Selling a home used to be all about curb appeal, the first impression a property conveys to prospective buyers as they pull up in front. Most REALTORS® agree that a house is easier to sell when it looks attractive from the street.
In today's electronic world, curb appeal has turned into "pix appeal," or the attractiveness of photos. In many instances, on-line photos are a buyer's first view of a home. So, having unattractive pictures on your listings can easily turn buyers away, making them much less likely to want to tour a prospective house.
Here are some tips and tricks you can use to create flattering photos of your listings:
Make a Good First Impression
Having an attractive front exterior photo is crucial to the marketing of a property. Be sure that you have a clear view of the exterior, avoiding cars, trees or other objects like garbage cans.
Avoid Corners
Buyers don't want to see the corners of a bedroom, living room or kitchen. Instead, they want to see the entire room, or as much of it as you can fit in one photo. So take your pictures by standing IN the corners or in doorways to get a majority of the room in the photo.
Lighten Up
Natural light makes for better pictures. Before taking pictures, open the blinds, pull back the curtains and let the sunlight in! Make certain you shoot pictures with the light behind you to avoid glare. If the room lacks natural light, turn on a lamp or two to create artificial illumination.
Minimize Furniture
Buyers want to be able to visualize their "stuff" in a house. This is difficult to do if the home looks like museum. For example, the living room should contain only a couch, loveseat, coffee table and an entertainment center. This type of staging not only works for photos, but will also make the house show better!
Clear the Clutter
No buyer wants to see last night's pizza boxes or dirty dishes in the sink. Remove clutter from an area before photographing it. Clear counter space and remove refrigerator magnets, children's toys, yesterday's mail and other distractions. When shooting outside, put away garbage cans, yard tools and take the car out of the driveway.
Show Off the Yard
In addition to taking interior photos, also take a few shots of the front, back and side yards. Prospective buyers want to see the landscaping. Don't forget to snap photos of unique hardscaping, such as a deck or pool that give a home its special character.
Edit What You Don't Like
Let's face it - few of us are professional photographers, so not every photo will be perfect. Take the time to fix imperfections in your photos with basic editing software. Crop out ceilings, adjust the brightness and contrast or edit in a sunny sky.
Choose Carefully
You can upload up to 12 photos in MLS Blue, use ones that showcase the home and convey the details you'd like to share. Leave out any pictures that might leave the buyer asking "what in the heck is this?" Nobody really wants to see the bathroom's doorknob. Get the picture?