How many times have you looked up a listing on MLS or any website for that matter and found only one photo of a home or business? How about in magazines and flyers? How many of the pictures that are posted are of only the front of the listing and no others?
I can say I have seen many and most of the ones are dead center pictures with no care in what is actually in and around the home yet what lies behind that front door. I often wonder if they are ashamed to show what the interior and the whole exterior looks like. Are they hiding something by not showing the listing is what some have asked me. Of course then there is my all time favorite of no pictures at all. Hello, am I suppost to blinders on my customers when I take them there so they cannot see it as well in person?
Luckily for me I am married to a photographer and he has taught me a few tips when taking any type of photo and I am happy to pass those tips onto anyone who wishes to use them.
Listing Photography Lesson
Take more than one or two photos when covering your listings. Your listing is your advertisement tool for the world to see. Think of the home or business like it was a model and shoot numerous pictures.
Front of the House
Sometimes taking more shots of the front of the home is a must because the back of the home or sides may not be so eye appealing. However, if your seller is truely wanting to sell that home, yard clean up and curb appeal should be a priority before photos are takent. When taking the shots of the front and back as well as the sides, a few taken at angles will work just as nice as those straight on shots. Show the home off!
(Please remove automobiles out of the driveway when taking the photos, as well as lawnmowers, trash cans, and childrens toys)
Inside the Home
Here again the sellers are trying to sell their house, not their home, so staging is a priorty here again before doing your photo shoot! Clean off counters, desks, make beds, put away toys, and remove anything the sellers don't want sold! Yes, if the chandler is leaving with the seller go ahead and replace it before the pictures are done.
Yes I realize that there are many home owners who do not want the inside of the homes photographed, but you do need to explain that people need to see what they are selling and it will help with the sale of the home.
Take your pictures from different angles in each room and take them with the lights on! Show off those important features especially in kitchens, baths and bedrooms. Try to include doorways to other rooms in the photos as they will make the home look roomy. Bathrooms and Bedrooms should always be shot from angles to show the room at its best.
The important step in doing any listing photography is just making sure your sellers realize they are selling a house and not their home. They are going to move anyway, so declutter before hand and this will save both them and you as the agent time. A well staged home inside and out will make lovely photos and help the sell of the home much faster.
Also remember it is harder to sell an empty home too. So light staging can go along way here as well.
Digital cameras come in handy now days, but so do the ones that do videos as well. This can help when you want to sit up a virtual tour.
Make sure you take enough photos that will give you plenty to work with. For a listing at least 10 photos should be a good start.
Happy Shooting!
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