Lights. Camera. Action.
It always amazes me how any estate agent can be satisfied with taking property pictures themselves, using a mobile phone, and then placing them on the portals.
But, why is the quality of photograph so important and why are agents, who take any old picture, failing you, their clients, so badly?
Thanks to the continued advancement of technology, buyers can have an intimate look into a home they are interested in without ever leaving their couch. It takes less than a nanosecond for a potential buyer to flip to the next property, because the first photograph of your home has not interested them enough to stop and look further.
Your house might be stunning and beautiful, but if someone browsing your listing online can’t see that, then you’re losing out big time.
And just because photos have been taken doesn’t mean that they’re high quality. The appropriate lighting, angles and staging are all key components of well done property listing photographs.
Which is why leaving the job to a professional property photographer is best. Remember, your future buyer is scanning through dozens of different listings within a matter of minutes, so attention-catching photos are a must.
You would be shocked how many agents put little or no effort into the photographs of a property they are marketing. Image is everything, and in today's fast moving world of Instagram stories, Pinterest and Facebook, buyers know a beautiful room when they see it.
So, what should you do to guarantee that the photographs taken of your home are going to help 'sell your home'. Here are my tips:
Firstly, make sure your home is 'photograph ready'. If your agent has not suggested a stylist or stager, you could enquire how to find one. If you wish to do it yourself, make sure everything is put away and your home is spotless on the day of the photoshoot. I always advise my clients to have professional cleaners and window cleaners come in the day before the photography takes place.
Make sure your agent will be providing a professional photographer to take the pictures, and ask for a few 'lifestyle' shots in the mix.
If you see your agent is taking the pictures using his iPhone, stop them and insist on a professional photographer coming over.
Ask to see the pictures BEFORE they go on the portals. The first impression is the most important. Whether you are paying up front, or through the commission, you are paying for those pictures.
If your pictures are on the portals now, and your home is not selling, take a look at what your potential buyer is seeing. If you were buying your house, would you? Do the photographs do your property justice or are rooms looking smaller then they are, messy or out of focus.
You, the seller, are the agent's client, not the buyer. You will be paying your agent handsomely in high price commissions when the property is sold. If you are not satisfied with the photographs, which are possibly the most important tool to selling your home, insist on new ones being taken.
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