This type of blog post has been rolling around in my head for a while. I’ve wanted to write something to help people (Realtors or for sale by owners) take better pictures of their listings or house. I can’t tell you the value of good photography when it comes to selling your house. With the majority of homes being sold through the Internet these days, you need a strong first impression and if you can’t capture a potential buyer’s eye in those first few seconds, you might be overlooked.
I am by no means an expert on photography, real estate or real estate photography, but I wanted to share a few things that I’ve learned in the few months that I’ve been shooting real estate photography. I have been in some houses that show and photograph very well and I’ve been in some houses that are disaster areas and you wonder if the owner did anything prior to you showing up.
When it comes time to take the photos for your home here are a few things that I recommend; it’s not rocket science.
1. De-clutter.
It is so important to de-clutter the cute knick-knacks and artsy frames and hob-nob items around your home. It will make your space feel bigger and a potential buyer can actually see what your home has to offer. Once you’ve de-cluttered, give it a day or two and then go over your home again to de-clutter some more.
2. If possible bring in a home stager.
I’m a big believer in home staging. If you can’t afford to hire one, there are a lot of good tips on the Internet on how to make your home flow better and be more appealing to the eye through simple decor and furniture placement.
3. When photographing, don’t get terribly creative.
A simple picture will do, don’t feel like you have to create a master piece in your photography. Make sure the angle is the best possible for that particular room and fire away. I try to shoot on angles versus straight on, the majority of the time. It gives the illusion of a bigger space. Depending on the room and the furniture, I will shoot straight on, but only when it helps the room.
4. Proof your photos prior to putting on the Internet.
My guess is the majority of people shoot homes with the camera settings on manual. The camera then makes the best judgement, based on the lighting in the room, how the white balance should be and how exposed the photo should be. Take a minute or two and read your owner’s manual to figure out how to make simple adjustments to your point and shoot to create the best exposed photo with proper white balance. This little tip alone will tremendously improve your photos.
5. If possible, hire a professional to take pictures.
In an article on Photography for Real Estate, I came across the opinion of ‘professional real estate photos are worth anywhere from $1,000 to $116,000 in a home sale’ , which to a point, I can agree. Take the following images below. I recently shot a home and for the purpose of this post, I brought along my point and shoot as well. After taking my HDR photo, I took the same photo with my point and shoot on auto. Granted I’m not a expert real estate photographer, but I think you can see the difference between the two photos. In all three photos the image on the left is the point and shoot and the image on the right is with my Canon 5D MkII and process as an HDR.
The images on the right have the correct white balance, the picture is brighter and sharper in appearance. I strongly believe in the value of having professional pictures done, and I’m not just saying that because I take real estate pictures. I’ve had friends say it as well.
In searching online if a potential home has an out of focus, poorly composed photo of the outside, it gives the impression its not a very nice home and typically I will not give it a second look. If I come across another photo that is properly exposed and just has that ‘wow’ factor to it, it will get more of my time, even if it is a smaller home. Make sense?
To sum everything up, a lot of home owners aren’t willing to put a lot of money into their home in order to get it sold. Well, let me back up a little bit. Homeowners will put money into things that matter to them; i.e. painting, fixing that whole in the wall, putting up that last piece of trim. But when it comes to having to pay for professional photography, something that isn’t tangible, some of them balk and don’t see the value.
When first impressions are so important these days, why wouldn’t you spend a little money for professional photography to help your house stand out from the crowd?
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