Folks, the days of people going to their real estate agents every week to see which houses are for sale are long over.
The modern buyer would rather look at online listings which is why the quality of your photographs is so important.
Curb appeal might just be the thing that sells the house for you and if those photos look like something taken during amateur hour, buyers might just skim past your home.
Here are 5 things professionals want you to know about real estate photography.
Megapixels on your smartphone don’t matter – TIP 1
To get a good photo of your house, you need the right equipment and unfortunately, the latest smartphone just won’t cut it.
The bigger sensors of a professional camera capture more detail which will result in more flattering photos. This has to do with the technique. HDR mode takes multiple exposures to maximize the quality of the final photo.
Yes, your smartphone can do this too, but it’s not the same. Pair this with the right editing program and you’re good to go.
Your knickknacks aren’t photogenic – TIP 2
Sorry to say this but grandma’s flower vase over there? It’s not what we would call photogenic. Even though it has sentimental value to you, the whole world doesn’t have to see it.
The goal here is to capture your house in the best light possible. If this means hiding your throw pillows and your ceramic cow statues for a short while, then so be it.
Photos tend to look best with as little stuff as possible. Store anything that is personal, including the wall art and the shampoo bottles in the shower, before the photo-shoot.
Dirt shows – TIP 3
As mentioned above, HDR cameras are your best friend during this photo-shoot, but they can also be your worst nightmare if you don’t clean the house properly.
The capture captures everything – and we mean everything!!
A missed stain on the kitchen floor or slight discoloration on the carpet will immediately be visible to anyone looking at those photos.
A professional photographer can edit all of these things out but it is easier for you to just clean your house before the shoot. You can consider hiring a team of professionals to do it for you but it’s better to just apply some elbow grease and scrub the house yourself.
The weather plays a huge role – TIP 4
And not just on the day of the shoot! You might think that you have checked the weather for clear skies but what about the days before that?
If your yard maintenance crew comes on Monday and there is a storm Monday night, what do you think the yard will look like when the photographer comes on Tuesday?
It would be a good idea to make the necessary arrangements in advance so that you don’t waste money on imperfect photos.
Little things can make or break the photo – TIP 5
So you have put the ceramic cows in the closet, your grandma’s vase is hiding under the TV cabinet, and you have scrubbed the entire house. Surely you are ready for the photo-shoot? Wrong again!
On the day of the photo-shoot do one final sweep of the house and make sure everything is truly perfect. Pay extra attention to blinds, curtains, and bedspreads. Make sure they are in place. Check the bathroom to make sure the toilet lid is closed and that the toilet paper is hanging neatly.
These are all small things that can make a huge difference.
