Expert Insight

Great photos can even cause potential buyers to fall in love with your home before they set foot on the property...

Love at First Sight

Many homebuyers, no doubt due in large part to the Internet, do not just enjoy seeing multiple pictures of a home before they visit it; they demand to see multiple pictures before committing to a showing. If you have great photos of the home you are selling, you are in a position to place yourself at the top of everyone’s must see list. Great photos can even cause potential buyers to fall in love with your home before they set foot on the property!

What should I photograph?
Buyers want to see everything. Take pictures of the outside of the home including the front and back yards, decks and patios, garden and any other special features. Photograph every finished space inside the home. Photos from multiple angles in the rooms that mean the most to buyers (kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom for example) are also a good idea.

Do not neglect to make certain every room (and the outdoors) is clean and orderly. If there are toys scattered about, books piled up, and sporting equipment strewn everywhere, it will not look good in the pictures.

When should I take the photographs?
Photos taken between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. usually highlight your home best. Also, aim for a bright, sunny day. A cloudy day might make your home appear washed out and depressing. Open all the shades and turn on the lights for as much brightness as possible. Use a flash to dispel shadows. Also, put the brightest light behind you in order to avoid the glare of sunshine. If you have a hood for your camera lens, or someone can hold an umbrella over the camera, this will help to avoid spots of sunlight in the photo.

If you have photos that display your home in various seasons, it is helpful to include those as well. If you have particularly pretty shots during the summer or winter months, or highlighting spring blooms or rich fall colors, buyers will like to see those. Also, take pictures of any particularly good view that can be seen from your home or at least nearby.

What should I use to take the photographs?
Any camera will do, but one with a wide-angle lens is best for taking shots of smaller rooms such as bathrooms. If you do not happen to have a camera or wide-angle lens, see if you can borrow one from a friend or relative.

Take your time with the photos. This is not something that should be rushed or hastily thrown together. It really is the first impression many buyers will have of your home, and you want them to crave your house and beg their Realtor to schedule a showing.

Do you have any other tips for me?
An important key to great home photos is not so much the actual photo itself but the editing done after the photo is taken. A fantastic (and free) online service is picnik.com. You can do plenty with the free version, or really spice it up and go for the premium version (only $5 a month or $25 if you want to pay for a whole year in advance). This service allows you to edit the color and exposure, as well as resize the photo and add text if you want. There are actually all sorts of fun things you can do to any photo, so it is definitely worth a look.

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