Sounds kinda silly, but it can make a difference in the marketing of your listing/home. It drives me nuts to see the 1st four photo all exterior shots from different angles. The first picture is usually an exterior photo. This picture should demonstrate curb appeal to the max because if a buyer likes what they see here, they definitely want to see more. I can speak from experience because we are in the process of purchasing and we pass over homes that don't have the "look."
Curb appeal means a lot of things and will include a well kept lawn, pressure washing the exterior, removing any debris, etc. Curb appeal can also be enhanced by pops of color. Use hanging baskets with colorful flowers if you have a front porch, potted plants or topiaries on either side of the door, and freshened up flower beds with pinestraw and fresh flowers. Don't forget that curb appeal doesn't stop on the outside. The use of the Internet brings your curb inside.
The arrangement of these photos should be given some serious thought. Here's why: The MLS is a feed
for many other home search engines and website, namely I'm talking about Realtor.com, one of the #1 websites where buyers start their search. Realtor.com feeds the 1st four photos to their website even if you do not pay for the upgraded showcase feature.
Buyers are attracted by certain things but you have to at least have the photos for them to even look. Following are my suggestions that should be included in your top 4 photos.
•1. Kitchens can make or break a house. One of the number #1 features I have found a buyer have requirements on is the kitchen. This room must be clean and uncluttered with plenty of light. Upgraded kitchen will win buyers over!
•2. Family rooms especially when photos demonstrate they are part of an open floorplan and have features such as fireplaces, vaulted ceilings or a view.
•3. Bathrooms are #2 on the make or break a house features. If you have a stunning bathroom, this should be featured.
•4. Outdoor living spaces are an extension of a home and bring value to a buyer. If you have a nice size deck, screen porch, gazebo, pool (if it's an asset vs liability), large private backyard or a view, this photo should make the top 4.
All other photos should follow. The Charleston MLS allows up to 24 photos so the more, the better. If you aren't showcasing the home with multiple photos, what are you telling sellers who are researching listing agents about your marketing skills? What other features are worthy to make the top 4 photos?
Contact Michele Reneau, Top Real Estate Agent, North Charleston, SC Relocation Expert, CRS, GRI, ABR. 843-814-6680. Michele Reneau is a Certified Staging Professional Instructor and teaches agents how to use staging to maximize their real estate business and Help Sellers Protect their Equity using Home Staging while earning the CSP Elite designation. She is also available for speaking engagements on: How to use social networking to improve your real estate business, Why Home Staging is a Must in Today's Market, How to calculate market statistics and use them to understand and explain to sellers where the market is going using data, Discussing statistics with sellers to help them price their property to sell. Michele is a Certified Residential Specialist with a top real estate team in Charleston, SC. Since 2004, Michele Reneau has personally sold 174 homes while the average agent in the market sells 6 homes a year. Featured on HGTV's House Hunters and Real Estate Executive Magazine. RESA 2009 Staging Realtor of the Year Nominee. The Charleston Relocation Experts Team specializes in military relocation, first time homebuyers and creating marketing exposure to sell your home in the Charleston SC Real Estate market. Michele can also be contacted by email at michele@CharlestonRelocationExperts.com.
Comments(9)