There are a lot of properties posted on the MLS that do not have pictures of the barns and outbuildings. I wonder if it is because the owner, the Realtor, or the photographer was unsure of how to take an interesting picture of an older barn or less "glamorous building" such as a loafing shed or a metal shop.For horse people and others that want to live the country lifestyle; barns, shops and sheds have value so we want to see them included with the MLS pictures.
It does take advance planning to create nice photographs of old barns and less glamorous sheds and buildings. I use the term staging in this post to describe what other things that the photographer might want to have in the photograph to make it more interesting and appealing to the viewer.
Before you photograph these types of structures, consider:
1. The barn or building's function.
2. Who your ultimate buyer, your target audience, will most likely be. Will it be someone that has horses, cows, maybe chickens or simply the desire to be out in the country?
Then, think about the nostalgic charm on old barns and stables that you might see on a Christmas cards or calender. Would that work with the particular building? In the particular situation? Are there things that you could do to highlight that type of charm with items that you have on hand? Think of things that you use all of the time around the barn. Pinterest is also a great source of ideas.
Here are some examples:
The barn below is in rough shape and needs work. However, it makes for a great picture with it's old charm and appeal . (Note: If you are thinking about buying a property with a barn like this on a well traveled road, you will need to put up no trespassing signs to keep photographers out.) Watch out for your lighting so that you don't have too many shadows. A day with nice clouds helps make the picture more attractive. Zoom in close enough to the barn so that it is the focus of the picture.
To make a picture more interesting, consider using contrasting colors and or nostalgic. Nostalgic items that you could use to stage a picture might be a bicycle, a saddle, antiques. Notice in the photo below how the green plants really pop against the brown. Remember, the goal is to make a potential buyer want to come see the property in person.
To put it bluntly, some horse and farm/ranch building photographs are just boring to look at. In my opinion, loafing sheds and equipment storage buildings can make for very boring pictures. In these cases, consider taking a picture that shows the building in use.
Consider the livestock shelter/loafing shed below. It's a decent picture of the inside of the shed. Someone with cows will most likely know enough from the picture to appreciate it.
Yet, if you can get a photograph with a cow in it become more interesting. A horse or other farm animal could work also. The sunlight is a bit distracting in this photograph but I think that I still like it better than the empty shed.
The picture below with the calf demonstrates "Why" this shed would be beneficial to have. Granted, getting a picture of a newborn calf or foal in a shed is going to take some serious planning or luck. Since the picture was taken at a different angle, the sunlight wasn't an issue but you can't see as much of the shed. For my listings, I would include a photograph like this and an exterior shot of the building so that the buyer prospect gets the "complete picture."
The barn in the picture shown below is probably too far gone..... I personally wouldn't worry about putting a picture of it in the MLS. This barn is on the same property as the red barn above. That said, I have some photographer friends such as Dale Poll that could take a photograph of this barn and turn it into a piece of art. HOWEVER, in real estate photographs we want the pictures to be an accurate reflection of what the person will see.
In conclusion, remember with horse properties, farms, ranches and other rural properties, we are trying to sell a lifestyle. With some planning, it is possible to get nice, interesting photographs of old barns, stables and less glamorous buildings.
If you have questions or want more ideas, please do not hesitate to call or email me.
Sincerely,
Sondra Meyer, CPA
Star View Real Estate
Note: This post was written and photographed in Colorado by Sondra Meyer .
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