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Camera, Lights...

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Kirby Fine Homes

 ...No Sale! Yes, that's right, your home isn't getting sold. Why not, you ask? Have you checked out your home photos that your Realtor took when she listed the home? If you are like most sellers, you have never seen the photos of your home.

I took my two young sons to get some professional photos taken this weekend here in Minneapolis. I'm a pretty good photographer, but I don't have the tools to make them look "studio quality".

As I was sitting there, I had to laugh. Here I was, spending extra money to get some good photos of my most precious things, but I see sellers all the time penny pinching on quality of photos for their most precious thing, their luxury home. Looking through the MLS listings every day, I see Million dollar homes with pictures that are fuzzy, snow on the ground in July, out of focus, too much/too little light, not level, etc. And I just don't understand how the seller could allow this to happen.

I have actually gone to listing appointments in which the sellers are looking for a new agent, and they ask me what price they should be at. See, they believe the price was the reason the home didn't sell the first time. I look at them and tell them presentation is EVERYTHING. Then I show them their last photos on-line. Most are shocked, as they had no idea. With more than 70% of buyers looking on-line for homes before they start hitting the pavement, high-end sellers really must have top notch photos to impress that buyer.

So when you start looking for an agent to market your luxury home, ask them what type of photos they will take. If you hear the photos will come from their camera, then move on to the next agent. Look for the agent that is willing to spend the extra money for professionally done photographs. Minneapolis has some great photographers that have experience with luxury homes, so be sure to look around, or ask your agent for referral advice. Put your best foot forward from the beginning, so your home is SOLD, not still SITTING!

Comments (5)

Neetu Kainthla
BHHS Caliber Realty - College Station, TX

Putting all the blame on the photographs isn't fair. There have to be other reasons for the home not selling. I have seen terrible pictures and the homes have sold. Conversely, I have seen great pictures and the properties are still not selling.

I do agree that presentation has to be good, but pricing, location, upkeep of the property have to be favorable as well for the property to be sold.

Jul 30, 2007 02:58 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Neetu - This post is about photographs being one reason your home isn't selling. It has nothing to do with other reasons, thus why you don't see them mentioned.

I am a buyer right now, and I have viewed over 50 homes. Those homes got my attention on the MLS because of the photos. I have passed over 100s more because their photos sucked. The house might have had what I was looking for in amenities and price, but the pictures told a different story. Because the agent didn't take the time to take quality photos, or have a professional do them, this buyer passed them by, and thus, might have cost the seller a sale.

Photos are the FIRST thing buyers looks at on the MLS, above and beyond everything else. So yes, blaming it on photographs is a VERY good reason someone's house isn't selling.

Jul 30, 2007 03:04 AM
Doug Aaserude
Inactive until May. 2009 - Beaverton, OR
Broker
great article. i have been to classes where brokers are advising their agents to cut costs and use the throw away cameras then have the pictures copied to a CD ROM disk. please invest in a digital camera and if the pictures don't look good, then have a pro do the work. i use a company that takes 15 pictures, creates a virtual tour and measures all the rooms for 99.00. its a cost thats well wort the investment.
Jul 30, 2007 03:11 AM
\ bb
Halifax, NS
My pet peeve is vinyl siding...photos on the mls site tend to make the vinyl siding look warped.  Any suggestions?  For the most part they look fine on the camera but once emailled to get into the system the warping begins.
Jul 30, 2007 03:30 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Douglas- wow, throw away cameras? Quality comes from pixelation, so if you use a throw away, you are not getting as many pixels in one frame. I like digital because you can choose your photo size. What company do you use? Are they local to just your area?

Sandy- I have noticed this problem as well. I would think it has something to do with the pixels being "squished" down to the small photo size we see in MLS or on Websites. I have also noticed this in photos of wood cabinets in the kitchen. The grain looks more pronounced then it is in really life and makes them looks warped as well. Changing the lighting, or taking at a different time a day might also fix that problem.

Jul 30, 2007 06:42 AM