For the past few years, it’s become pretty darn obvious that the trend online has been lead towards visually-oriented media, which is why learning to sell home with a smartphone camera can be an advantageous skill.
The biggest social media networks like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest all are visually appealing sites, this proves that good images = great websites!
Not only have these changes driven social networks, but it’s become critical for driving online sales: and the real estate market is no exception.
If you were attempting to sell or rent your home online with shoddy pictures (or none at all), then you’ve placed yourself at a total disadvantage. Especially when you most likely have all the pro photography tools you need, stashed right in your purse or pocket.
Since you most likely have a smartphone, then you’re already 95% of the way to capturing some professional-looking, gorgeous shots …that sell.
But first, let’s get the MOST important factor out of the way.
IMAGE QUALITY IS KEY
The absolute most critical aspect in any photo for a home-selling profile page (or really anything online) is that of image quality. Quite frankly, if the photos posted aren’t sharp, then you might as well leave the visuals to the viewer’s imagination. Valorie L. Floyd of Keller Williams Realty wrote a post, which was featured on inman.com, where she discusses the perfect amount of megapixels necessary for a photo to do you any good:
“I would recommend no less than a 5-megapixel camera to get some clear and acceptable pictures. As you know, these types of cameras are very inexpensive today and can be purchased at any electronics retailer for a very low cost.”
At 5 megapixels, she’s not kidding about the price factor. It’s 2015, meaning that any camera with 5MPs is going to be cheap -super cheap. For instance, Digital Trends published an article listing ten awesomely cheap smartphones -and none of which had any less than a 5MP camera (including the Motorola Moto G for $40 at Verizon).
That’s why taking great shots of your home’s online selling potential is well within your reach. Now, here’s how you get it done, using the same tricks that the pros use.
#5: SHOOT WHAT YOU’D WANT TO SEE IF YOU WERE BUYING A HOME
Let’s take a second to stop and consider something of HUGE importance when it comes to shooting photos of your home: what would your buyers want to see in each shot? Now, here’s an even better way to look at this…
Curb appeal is essential when it comes to selling your home, mainly because people love pretty things! Your back deck, patio, or front porch add character to your home and can really add a sense of excitement, bringing your home to life. You’d also want to provide a look inside the most important rooms, such as the kitchen, living room, master bedroom, and master bathroom.
As for what might constitute a wasted picture, you could probably state that there’s a shed in the backyard, an unfinished basement, and lots of space in the garage -since these aren’t usually the most aesthetically pleasing aspects of a home’s property.
If there were a photo limit, it would be best to save your shots on the more important parts of the property.
Put it this way; QUALITY OVER QUANTITY ALWAYS WINS!
#4: THINK IN 3D/USING ANGLES FOR THE WIN
Head-on photos flatten the room and make it look dull. Use creative angles to add depth and bring the space to life.
Say, for instance, you’re taking a few photos of the kitchen. The best way to bring a room to life in a photo is to shoot from a corner. A straight-on shot may help with measurements, but a corner shot creates more appeal and draws in buyers.
#3: ACCOUNT FOR WHERE YOUR PHOTOS WILL BE DISPLAYED
This is more of a formatting issue than anything else. You should keep strong aesthetics in every photo, pay attention to the dimensions, sizes, and shapes needed for the site.
Research shows that the following requirements make the perfect photo-snapping guidelines:
- Size Max: 250 Ko
- Dimensions: 5×7 = Max 1500 x 2100 pixels
- Shapes: Landscape
You’ll know how to hold the camera and how close you need to stand for a clean shot. You’ll also know how to format your photos and upload them from your phone to your seller page.
#2: LOW SUNLIGHT IS YOUR FRIEND
Good lighting drives almost every winning real estate photo. Bad lighting—whether from a flash, harsh sunlight, or dim lamps—makes a room look unappealing. You wouldn’t post a selfie if it had bad lighting so. Therefore, you shouldn’t post a home shot with it, either!
You want as much natural light as possible for a great shot. Wait a little after sunrise for perfect lighting.
The sun feels softer then, so your phone captures a clean, balanced image.
When this happens, the effect tends to be super dark rooms or windows with an intrusive glare.
Around sunset, however, you get a sense of warmth, softness, and a vibrant image that only natural light can provide.
#1: CLUTTER IS NOT YOUR FRIEND
Even if the lighting or angle isn’t great, the real deal-breaker in a photo is the clutter you leave in it.
Objects that don’t belong instantly distract buyers and ruin the shot.
Similarly to #5, think about what you’d want to see -and also- what you would NOT want to see. This is one reason why Greg White of Seattle Home Photography wrote,
I’s absolutely critical that in any photo you take, you clear the clutter first. You want the photo to show a few simple, artistic touches. But you don’t want it to suggest someone still lives in the home.
While this might be the case, an image should provide the buyer with a dream of how they’d like to see it (and not necessarily how it is).
WATCH A HOME DESIGN SHOW. MIMIC ACCORDINGLY
Showing your personal items makes a buyer feel like they’re moving into somebody else’s house, rather than moving on their own.
DECLUTTER, DECLUTTER, DECLUTTER
This is why a properly staged home will have artwork of any signs that the previous owner lived in the home.
If you’ve ever watched a home design show, their shots display exactly the kind of images that you should post. These photos should look clean, new, trendy, stylish, and of course, absent of strollers, clutter-causing-trinkets, and other yard sale items.
You can also browse through other professional shots online or in a magazine; so that you can try mimicking their lighting and angles.
Follow these hacks, and you’ll be way ahead of the game over most other online home sellers.
IS PHOTOGRAPHY NOT YOUR STRONG SUIT?
No problem; we all have our individual talents! However, we can’t help but still remind you that it’s still imperative to have great photos.
Killer photos = killer prospects!