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Good pictures help sell homes

By
Home Stager with a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC

Did you know that 80% of buyers shop for their new home online? That means internet pictures have to be fantastic.  Here are five ways to improve your client's home’s online presence:

 

1.  Don’t just label the pictures Photo #1, photo #2, etc. Describe the room in the picture.  Point out its architectural features. Suggest uses for it. Tell which floor it is located on.

 

2.  Make sure the room is photo ready. Get rid of cleaning supplies,  kid messes, food dishes, etc. Arrange the room to look inviting.  Add some accessories that go with the room and make it looked comfortable and used, and not just another room that’s there. (Hiring a professional home stager with an objective viewpoint can help here.)

 

3. Take pictures from an angle that shows the room’s features, not the furnishings. You aren’t selling the furniture, you are selling the room. Get the built-in shelving in the picture, from an angle that shows the room is furnished, but not just taking a photo of a wall with furniture. Show the bath’s shower or tub to show it is a full bath. All buyers know that bathrooms have toilets.

 

4.  In the bathroom, make sure toilet seats are down, towels look fresh, and there’s no dirty laundry hanging on a hook.

 

5. Don’t take pictures towards a big window unless you can adjust your camera to compensate for it. The camera thinks there is too much light, and the photo comes out dark. If you have some simple photo software, you can adjust the light also.

 

6. The more rooms you feature, rather than showing 3-4 of the same room, the better. Buyers want to check out bedrooms and basements also before they decide to take a look in person.

 

Buyers are more sophisticated in their home shopping these days. Keep up with the trends and help your client's home sell quickly with great online photos.

 

Crystal Ledbetter
Texas Home Group - Montgomery, TX

I never understand why Realtors do not take better pictures, clients do decide on what homes to view by the pictures. When there are 30 homes to chose from in the same price range and location the pictures are the one and only chance to lure the buyer into seeing your property.

Nov 18, 2008 02:25 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Great advice.  I'll be sharing this with ALL my agents at our luncheon sales meeting today.

Nov 18, 2008 02:26 AM
Pat Champion
John Roberts Realty - Eustis, FL
Call the "CHAMPION" for all your real estate needs

Excellant advice the pictures should sell the home.  Thanks for sharing.

Nov 18, 2008 02:27 AM
Rebecca Schrader
Competitive Insurance of Dundee - Dundee, FL

Mary,

So many helpful hints...Thank you...your photos of your house are usually the "first impressions"...so they definitely need to be nice ones. All the points you've made are right on! Why not do whatever it takes especially in THIS market? I've seen all sorts...dogs in the front yard, children's toys strewn all over the rooms, in one photo I saw this morning the large lanai was filled with cats and you could see a large bad of cat litter in the photo...beds unmade, and laundry all over the laundry room...So, what do you do as a REALTOR when your clients refuse to "tidy" up for photo shots? Do you simply work w/ what you have? Take photos of the clutter?

Nov 18, 2008 02:29 AM
Kim Hamblin
Bella Casa Real Estate Group - McMinnville, OR

I just got a listing because the client was frustrated over the lack of effort of her previous agent.  So clients are frustrated too.  The home has been nicely remodelled and he hadn't shown any pictures of the inside, just 2 of the outside.  The home is located on the river, so I took images of it , as well as the oversized garage, and the entire interior. 

My only other suggestion when taking pictures is to take tons and from different angles in the room.  Now that everything is digital, it's so easy to delete or seleet the ones you like.  Sometimes the one you least expect looks terrific on the computer. 

Nov 18, 2008 02:45 AM
Cindy Leiterman
Resource One Realty, LLC - Green Bay, WI
Green Bay, WI

You make some great suggestions.  Sometimes, however, it is difficult to get even one good picture of a property.  I notice that quite a few agents supplement with mostly exterior pictures when the interior doesn't lend itself.

Take care.

Nov 18, 2008 02:45 AM
Nicole Weidauer
Keller Williams Greater Seattle - Shoreline, WA

Haha.. i always think it's funny when I see a picture of a chair next to a wall or I've even seen a framed picture next to a wall (and it was crooked to boot!) :)

There are a few things I think need to be done if you cannot do them effectively yourself and those are, 1.) staging and 2.) taking photos. I've seen both of these areas in really poor condition and the home, sellers, AND agent suffer as a result. If you can't do it right, hire a professional (isn't that what we tell FSBO's to do?!?)

Thanks for sharing, Nicole,Weidauer

The Egerer & Weidauer Team, Keller Williams Realty North Seattle

Nov 18, 2008 02:58 AM
Richard Dolbeare
Inactive - Wailuku, HI
Living the Hawaii Lifestyle

Hi Mary - You have excellent tips.  I have discovered the importance of taking photos at an angle as you mention.  And sometimes a DOWN angle can be appealing (stand on a counter top) depending on the layout of the rooms.  It's also important to have a wide angle lens.  I love the Canon 10 to 22 mm lens.

Aloha,  Richard

Nov 18, 2008 03:15 AM
Mike Klijanowicz
Cummings & Co. Realtors - Perry Hall, MD
Associate Broker @ Cummings & Co. Realtors

More like 99% of home buyers look online first and they ALL want to see multiple pictures...

Nov 18, 2008 03:16 AM
Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

Excellent list of recommendations -- thank you for sharing.

Nov 18, 2008 05:26 AM
Mary Abella
a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC - Indianapolis, IN
creating magic on a regular basis.

When there are no good pictures to be taken inside, you have two choices, as I see it: Run around the house and make changes yourself in the area the picture will be taken, or YOU hire a stager to do it just before the pics are taken. (It will end up being a great investment, paying for itself and more--the house sells faster, so less time/money spent marketing it, and it sells for more money, thus giving you a larger commission.) If you choose to do it yourself, throw the clothes out of the way, make the bed, move the dishes from the sink, etc. Tired yet? Hire a stager--ME! :-) That's what I'm good at. Plus, sellers often report they LOVE living in their staged home. It is easier to keep clean, too.

Nov 19, 2008 12:43 AM