Love enters through the eyes, and this rule holds true when selling your home. If you want to help someone fall in love with your property, you need to make a good first impression. Most buyers will first see your home online, which is why photos and even videos are really the most important way to hook your audience. It might make all the difference when it comes to the asking price, or how quickly you can sell your home.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide to make the most of your house photos so that you can reel your potential buyers in with photos that are bright, dynamic, and comforting.
Great outside photos
This is where the first impression is really made because exterior photos will likely be the first thing buyers see. They can help decide whether they look at the rest of the photos, whether they read the description, and ultimately whether they book in a private inspection. That’s why you need to consider the curb appeal of your property – so keep your exterior walls clean, lawn cut, and sports equipment out of sight. Park your cars out of view, store the garden hoses and make sure rakes are in storage.
Show your home in the right light
Natural light is a beautiful thing and the best way to make your house look inviting is to make sure your curtains are open and that there’s adequate light. For an extra twist, you could consider taking photos at sunset or sunrise to give an extra mystique to your subject.
When planning your photo shoot, you need to consider the possibility of unfavorable light conditions. Pencil in an extended period to take photos, just in case your photographer needs to wait out temporary showers or cloudy conditions so that they can grab the best lighting conditions. If you have the opportunity to shoot with a cloudless sky, it’s a great head start on getting premium photos.
Clear all the clutter
You want photos that let the buyer imagine they live in the house, and the best way to do this is to remove all the clutter that you’ve left in your wake. That way, you can present your home as cleanly as possible and help your buyer imagine putting their own stuff in the rooms that they see.
In short, remove anything other than basic furniture before your photoshoot. Make sure magazines, photos and toys are all stashed out of sight in cupboards. And any wall-mounted photos or art should be carefully leveled so as not to detract from the lines of your rooms.
Put the toilet seats down
You’d be surprised how many people neglect this and how much of a difference it can make. Just before you take photos, make sure to visit every bathroom you have and put the toilet seats down. And while you’re there, make sure all toiletries and shampoos are also in cupboards or otherwise out of sight.
For the finishing touches, clean the bathroom mirrors, put shower mats out of sight, and take your toilet roll supply off display. Check your shower curtains are drawn back, your laundry baskets are elsewhere and your towels are all stored in the cupboard.
Call in the professionals
You can take home photos with your camera phone in about five minutes, but there’s a reason why more and more people feel that they need a professional photographer to shoot their home so that everything goes smoothly.
It’s true that phone cameras have come a long way, but a professional camera will always come out tops, in particular when it comes to making the most of light conditions. Not only that, but a photographer will also have experience in staging your home correctly, and know all the current trends that will help sell a property.
It’s worth the price because properly-done photography can help you achieve more interest in the sale, which translates into more competitive bidding and a potentially higher sale price.
Get in touch today.