Saturday, July 2, 2011

How to photograph your house and sell it fast


If you are looking at real estate online to buy a new place or to compare your house to others already for sale you know that you are immediately attracted to some images, compelled to read further and see more images of that listing.
I find that interiors shot are the most appealing when choosing the right angle, the right light, the right atmosphere so they can induce the potential client to make an appointment with the agent, the first step leading to a transaction.
But of course images alone will not sell the house, you need to take further steps to make the experience pleasurable, more on that in a future post.
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Let’s talk about presenting the house online, the above image shows a  well presented room and you feel the space, it was most probably taken by a skilled photographer, but usually pictures are taken by the real estate agent, many times in a hurry, with a point and shoot camera, often not presenting the best features of your house.
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See what I mean? This house is listed today for $ 5,000,000, who took the picture?
And why was it part of the listing images?

What to do? Either you hire a professional interior photographer who preferably has also some experience in interior design and staging, like myself, or you can try your best in preparing the house before the real estate agent takes pictures.
Here are some tips because we know buyers want spacious homes or at least the sense of space in a great layout:

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De-clutter
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De-clutter more
1.  Remove all items you will not need until you move to your next place, pack away most of books, family pictures, collections and in a word “de-clutter”. You will be moving soon, hopefully, so why not simplify the process now giving away items, clearing closets and so on.

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2. Remove all rugs and keep the floor clear, that alone will make your rooms look larger in a picture.


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Unidentified objects obstructing walkways, including a waste basket.
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3. Arrange furniture so they don’t block views or passages and move to a storage too large pieces, table, sofa, chairs… pianos and laces…replacing them  with  smaller ones, this way you are really showing the square footage.


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Empty room
4. Strange but true an empty room looks smaller than it is, so try to fill an empty space with furniture you may have in other rooms or bring in items from a staging company.


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Darkness reigns!
5. Before pictures are taken turn on all the lights, open the drapes and let the light come in, every room will look more spacious and attractive.


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6. Last but not least…make the bed!
This is not the way to present your house… the last 2 no-no pictures I found on a real estate agent website, let’s not name names.   Price listing for this house? $ 8,995,000… yes…almost NINE million dollars.
What were they thinking?

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Another house, picture taken at a good angle, bed well done, a nice view, I would have lit the fireplace though!
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Same house, pleasant living room, appealing to many viewers, no clutter, a great view and a lit fireplace!


Finally a few words for the exterior photographs and I am sure you will agree with me:
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A nice house selling at $ 4,400,000 but a bit sad looking I think!  I may be tempted to skip this listing…

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Same price as above but don’t you see more appeal? I now would like to see the interior of this welcoming house.

I gave just a few examples of how to and how not to present a house with photographs for the online market, especially if the selling price is astronomical, but at any price range just a few clever adjustments can make a huge difference.

Did I make my point? So call me if you need my help!

You can also read my previous post “How to stage your apartment for sale” clicking HERE.

Photography source

©2011 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".

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23 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are 100% right, this is a great post.

yvonne
have a nice 4th

Karena said...

Albarosa, excellent points!! The lighting and de-cluttering is so important!! The angle of the image. Have just a few very special accessories out!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Claudia Juestel said...

Great suggestions Albarosa! I love that you included bad examples as well, really bad ones actually. :)

Cheers,

Claudia

quintessence said...

Agree with it all - GREAT advice. It's amazing how many very expensive homes have such dreadful shots! They clearly needed you!!

peggy braswell said...

Such divine advice + You are really needed. Grand Post..xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic website you have, your designs are beautiful.
I look forward to getting to know you better.
Have a good week,
Mimi

Maria Killam said...

Great tips for photography, that entry picture is too funny! That is when real estate agents just snap them without understanding the power of styling that's for sure!
x
maria

annechovie said...

Terrific advice, Albarosa! Have a great week! xo

Mary-Candles Lovers said...

Great insights!!!

Marcus Design said...

These are fantastic tips Albarosa! I need to bookmark this post right away. I've been meaning to come by and let you know that I have sooo appreciated all of your comments lately. My poor mom was in the hospital all last week and I have barely been able to get my own blog posts up, let alone come by to visit my favorite friends, I apologize for this!! Hugs,
Nancy xo

the modern sybarite ™ said...

Your tips are so obvious that many will brush them aside. But many times it is the obvious that make the difference. Thank you. You've hit the nail in the head!!!!

Konstant said...

Breathtaking!!!!!!!! I wish it could be my house. I also want the same.
Painter Atlanta

Sell your house fast said...

Hey the post is very good, i like the pics, the house is simply amazing, i like it...

sell house fast said...

Nice house, really good site. i like your site.

Alen from ADRIATIC NEKRETNINE said...

Great informative article, many many thanks for such a great information.

Brendan Amorose said...

The tips you provided on taking photographs and de-cluttering are simple and very helpful. Excellent angles and good lighting can make for some pretty good shots. Photographs and video presentations are good marketing strategies that can greatly influence the decision of the buyer, but all of that depends on the quality of pictures you get. So for a fast sale, always make sure you put up some clear, well-lit shots.

Sell House said...

hey nice blog thanks for sharing the information about how to sell house.

Unknown said...

There are five important tips to preparing your home for sale and selling it quickly, from adding curb appeal to figuring out your minimum price.
There’s a house for sale that we pass every day on the way to the office. The home’s exterior seems to be well taken care of, but the lawn isn’t mowed. Actually, it’s about a foot high and has gone to seed.
Why would a homeowner who is trying to sell his house not mow the lawn? It’s hard to imagine that someone who is actively engaged in selling a property wouldn’t be motivated to make the exterior look as good as the interior. For this property, it wouldn’t take more than a few hours to mow the grass, trim the hedges, weed the flower bed, plant a few colorful annuals, and edge the lawn. The house’s exterior would really perk up.
By not mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes and making sure your home looks well cared for, you’re setting the table for some unpleasant future negotiations – prospective buyers will assume you’re in financial trouble simply because you haven’t invested the time or money in making sure your home is ready for sale.
If you’re selling your home, there are five things you absolutely must do in order to stay competitive – which in a soft housing market is where things stand:
1. Make your yard memorable. The vast majority of today’s home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet. Homeowners with yards that are neatly trimmed, flush with pretty colors, and full of lush greenery will find the colors pop in digital images taken for real estate websites. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your home stand out from the others listed for sale in the neighborhood or price range.
2. Inform your neighbors. Before you hire a real estate agent (and certainly before you officially list your home for sale), you should inform your neighbors that your home is going to go on the market for sale. Your neighbors presumably like living in your neighborhood, and they may know someone through their network of family, friends, and colleagues, who is looking for a home like yours. Selling through a friends and family network will ultimately be a win-win, as you’ll sell more quickly and possibly for more money, while your neighbor will have a friend or family member living close by.
3. Know your minimum acceptable price. Don’t wait for buyers to line up with offers before thinking carefully about how much money you’re willing to accept for your home. Your number should be fully informed, and by that we mean you should spend time chatting with at least three different real estate agents, each of whom has prepared a comparative marketing analysis listing the homes similar to yours in your neighborhood that have sold in the last six months – including foreclosures. Understanding how foreclosures and short sales have impacted pricing in your neighborhood will help you understand what kind of minimum price should be acceptable in today’s marketplace.
ways to sell your house fast

Selling Houses For Cash said...

You are right; posting photos online can be one of the great and fast ways to sell your house as a proof of your good looking house for sale.

Selling Houses For Cash said...

Yes I agree. Taking photos and posting on web will help you a lot to get caught and notice by a home buyers.

Gary from Weston MA Realty Agency said...

Nice post - simple advice, really (basically - remove clutter!). Also, if you can't afford a professional photographer and are taking them yourself, just follow the rule of thirds - balance the photo so that if you were to draw lines dividing the photo into thirds (horizontal and vertical), the focus points fall on the points where the lines connect. NEVER in the center of the photo.

VOIP Switch: Definition, Benefits, And Work: said...

Agree with it all - GREAT advice. It's amazing how many very expensive homes have such dreadful shots! They clearly needed you!!

How To Sell Your Home Fast

high park said...

I agree with your house selling tips that will help to sell your house at a good price. Thanks for this post.

 
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