Are Your Photos Helping or Hurting the Sale of Your Home?
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” – Frederick R. Barnard
One photograph can have a bigger impact on the sale of the home than the entire write-up. With the number of potential buyers searching for Charlotte homes for sale online, vivid photographs have sprouted everywhere. In fact, good photography can make the difference between having your home passed over and selling it.
If you’re considering adding your home to the online list of Charlotte homes for sale, you need to think about your photos – and those photos need to be good. Just like the home itself, the photos need to stand out from the crowd.
Here are a few photography tips for anyone taking shots of your lovely home:
Talk to your agent about what’s “hot” right now. Obviously, your strongest selling points are what buyers are looking for now. Two years ago, buyers were looking for fewer square feet, stepping away from the McMansions. Last year, it was decks, patios and outdoor hardscapes. This year, it could be your beautiful backyard with the play set. If you have a selling point, capitalize on it with fantastic photography.
Use the most favorable lighting. High noon sunlight is harsh and often highlights exterior problems that even you may not have noticed. When taking exterior pictures, select lighting that draws attention to the positive features. For instance, one of the most beautiful real estate images I’ve ever seen was a home with all the lights on. The sun was almost completely down and served to accentuate the beauty of the home.
Take as many pictures as you need to get the perfect shot. A shot that’s slightly twisted to the side may not seem like something to throw away, but it can distort the appealing lines of a home. Because photos are two dimensional and flat, even the slightest left or right slant can make the home look like it’s looming, falling in or disproportionate. Some shots are taken intentionally at an angle but, a much larger angle is used for effect and doesn’t appear as though the foundation is sinking on one side!
The ability to use photos to show off your home on the Internet has been a huge plus for those with Charlotte homes for sale. However, a poor photo can do more damage that having no photos at all. If you can’t seem to take a picture without the image blurring, slanting or looking distorted, hire a real estate agent who can get the job done for you.
Looking for a real estate agent who knows how to showcase your home in pictures? Give me a call or email me today.
Pictures are worth a thousand words....we've heard it over and over. So why do people insist on posting pictures in their ad that look like a two year old took them. I've seen so many pictures that are blurry, dark, cut off, etc. They are terrible. I agree pictures do make a difference. Our team hires a photographer to take pictures and he does a great job.
I just left an upcoming listing of a 7000 SF house with a professional photographer. Sometimes it is best to leave it to the experts.
Pictures are worth a thousand words....we've heard it over and over. So why do people insist on posting pictures in their ad that look like a two year old took them. I've seen so many pictures that are blurry, dark, cut off, etc. They are terrible. I agree pictures do make a difference. Our team hires a photographer to take pictures and he does a great job.
Pictures are worth a thousand words....we've heard it over and over. So why do people insist on posting pictures in their ad that look like a two year old took them. I've seen so many pictures that are blurry, dark, cut off, etc. They are terrible. I agree pictures do make a difference. Our team hires a photographer to take pictures and he does a great job.
Honest pictures work miracles for house sales. I always stay away from homes that have no pictures. You wonder what they are hiding. You always have such professional-looking pictures on your listing Debe.
Photographs make a huge difference on how a home is showcased on line. Good lighting, emphasizing the attributes will help showcase it in it's best light.
Debe,
Great post! I actually blogged on digital camera use. I invite you to check it out on our blog.
Thanks for the post...this is an important topic and cannot be emphasized enough. Pictures help clients make an emotional connection that is almost impossible with words.
It is such an injustice to see listings with very poor and too few photos of a property. Great tips on focusing on the best features to capture those buyers attention.
Good afternoon Debe,
Pictures can make or break the first impression. Let the professionals handle the pictures!! Our photographer knows the right light, angles and how to showcase the house's best features. I always leave those decisions to her!
You're so right. Sometimes, it's better to leave a little to the imagination....
I weigh when to add videos as Google loves that venue. But you are so right about the visuals...a thousand words and a thousand times the effectiveness.
Good photos are always a plus and help far more than words. I have a foreclosure property that I will be listing and when I saw the photos I said WOW. Then when I got tho the home I was standing there with my mouth wide open..........Where is the curb appeal? The sellers had not taken care of the curb appeal in two years when the photos were taken.
Hi Debe,
Good photos are a great help.....
Great outline of helpful tips....Thanks
I still see listings where the listing agent (1) has no virtual tour online, (2) offers no wide-angle photographs of rooms like kitchen/dining/living room/family room, and (3) offers no panoramic photos.
Some of this stuff is so easy to incorporate into an agent's marketing that there is really no excuse for not doing it. There are great wide-angle point & shoot cameras and there is photo stitching software that is easy to use. Failing that, pick up the phone and hire a professional photographer!
I couldn't agree more. Photos are all important today. No need for an expensive camera either. It's all in the angles and the light.
It is the pictures that tell the real story - not the narrative. I guess that is why they say "picture = 1000 words."
I have to SOOOOOO agree with Tina!
I've seen some listing pictures that I just have to guess the Seller has never seen....because I sure would not want them to represent MY house if it was For Sale!
I'm certainly NOT a professional photographer, but I can say that I have learned lots of tips from classes and people here in The Rain!
One biggie.....a tripod!!!! It does wonders if you have low light but need a clear picture. Then you can get away without using a flash!
Thanks for passing these tips along to BOTH the Seller and their Listing Agent Debe!
Hello Debe and I think this is a great post and my answer would be YES & NO! Great photographs YES but try to to display too many, tease the lookers a little bit into calling you for more pics or information.
Bad busy photographs with owners belongings inside (NOT), bad idea!
"Have a wonderful evening Debe"
Vegas Bob
Debe
Having GREAT pictures is imperative - the majority of buyers begin their search on the Internet and most will pass on the listing if there are no photos !
I read this from Pippa's re-blog. What a great article and well presented!
You can never stress the importance of photos! If your home is online... you have to make it shine!
Love your format!