09/22

What is the first thing people see when they look at a listing? It’s still the photos. Yes, video is more important than ever, and words can help you tell a home’s story, but it’s very important to get the best possible photos of your listings. With everything else to deal with when listing a house, it can be tempting to take some quick pictures with your phone, ask the seller for a few more, and call it a day. But don’t do that!

Poor photography can be detrimental to your success in the sale of a property. If your pictures don’t look appealing online, no one is going to take the next steps. Another potential roadblock? Not having “enough” photos. People want to see all the main parts of a house right away. Otherwise, they may think you’re hiding something. 

If all this scares you a bit, it shouldn’t. We’re here with a few tips on how to improve your snapshots so all parts of your listings can shine.

Clean and declutter first. No one wants to see the seller’s personal belongings in the pictures of their potential new home. Plus, you want buyers to envision themselves in the house. Keeping rooms as clean and empty as possible will make the house more appealing – in person and in your photos.

Use quality equipment. When buyers look through the photos on a listing, they want to feel like they are in the house. With the high-quality cameras in smartphones nowadays, it is easy to take a decent picture right from your phone. But make sure it looks as good on listing sites as it does on your phone! If the pictures are blurry or pixelated due to poor quality camera equipment, that is sure to turn buyers away.

Practice makes perfect. Yes, we’re talking about practice. No matter how expensive your camera or phone is, the photographer still holds the key to a great photo. Experiment with angles and lighting and keep shooting. You have unlimited “film,” after all, use it!   

Don’t forget about editing. You want your photos to look as good as possible. In certain situations, it is best to use an editing program to enhance the photos. We’re not talking about altering an image to be misleading, but, for example, if it’s winter and the grass is not growing, you can enhance the color of the lawn to show what it looks like in the summer. Or brighten the color on a fading wall that just needs a fresh coat of paint. It’s all about bringing out the potential. 

In today’s market, it’s more important than ever to make sure your listings stand out. We know our agent friends know what makes a good or bad listing, and you want your listings to be talked about for all of the right reasons. We can’t wait to trade photo tips around our closing table the next time you’re in one of our offices!