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Five Tips To Guarantee Your MLS Photos Withstand Buyer Judgment

By
Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

Listing your home for sale?  Let the judging begin!

 

   You can't sell a house without it being judged.

Prepare to be judged by all who see your MLS photos.

 

 

Home buyers begin their search online,  clicking through photos at lightening speed.

Judgment is cast within seconds.

If a house isn't visually appealing, potential buyers move on to the next listing. 

 

Home buyers act as both judge and jury!

 

MLS pictures are the evidence used to determine your home's fate.

Perception is key.

A buyer's perception of your house's worth is what matters most. 

Preparation PRIOR to listing is a seller's best defense.

  

Here are 5 tips to guarantee your MLS photos withstand buyer judgment:

1.  The "cover" photo is very important.  The first picture potential buyers see will determine whether they continue to look any further at your listing. 

2.  Perceived value is created by updating fixtures.  Buyers are looking for a well maintained home, not a home trapped in a time warp. Update prior to taking the photos!

3.  Crowded rooms are harder to focus on.  Prepare each room to clearly define space and function.  If there's too much furniture, rooms appear smaller and the positive features that buyers are looking for are less obvious.

4.  Too many accesories create visual noise.  A lot of small objects on walls and flat surfaces appear as dots in a photo, creating a busy and distracting "noise" effect.   

5.  Positive structural features should be highlighted.  Each MLS photo should be strategically angled to show a valuable feature of the room.   Lighting and angle are so important.

Hiring a professional photographer who specializes in real estate photography is your best option!

 

 The best way to guarantee your MLS photos withstand buyer judgment is to work with an experienced real estate agent, a professional home stager, and a professional photographer.

 

Comments(94)

Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Hi Sharon, I spent a couple of hours yesterday making dollar rings for my grandsons. They loved them and then started thinking how they would spend the money.

Jan 17, 2016 11:20 AM
Shar Sitter
Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN
Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Amen for sure! When I do my consultations I tell clients that the reason for many of my suggestions is because of the MLS photos.

Jan 17, 2016 10:49 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Jim West Having experience with real estate is important when considering a photographer. It's not the same having a portrait photographer shooting your listings.

Debbie Reynolds  I'm so glad the money rings were a hit. It doesn't take them long at all to realize it's spendable money!  

Shar Sitter   Me too. It's usually enough to get them on board. Once they realize the reasoning, I find sellers are very cooperative.

Jan 18, 2016 06:29 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

And I tell my buyers "Shopping on the internet is like Internet dating; don't trust the pictures.  You got to get out and see it."

Jan 18, 2016 08:36 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Gene Riemenschneider  Good advice for buyers....plenty of great deals out there for buyers who take the time to actually see the potential!

Jan 19, 2016 02:45 AM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Sharon, this is excellent advice.  Number five should be sent to professional photographers who are in a rush to get to their next job!  Gene does make a good point!

Jan 19, 2016 03:52 AM
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

If you have 36 photo sockets, like running an airline, leave no seats empty. But in addition to lots of sharp, wide, helpful images inside and out of the property. Use video that show and tells, uses two senses and with full motion, natural sound. Those videos show the buyer how the rooms connect and flow. Instead of just a bunch of images and you figure out if there is a first floor bedroom or not for someone that can not bound up stairs like Superman. Be just as vigilant on your local area images that tell, explain so so much about the community.

maine winter photo

Jan 19, 2016 10:46 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Sharon Parisi  Thank you. Just like any profession, not all photographers are created equal.

Andrew Mooers   Excellent points!  Video makes a huge difference and is very valuable, as is a sense of the community. LOVE that photo...it's gorgeous.

Jan 19, 2016 11:18 PM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

I really had to stop by and read this post again Sharon Tara ! It is some of your best work...

Jan 20, 2016 02:58 AM
MaryEllen Kuehl
The Kuehl Group, Inc. - Chicago, IL
Redefining Real Estate

Great advice, Sharon.  I couldn't agree more about the importance of quality photographs, updated fixtures and lack of clutter.

Jan 20, 2016 05:25 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Paul S. Henderson, Realtor, Broker, Tacoma Washington   Thank you!

MaryEllen Kuehl  Thank you.  It's surprising this isn't clearly understood by all sellers.

Jan 21, 2016 12:37 AM
Melissa Jackson REALTOR
Trinity Premier Properties - Azle, TX
Helping You Make The Right Move

I use a professional photographer and arrive early in case I need to prepare the home.  I can't stand bad photos. Don't the broker notice? As an agent I strive for the best pictures.  

Jan 21, 2016 01:20 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Melissa Jackson  Your sellers are smart to have you representing them!

Jan 22, 2016 03:16 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Visual noise is such a key phrase and method of creating less clutter in pictures. Spot on Sharon!

Feb 01, 2016 07:29 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Jan Green   I don't remember where I first heard it, but I use it at most staging consults.

Feb 01, 2016 10:57 PM
Anna Hatridge
R Gilliam Real Estate LLC - Farmington, MO
Missouri Realtor with R Gilliam Real Estate LLC

Great presentation of how important photos are to successful marketing.  I have not used the term visual noise but will now.  Thank you for sharing the term.

Feb 07, 2016 05:42 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Anna Hatridge  I wish I knew where I first heard the term....it's a great way to make the point!

Feb 07, 2016 10:17 PM
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Coldwell Banker Realty

Sharon Tara "Lighting and angle are so important....having a professional photographer who specializes in real estate photography is your best option!"

Right on target - and - re-blog!

Dec 20, 2016 05:16 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Sharon Tara ,

I'm so glad that Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers re-blogged this one! Very timely and still true today!

Dec 20, 2016 05:42 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers  Not sure how you tripped over this now, but sure glad you did and decided to share it. Thank you!

Dorie Dillard  Me too!  Thank you for stopping by and commenting!

Dec 20, 2016 07:30 AM