Good real estate photos really do have a big effect on your home sale. Blurry or dark iPhone photos just won't cut it nowadays. First impressions are crucial in the home selling process. A study done by a real estate photography company showed that top-notch photos can make your house sell 32% faster than a property with low quality images.
According to the National Association of Realtors, in 2020 51% of buyers purchased a home they found online. Having bad images could deter a deal before a buyer even sees the home. If a buyer doesn't like what they see, chances are they won't ever step foot inside your home.
"Think you have a "good side" for photos? So does your home.
There's a big difference between professional and amateur photos, and buyers will be able to tell. Seasoned professionals use a wide angle lens, ensure all lines are straight and nothing in the room looks odd or chopped off. They shoot at a precise time of day to ensure there's enough natural lighting, don't leave any reflections showing in glass, windows or mirrors, and use a tripod if necessary to ensure the structure.
If you think you're up for the challenge and want to give images a shot before hiring a professional, here are some tips to help:
1. Declutter and Clean
Go room by room and clean as best as you can. Get rid of things you haven't used in years. Anything that you don't want to get rid of but don't necessarily use, put in storage. Each room should get a deep clean and that includes inside all appliances, getting rid of any rust, replacing, repairing or repainting areas that need it and hiding all pet supplies. If you have to replace any old hardware, that's always an easy way to freshen up a space. Be sure to scrub all windows so they're sparkly clean to let in as much natural light as possible.
2. Stage
After your home is cleaned and decluttered, it's time to set the stage. Whether you're doing it yourself or hiring a professional, it's important to maintain the look for the duration of your sale process. Be sure to provide a function to each room. You don't want to leave any awkward spaces or have a room set up for something beyond it's intended use. Keep a neutral color palette and add pops of color through decor and furnishings.
3. Have the Right Materials
Although iPhones may seem like the end-all-be-all in technology, they aren't great for shooting professional images. Whether you rent, purchase or borrow, you need a quality DSLR camera with a wide angle lens. You should also get a tripod to ensure a steady shot. Be sure to read up on the proper camera settings to make sure you'r shooting properly.
4. Find the Right Lighting
For indoors, you want to take images when the sun is bright and shining through your windows. For outdoors, the best photos are taken at dusk. Never shoot when it's cloudy, rainy or overcast. According to Digital Real Estate, the best time to shoot depends on the way each room, and the house, faces. The sun should always be behind the camera. Consider the placement of the windows in every room. Never rely on artificial lighting unless the house is dark itself and every lightbulb in the room is the same so the color isn't uneven.
5. Pay Attention to the Quality and Angles
By using a tripod, it can help ensure none of your images are blurry since it will have a steady base. Take each angle multiple times to ensure you have a couple that are crystal-clear. Photograph your home's best features - whether it's an outdoor patio space, a chef's kitchen, a spa bathroom or a marble fireplace. Although you may not be able to capture the entire room in one shot, shooting from the corner of a room will allow you to get as much space as possible in the frame. It will also help the room appear larger.
6. Carefully Select Your Listing Photos
Although you may have taken hundreds of photos, buyers don't need to be overwhelmed with images. You want to have enough photos to show off the property and leave them wanting to see more. If you have too little photos, buyers might wonder what you're hiding.
95% of buyers searched for their dream home online before going to see it. If you don't make a good first impression digitally, they most likely will not even bother coming to view it in person. The photos of your home are going to determine how much activity your listing gets, how fast it sells, and how much someone pays for it.
For professional staging or photographer recommendations, please contact me.
Helpful Resources:
RentFaxPro - 12 Tips for Taking Better Listing Pictures
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