I love photography and so do buyers!

I guess I inherited my "shutterbug gene" from my dad. He takes pictures of EVERYTHING...lol.  So, one of my favorite aspects of my marketing career has been developing (pardon the pun) my photography skills.  People buy with their eyes and at no time in real estate history has the buyer's eye been more sharp.  So this week's post continues on my last post (before my annual Xmas Lindor Truffle binge) on the importance of photography when marketing your property.  Here goes:

Picture Taking Tips


What a buyer sees on a real estate web site will make the difference between being a saved listing or one that sends potential buyers to the next listing. So here are some tips when taking and selecting which pictures to use in your online listing.

1. Make sure each room is clean. Dirty dishes in the sink, full trash cans, unmade beds, all these make the house less appealing to buyers. When taking your pictures think of inviting guests into your home and put your best foot forward. Remember you're asking someone to BUY your home, not just visit for a few hours.

2. Balance your pictures. You have a beautiful lot, a stunning kitchen or an awesome master bedroom, which is great and you should show them off. But show off equally other areas of your home. Pictures focusing on one or two features of your home will leave buyers thinking there is nothing really special about other areas.

3. Curb appeal. Take pictures of your home's exterior in spring or summer, when trees, lawns and flowers are in full bloom. Pictures taken during winter make the property look depressing.

4. Let The Sunshine In. Buyers want a house that's bright and sunny. Take pictures on a sunny day when the sun is at its peak. Pull back window treatments and move large pieces of furniture away from windows.

5. The Full Monty. Get your mind out of the gutter! I mean full pictures of the rooms in your home. Taking pictures of only a window or the floor or the crown moulding doesn't add anything to the home's online "portfolio." Use these pictures to zero in on design features as a supplement to full scale pictures.

Did I leave out something? If you've got a tip, please share it!