What is most important in real estate photography?

The topic of good real estate photography has been discussed in many ways. I have read articles and blogs about simple topics regarding which rooms should be shown and which should be excluded. I have also read and written about the technical aspects of real estate photography such as, white balance and focal length. However, these tips are not very effective if a real estate agent or home seller never asks the most important question about the images representing their real estate listing. “What do prospective buyers want to see in a listing?”

Moreover, how do you effectively market a real estate listing to homebuyers with photography?

It is important to focus on the factors that buyers look at when purchasing a home. These factors have not changed much from year to year, but what has changed is the availability of information and content to buyers.

In a vacuum, most agents and homebuyers would agree that the most important factors when buying a home are location, price, and condition.

All three of these factors can be expressed to a potential buyer via high-quality and well thought out photographs.

Location –

Clearly we can not change the location of a home, but we can make an effort to convey the positive factors of a property’s location.

If the property is a city condo, show the view and proximity to major landmarks via photographs.

If the property is located on a lake or canal make sure to highlight such features.

If the property is a white picket fence home in the suburbs, make sure to accentuate that feeling in your exterior photographs.

Virtual tours or photographs of the neighborhood, street views, or nearby landmarks are also great tools to help sell the location.

Price –

It is important to make a property look worth its listing price. If the photographs representing a property of any dollar amount don’t convey the property’s size, features, or value, the listing will not result in interest from buyers.

Rooms should appear large.

Features should not be ignored and should be highlighted.

Condition –

The condition of a property is a very important factor to buyers and it is important that a photograph does not highlight a property’s low-lights. Simple adjustments to a property’s condition will aid the photographer in getting a better photograph. Consulting a professional home stager to upgrade a property’s appearance to convey both price and condition is a great way to upgrade the quality of a listing.

Avoid highlighting a property's negatives.

 

The result of taking photographs to accentuate what potential buyers desire will result in converting real estate listings into sales!

 

All photographs and content are the property of Haseltine-Photo INC - Real Estate Photography and Virtual Tour Provider.