Did you know that more than 85% of buyers pre-shop for homes on the internet? 

Your photos must sell the house before a buyer even sets foot inside!

If your photos look like this, few buyers will be excited to see the home.

But if the same house looks like this, you can rest assured you'll have lots of buyers coming to your open house!

Now obviously the difference here is that this home was Staged for sale. That's your best bet for getting great photos. But even if your client doesn't want to Stage his home, there are things you can do to enhance the quality of your photography.

1) Clear out the clutter!
I know it's not part of your job description, but we all know it's in your best interest to make sure this home sells quickly. So if your client refuses to clear the clutter, at least move it out of the way before you take your photos. Bring some moving boxes and packing materials to safely store your client's knick-knacks while you're taking your pictures. With any luck she'll decide to leave the items packed for the open house!

NOTE: If you need to convince your client that her house is too crowded with junk, take a digital camera with you to your next appointment. Take a photo of the room as it is and show it to the seller. Let her decide if that photo is how she wants her home to be seen by the public.

2) Shoot to the corner.
Your photos will look better and more dynamic if you place the corner of the room in the center of your viewfinder, rather than shooting straight at the wall. Experiment with different angles to find one that looks best.

3) Invest in a wide angle lens.
The rooms will look a lot larger if you shoot with a wide angle. You will also be able to fit in more of the room with this type of lens, which will give buyers a better picture of the whole space.

4) Take a course in Photoshop.
Amateur photographers often take photos where the lighting is either too bright or too dark. Or you may notice that your colors don't look right. Investing in a digital retouching program like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to adjust your digital photos right on your desktop to make sure they look their best. Take a course to make sure you're taking full advantage of all the program's features.

Of course the best solution is always to hire a professional photographer (or a Staging company that takes their own fabulous photos!) but these tips can help you when a pro is not in the budget.

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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz

"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"

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Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.

Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP (Accredited Staging Professional), a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.

Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times, Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine.

If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website. There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos, as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.