a listing. Then puts a sign in the front yard, puts it on the MLS with all the goofy words, you know, 'charming', 'cozy', 'potential', and my newest favorite: LUXURY

Then they run through the house in 15 minutes with their trusty digicam or worse, a cell-phone camera and make a walk-through video - the result: A CAVE - dark photos, blown-out windows, bent walls, indiscernible furniture and colors, and then post those photos on all the new whiz-bang do it yourself 'virtual tours'.

So, can someone tell me how exactly this is "marketing"?

Agent B:

Well, Agent B actually has a spine and a brain. S/He has a very frank discussion with the homeowner and tells them that if they really want to sell the house, they must trust and do EVERYTHING they are asked. In return the agent makes a true investment in the marketing plan by:

Hires a professional staging company and makes sure the house is ready for:

The PROFESSIONAL photographer - that's right folks, there IS NO SUBSTITUTE - American are fed a steady diet of marketing images thousands of times a day. Professional architectural photographers have the talent, vision, lighting equipment, cameras, and lenses that allow them to photograph a room and make it look like you can step into the scene. They create photos that stop people and make them look - and stare - and daydream - and this is the most important thing: Begin to form an emotional bond with the house.

The rest of the marketing plan is just more fundamentals:

Print the photos properly - have quality postcards made

Make the most of the web - especially web 2.0 sites like MySpace, Craigslist, and YouTube. Will you find your buyer on these sites? Maybe, maybe not, but you WILL maximize your search engine placement and unfortunately REALTOR.com does you zero favors in that department - the search engines (Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc) don't look at a single listing in that monster database, but if you take your MLS info and past it into the video description of a YouTube video you'll see them showing up in the search engines in an hour or two! So POST EVERYWHERE - yes, even here on ActiveRain.

I will tell you this. THESE THINGS WORK and they work more consistently than any other thing I've experienced.

So now it's all up to you - either you want to market a house that looks like this:

or you want to market a house that looks like this:

The choice is yours...and your competitors'.

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios

A Well Staged Home

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:01:28 -0600

CLICK on the photo to view the rest of the house

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios

New Version of The OnlinePropertyShowcase

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:12:16 -0600

Technology moves forward. We are now taking advantage of the fact that most people have larger and higher resolution monitors on their computers. CLICK the photo to view - Enjoy!

We also did a Streaming Video Presentation. Here it is on YouTube:

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios

How Color (and some staging) transformed a home

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:31:36 -0600

I photographed a home twice. The first time it went on the market and after many people complaining that the color scheme was too bold, the owners dug deep and had the entire home repainted. Here is one particular room before and after. If you CLICK on the photos, you will see the rest of the home in an interactive virtual tour.

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios

Keeping your photos real - COLOR

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:53:23 -0600

The goal of real estate photos should be to give the viewer a sense of place - a photograph succeeds when the viewer feels they can step into the photo. Whether you are evaluating the work of a photographer that you hired to shoot your listing or you are shooting it yourself you need to get real critical about what you're looking at.

This post will deal with color. The vast majority of ceilings are white - not pink, not deep blue, not green - well, you get my point. So when you are done with all your editing look at the photo and maybe even hold a piece of paper up to your computer screen - how close to white are things that are supposed to be white, actually look white?

I've been looking around Active Rain and found this shot:

I noticed that the appliances, the little table on the left, the walls and the ceiling were pink. Now look at this edit of the photo:

Notice how even the greenery outside is more lifelike?

Here is a kitchen that I shot last week:

The cabinets look white and notice how rich the floor looks?

Check back soon because we'll have a link here to the rest of the house.

Jay Groccia

OnSite Studios

Pole Photography - Two appropriate situations

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:37:33 -0600

This first house is up on a hill over the street. Standing in the road one can't see the bottom of the house or the shrubbery

Here the home is show from the same spot in the road.

This next home is surrounded by vegetation and it really obscures the house.

Again, from the same spot in the road, just 25 feet higher the house really opens up and you can see how the lawn wraps around the house.

Here is a self-portrait of me holding the control console.

Jay Groccia

OnSite Studios

FSBO Done Right

Jay Groccia (OnlinePropertyShowcase.com) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:32:14 -0600

Here is a home that was STAGED and PROFESSIONALLY photographed. They also had a custom website built for the house:

35 Partridge Hill Road- Virtual Tour

CLICK HERE for the website for the house

Jay Groccia

OnSite Studios

508 869-6955