Why You Should Use Professional Photos If You're Selling Your Home
We’ve all seen bad real estate listing photos—either the lighting was terrible, the angle was all wrong, or there was something strange or questionable in the photograph! Avoiding these things are probably common sense to most people, but I like to make sure that my real estate photography isn’t just “good enough.” I want it to show off a home at its very best for my clients, and even though getting the perfect image for each room is harder than it looks, it’s SO worth it!
Here are a few big reasons why you should *always* use professional photos if you’re selling your home:
1. Make a strong first impression.
When someone is scanning through the results of a home search, you might only have one featured photo to grab their attention. You want to make sure that you’ve captured their attention enough to make them click on your home and see how beautiful the rest of it is!
2. List your home right the first time.
You want to make sure that your home is positioned for success straight out of the gate. People can start to get nervous about a home that’s been on the market for too long, even if there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it! Having clear, high-quality images will help to show off your home in the best light from day #1.
3. Homes professionally photographed can sell for more $$$.
Depending on the unique market you’re in (location, price point, time of year, etc.), having professional photography can be the difference between your home selling vs. the similar home down the street selling instead. In other markets, it can mean your home sells for more money if it inspires enough interest and competition. The few extra bucks you invest on photography can pay off in a big way down the line!
4. Show your home in its best light.
Real estate photography is an art—you want to be sure to capture the best angle of each room to show off its best attributes. You don’t want a space to look too small or dark, and you want to highlight its most valuable characteristics. Lighting is also another huge factor in real estate photography—the time of day can significantly affect photo quality, as well as the professional lighting equipment that a photographer will most likely utilize. Photographing small spaces like bathrooms and closets are especially challenging, but being able to show these essential spaces off will be the mark of a great real estate photographer.
5. Use staging to create an emotional connection and visual intrigue.
It’s much more fun and captivating to look at homes that have cute and attractive decor! When homes aren’t staged with furniture and a few eye-catching decor touches here and there, they can end up looking sterile and unwelcoming in photos. Part of selling your home is creating an emotional connection with potential buyers—they should be able to envision themselves living in the home, and seeing a home staged will help immensely with that process. Staging can also show them the potential in a home, and can actually make a home look bigger!