Sam Thompson, PHH Mortgage
Senior Advisor - Helping you GROW your business!
www.activerain.com./luckydog1 - SC
www.activerain.com/luckydog2 - NC
http://samthompson.phhmortgage.com/
Taking pictures for your listings! Get it right-professionally, for your biz!
Since over 80% of the homebuyers are searching the internet and probably 100% of the higher-end buyers looking at the bigger houses, you need to make sure your photos on the Internet are perfect! All of this begins with a good camera and great lighting.
Also, you can stage the room for a better presentation and make sure it is de-cluttered too. A dining room table set with plates and candles will really set off a dining room!
You are a professional so professional photos should be part of your service! Your images should 'pop' off the page to emotionally charge your viewers so they are more likely to remember the home and more likely to share it with others.
Think about investing in a good digital camera with great resolution and some lighting stands. You can even take a class in this and make this one of your selling points in your listing presentations.
Another tip I got from talking to a photographer was to use a step ladder and take your photos of a room looking down to make them turn out better.
Along with making a better online presentation, if you make a big production out of this with the seller's help, the seller is going to be bragging on you and they'll even be bragging on the way the pictures turned out. Both of these are helping you win more buyers and sellers once your reputation for taking additional time with your photos gets out. The attention to the details are so important in being as good as you can be professionally in real estate.
If your house has up-lighting in the landscaping, make sure to take a photo at night too. Look for ways to showcase your home and make it the best it can be so it will sell fast!
Think about working with a professional photographer on a big listing to really get some great pics for your nicer listings and get them to teach you how to do it better for yourself too.
If prospects don't like the way the house looks in print or online, they'll never call in on it, right? So, why not take more time on this for your sellers and for your future business!
Anything you do to set yourself and your listing apart from the others will help you sell yourself and your listings faster.
8 comments • Sam Thompson • June 22 2008 11:22PMComments
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Great post.
I was looking at a website last night.....the photos on this site were awesome.
They were so good, you wanted to look at each and every one.
Very professional images.
Sure made me want to retake all of mine.
Its the art of advertising most realtors may not understand that you want a person "die to want to tour the property great good luck.
Great idea Sam. Just might look into it.
SAM, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT STANDING ON A LADDER WHEN TAKING PICTURES, AND I WILL LOOK INTO A BETTER DIGITAL CAMARA
MIKE
I like the standing on a ladder, especially for the front picture of the house. Makes a big difference.
Sam, this is very good advice. There are so many MLS Photos that are taken with very little care. In fact, the big hitters are usually the biggest offenders. Also, you can "touch up" photos using , Picasa, (free download fro GOOGLE) so, you don't need to buy photoshop. It takes more time to do this, but it is worth it.
All the best
John March
If a seller is going to sell over the winter and they are in an area that experiences snow and ice, taking outdoor photos now is a good idea. Buyers can get a better idea of the lawnscaping, etc. that will no doubt help the home sell faster.
The ladder is a great idea. I never thought of it.