Before The Photographer Gets There . . .

As a real estate agent, hiring a great professional photographer for your listings is the perfect first step toward a sale. It will not only ensure that all of your marketing materials look clean, neat, and well-organized, it may also help to attract buyers. Moreover, it saves you quite a bit of time and money. If you don't have a photographer in your office or a graphic design company at your fingertips, outsourcing to the professionals just makes sense. Before your professional photographer arrives, though, there are several things that you may want to do or encourage your clients to do.

First, look at what others have done in terms of real estate photography. Look at home magazines on a regular basis. Examine your competitor's materials. This may help to give you some ideas that you might not have previously considered. Remember, your job here is to think about what a buyer may want to see, and the more unique your photos are, the better chance you have of capturing the right buyer.

Second, if the photographer will be shooting inside the home, make sure all of the clutter is removed. Just as you might when you were preparing for a showing or an open house, encouraging clients to dump the clutter will help the home feel more spacious and welcoming, even in a photo.

Next, if particular spaces of the home seem too dark, do everything in your power to make them lighter. Shadows in the photos may make for poor marketing materials. Adding high wattage bulbs, lighter colored pillows or throws, or even hanging a mirror can really increase your sales potential.

Finally, remember the basic rule of real estate: if it doesn't have some curb appeal, it's not going to sell. To that end, be sure the outside of the house looks clean. Get rid of the trash cans, mow the lawn, and add a coat of paint to peeling areas. Throw some flowers out front if necessary. Anything that will make the house look better in the photos will increase your chance of a sale.

If you're looking for the right real estate photographer to meet your needs, don't look past us. James Colucci Enterprises has been serving the photography and marketing needs of realtors for years, and with phenomenal equipment and an amazing portfolio to prove our results, you'll get the product you want every time. Take a moment out of your schedule, and make the call today.