I've had a lot of homeowners asked to use their own photos on the listing and this is worked out great if they are a professional photographer. If you really want to sell the home, those photos can be the first impression that will make or break the sale. If you want buyers to step one total into your home, those photos really better be amazing. When it comes to listing a property, photos are really the first impression that property gives a potential buyer.
Here are five key tips to know before taking your own real estate photos.
#1. Use a wide angle lens.
Whether you are taking the photos, your real estate agent or professional photographer, make sure that they use a wide angle lens. The focus is usually spot on and it's perfect for taking pictures of large rooms and small rooms alike.
#2. Ask about insurance.
If the photographer is moving around your property, especially if you still have furnishings in the home, ask about some type of insurance. What happens if the photographer breaks something in your home?
Related: How to Take Awesome Pictures of Your Home
#3. Ask about the details of the contract.
If you photographer has a contract ask what your responsibility is when it comes to taking photos. Is this simply a 10 to 15-minute photo shoot, going around the entire house taking pictures of each room, or is this a 2 to 4-hour event where you'll need to stage, set up, clean and arrange furniture and furnishings in order to get the best shot. Make sure you understand the details and that there is a contract between the photographer and either the real estate agent or homeowner.
#4. Editing is okay to a degree.
If you're a photographer that's photoshopping and editing the images so that it doesn't even look like your house anymore, there's no point to show that on the real estate listings; that's false advertising. However, many preset editing features on Photoshop and item such as light where you can save a lot of time creating a beautiful photo that anyone would want to display.
#5. Take pictures of what really counts.
Take pictures of the rooms that are really going to sell the house. Taking pictures of the inside of a closet or pantry is probably a waste of the picture unless that feature is phenomenal. You want to see what is actually being advertised, not the furnishings in the house. Yes, furnishings can set the stage and make a beautiful arrangement but don't neglect taking photos of the actual home and bones itself so that people know what they are buying.
Taking professional real estate photos truly is an art just as portraits landscape photos can be. To really sell the house, showcase the home in gorgeous print flyers and online, there's really no alternative to professional photos.
For more information about taking professional real estate photos of your Palm Beach County listing contact Todd Blair today
Our top neighborhoods in the area:
Mirasol Country Club
Abacoa
Admiral's Cove - (Check out the new changes)
Thank you to our guest post this week Jane Goodrich - NY child and family photographer
