Dear agents,
Please, please, please get out those digital cameras and add pictures to your listings. Virtual tours, too. As a customer service manager for a major real estate company, I'm amazed at how often homes listed for sale have no photos - often homes that have been on the market for months. This is by far the #1 complaint I get from consumers, and they often refuse to even consider a showing of a home with out pictures. Believe me, it's almost impossible to have too many. We live in an information driven world, and with minimal or no photos you look like you're trying to hide something. Along the same lines, let's take a quick look at the pictures that don't help.
- Multiple shots of the front of the house from slightly different angles.
Believe it or not, taking one step back and to the left does not give a consumer more information.
2. The toilet close up.
This is my personal favorite. I know bathrooms are small, especially half baths. Unless there is something unique (like a gold plated toilet seat), if standing in the doorway only gives you a view of the toilet and the side of the tub, don't bother. We've all seen toilets. Most consumers assume that at least one will be included.
3. The window shot.
If you stand in a dark bedroom and point your camera at a bright window, you will get a picture of a black square with a window in the center of it.
These are just a few ideas. I know that when a house is vacant and the power is turned off, it's hard to get enough light for a good photo. I'm just asking for common sense (See #2, above). Don't forget about virtual tours! We know that homes with tours sell faster - we have a fiduciary responsibility to the seller, and yet I see hundreds and and hundreds of high end listings with no virtual tour. Yes, they cost money! It should be part of your marketing budget. I don't want to start ranting and raving about this, but I want you to know that this is what he buying public wants. I hear it every day. I wish more Realtors could hear it, too.
;)
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