Where do buyers first view a home?
If you think buyers are seeing your house or listing for the first time on a Sunday afternoon drive-by, think again. Today's buyer shops for homes just like most other products: on line. Now, more than ever, Realtors and sellers need to pay special attention to photos that are displayed on web sites and MLS search engines. Nothing tells a potential buyer that you lack attention to detail more than a dark, fuzzy or "unnecessary" photo. Here are a few Staging tips for taking or choosing photos to use for advertising your home or listing:
1. Remember what really sells a house. Many photos we see are of corners of rooms, beds, floors or ceilings. Make your photos count. Buyers will only look at a listing for 10 seconds and then move on if the photos don't have an emotional appeal. Remember the primary selling areas of most homes: Exterior-lot, kitchen, primary living space, and Master Bed and Bath. Unless secondary rooms are stellar, such as an amazing finished lower level, unusual balcony, etc., limit your photos to the rooms that really sell a house.
2. Size matters. If a photo appears blurry or the pixels are actually visible resize it . If a photo is not crisp, it is a complete waste, viewers will quickly pass it by if it offers any visibility problems. Make sure photos are sized appropriately for your website format.
3. Color says: look at me! Make your photos "pop" with color. Moving a few pillows or accessories into a frame that would be too neutral otherwise will be worth the small effort.
4. "Don't take it if it's Vacant". You've heard it before: "vacant homes have no soul". Neither will your photos of vacant rooms. Enlist the help of a local Stager to make your rooms shine on line!
Professional Real Estate Photographer Lisa Foster suggests using your photo editing software to make your pictures look their best. "Balance lighting, color and crop them if necessary. If you take vertical photos, rotate them before posting".
Dark and Dreary Light and Bright after Staging by Refined Design
This publication can be re-printed only in its entirety.
Refined Design Property Staging LLC, Jodi Poliseno ASP, IAHSP, President CIRC. 740.972.0065, www.refineddesign.info, jodi@refineddesign.info
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