Is your property photo ready?

COBBLESTONE REALTY



So, the asking price for the property has been agreed upon and every room is edited and de-cluttered. The property is staged and the architectural features are highlighted – not the lovely assortment of figurines that have been collected over the years. Now the property is ready to be photographed and marketed. This is one of the most important details when listing a property for sale, because if the photos are not fantastic, no one will show up to see your house in person.



Everyone looking to purchase a property is looking at the photos online first. The pictures need to accurately represent each room. Wide-angle photography is perhaps the most deceiving. Of course, it has its place in small rooms like washrooms, dens or home offices. But often, wide-angle photography completely distorts not only the furniture, but the actual space in the room. Any linear features in the room will be “warped” like hardwood floors, tiles, patterned carpets and even cabinetry. These lenses can make an arm chair look like a sofa. The interior of a small property looks like a 5,000-sq.-ft. home. All in all, a turn-off to potential buyers who show up and see something completely different than what they were expecting.



A photograph taken on a normal setting will show the space in a truer form. Take photos showing the transition from room to room if possible. This allows the buyer to get a feel for the flow of the property. And remember to turn on all the lights and lamps, even if you are taking the photos during the day.



When shooting your photos, consider what is in the forefront. Ensure each piece of furniture is as visible as possible. Stand in a corner of the room because often, the shots taken at an angle are better than those taken head-on.



I cannot stress this enough: please clean and tidy each room. I actually saw a photograph online that had a blue recycle bin – yes, the one from the back lane – in the kitchen. The same property was represented online with unmade beds, piles of dirty laundry, and the ever-decorative overflowing ashtrays strewn throughout every room.



Remember, the first impression is the only impression, so make it count!