5 Steps to Taking Real Estate Photos That Bring In A Sale
According to the old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words. But if it inspires a buyer, it’s worth so much more.
In today’s digital world, however, people are more discriminating than ever. If you want a buyer to choose your listing, and to click “contact agent,” you need to connect with them in the most purposeful way, and one way is to awe them with your photos! Here’s how.
The Mad Science Behind Taking A Great Photo
If you’re taking a ‘listing selfie’—stop. Taking pictures from your cell phone of the home you are trying to sell won’t cut it. Think of it this way: If taking pictures of the right areas are most important, than quality and clarity come in at a close second.
We’ve gathered the top five tips and best practices for taking photos that will create the love you need to sell that home:
- Showcase the kitchen. Pull out all the stops on this one. Make sure your seller de-clutters the kitchen from any unnecessary items. A buyer won’t buy what they can’t see. Highlight the gems—custom counter tops, shiny new appliances, extravagant lighting.
- Capture a front view of the home in all its glory. Research suggests taking pictures of the front of the home is the No. 2 shot that garners a sale. Take notice of the time of day; if it’s sunny, be sure to snap the shot when the sun is over your shoulder.
- Up next is the master bedroom. Bedrooms, for the most part, are difficult to capture on camera because of the straight lines and walls. Take your shots from the corners of the rooms. This will show off dimensions, giving the buyer a better feel for the room.
- Taking photos of bathrooms is always tricky. Take a few minutes and tend to the small details, like closing lids, displaying accented decorative towels and making sure the counter tops gleam can make all the difference.
- Prepping the living room is never time wasted. Stage your living room to match the buyer. Not sure what this means? Imagine showing a living room with floral-patterned furniture to a bachelor.
Never Underestimate The Power Of A Turn-off
Want to know what will make your buyer run?
- Out-of-focus shots. Nothing turns a potential sale on its head like blurry photos taken by an inexperienced photographer.
- Out of season photos. Taking a photo of the front yard buried in two feet of snow won’t entice buyers.
- Photographing vacant rooms. Nothing more to say here.
- Uploading just one photo to your on-line listing. Buyers need photos, lots of photos, to help them picture life inside the home.
- Clutter. Nothing says “next” like photos showcasing clutter. Take the time to stage the room – think Better Homes & Garden.
Now that you’re armed with the secrets to inspire sales (it’s all about visual storytelling), you just need to get your photos posted! But where? Traditional sites are common, but your photos can often get lost in the sea of listings. You have a purpose. We have the connection. Try GetAssist! You can create a public community for all your real estate ventures, building excitement and experiencing more traffic along the way!
