For a long time, realtors have relied upon in-home tours to prove the beauty of the homes they sell. But these days, most realtors can’t lure potential homebuyers in for that tour without first providing images of the house online.
However, realtors can’t succeed by posting any old property photos. If you’re in the real estate industry, you’ve probably encountered a few bad examples already. Perhaps the photographs in the listing were poorly lit or left out a large portion of the house. Maybe you couldn’t quite put your finger on why but felt instinctive disappointment or disinterest in the photos provided.
The fact is, an iPhone camera just won’t cut it if you’re trying to sell a home. Studies have shown that high-quality real estate photography can make your home sell 32% faster than those with poor photography. 72% of realtors agree, stating that great photography helps them sell a property.
These days, buyers start their real estate journey online, and they’re guaranteed to look at the photographs before they even glance at the descriptions. Top-notch real estate photography will help you sell properties quickly, with a higher offer than you would have otherwise received.
Are you ready to photograph a property and close the sale? Here are essential tips to keep in mind when you’re taking real estate photography.
1. Tour the Home Before You Get Started
Rushing from room to room is not the best way to achieve quality, customer-converting photography. Instead, take your time. Try to see the house from a buyer’s perspective and envision who might live there. Find the best vantage points to capture the overall feeling of the property.
As you walk through the home, keep an eye out for attractive angles to shoot from. A high-quality camera will capture every attribute of the property, so consider how you will diminish its flaws and highlight the selling points.
2. Choose the Best Time of Day to Shoot
While you can take high-quality real estate photos at any time of day, there are pros and cons to shooting at different times. For instance, a clear blue sky can enhance the positive attributes of any home. Or, depending on the property, you might prefer to shoot on a partly cloudy day to minimize the shadows in each shot.
Sometimes, shooting at twilight can add a romantic quality to a property with an exceptional view or landscape. But this timing can be tough to master, and if you start the shoot while dusk is falling, you only have about a 20-minute window.
For consistently well-performing results, your best bet is to take photographs when the sun is bright, typically from late morning to early afternoon.
3. Declutter the Home
There is no reason that a home you’re trying to sell should appear “lived-in.” Decluttering is arguably one of the most important aspects of shooting home. When you remove personal items from real estate photography, it allows potential buyers to envision themselves in the home. In the same vein, you should cover or remove photos that show the current residents.
You’ll also want to clear out anything that distracts from the positive qualities of the property. For example, remove a flower vase that diverts attention from the granite countertops. Rearrange rugs and extraneous furniture that cause the room to appear smaller on camera. Tidy away unsightly electronics cords. Cleaner is always better, so when you think the house is as neat as can be, go back and declutter again.
4. Choose a Wide-Angle Lens
To achieve aesthetically pleasing results, just about any DSLR will be suitable for real estate photography purposes. But regarding lenses, wide-angle lenses are preferable. These lenses have a greater depth of field that offers a highly flattering view of architecture. When you’re photographing real estate, a wide-angle lens helps amplify the spaciousness of any room or hallway.
However, you don’t want to overdo it with a fisheye lens or an ultra-wide lens. These lenses have their place, but it’s not in real estate photography. They distort the images to the extent of them being misleading or cartoonish.
5. Use a Tripod
There’s nothing more unprofessional than blurry or crooked photos. A tripod is key to keeping your real estate photography clear and sharp — especially if you plan to take any low-light shots. A tripod simplifies the process of producing quality, long-exposure photographs. When you’re using a tripod, you can also obtain a better perspective on the images while you’re shooting them, allowing for immediate reshoots where necessary.
6. Stage the Home
According to the mortgage report, staged homes sell 73% faster than those that are not. The benefits of staging a home are indisputable. A staged home stands out amongst the competitors and typically spends less time on the market. Potential buyers notice the difference when your property is looking its best.
Of course, there are countless ways to approach home staging, but the fastest and most cost-effective course of action is to work with what you already have. For example, try tweaking the home’s current furniture arrangement. Place small pieces of furniture in spacious rooms so that the home appears larger. Couches should be lined against the wall to create a feeling of openness. Then, simple finishing touches like a decorative blanket or fresh-cut flowers can lend an air of welcoming elegance that helps seal the deal.
7. Try Shooting In Natural Light
The effects of artificial lighting simply don’t compare to that of nature. Natural sunlight adds warmth, depth, and attention to detail in a way that artificial lighting cannot match. If the property that you’re shooting has large windows, open the blinds and show off the amount of sunlight that the house receives every day.
That said, there are a few rare occasions that artificial lighting is preferable. If the landscape near the home isn’t pleasing to the eye, it might be better to keep curtains closed. Or, if the windows are small and poorly lit, supplement with additional lighting so that the room doesn’t appear cold or uninviting.
Call Motivated Sellers
Real estate photography that makes your property stand out requires an eye for harmony and the right tools to make your vision a reality. But real estate photography is only one element of getting a property off the market.
Are you a real estate agent looking to increase your number of qualified leads? Call Motivated Sellers is here to help. Our extensive experience in the real estate industry and cold-calling expertise can help you find new buyers and close more deals.
To learn more, just contact our team today and prepare to take your real estate empire to the next level.
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