Catch a buyer's attention with high quality home photos

The cliché is true.  A picture really is worth 1,000 words, especially when so many buyers start their home search online. Using high quality photographs is essential to getting your home seen by potential buyers and sold.  

Your Realtor (or you if you are selling your home directly) should hire a professional photographer to take high resolution pictures of your home.  Most real estate photographers will do this for around $200 – 300. 

If you are going to take the pictures yourself, be sure to open the curtains and blinds, turn on all the lights, and try to take the photographs at a time of day that the interior of your home is the brightest.  If needed, edit your photos before you post them to increase the exposure.  Take pictures of both the exterior and interior of the home, and show rooms from a variety of angles.

Based on our 23+ years of experience, we offer the following tips to showcase your home at its best during your professional photo shoot.

GENERAL

• Clean the windows
• Open the shades
• Turn on all lights and lamps.  Replace any burnt out light bulbs.
• Remove as much visual clutter as you can.  Limit the amount of “stuff” left on counters, tables, etc.  Leave only a few statement pieces, like fresh flowers. on the dining table.
• Hide piles of paper, magazines, or mail
• Put remote controls out of sight
• Put jackets and shoes in the closets
• Put children’s toys in baskets
• Temporarily move pet food bowls and beds out of the photo zone
• Polish wood floors
• Trim the dead leaves off any houseplants and dust the leaves so they look fresh
• Swap out your air conditioning filters

BATHROOM

• Other than a simple bar of soap, hide toiletries in the bathroom.  Stash shampoo bottles, etc. under the sink.  A Tupperware container works great for this.
• To avoid giving the impression that there’s not enough space, remove clutter from the countertops, including your toothbrush and toothpaste
• Open the shower curtain
• Put the toilet lid down

KITCHEN

• Remove magnets, photographs, notes, and other items from the front of the refrigerator
• Put all of the dishes away
• Shine the surface of any stainless steel appliances
• Wipe off counters
• Remove the dishtowels
• Remove items from the countertops, including spices.  You can leave out 1 or 2 small appliances like a toaster or coffee maker.

BEDROOMS

• Neatly tuck in the bed corners
• Pull the bed covering taut and smooth out any wrinkles or lumps
• Fluff pillows
• Clear away clutter from any bedside tables

EXTERIOR

• Trim dead leaves or flowers from bushes and plants
• Rake the leaves
• Sweep the porch and sidewalks or other outdoor spaces
• Remove clutter from the driveway and put away any equipment
• Hide the garbage cans out of sight
• Add some colorful flowers to pots or beds

SPECIAL FEATURES

• If your home has a working fireplace or outdoor firepit, have it lit
• If your home has a swimming pool, have the cover off and the pool cleaned.  If there is any outdoor furniture, make sure the cushions are out.

Over the years we’ve learned what works to help our clients win deals, regardless of market conditions.  If you’d like more tips like these visit our blog at www.homesville.com or follow us on Facebook.  Or, contact us for a no obligation, no BS consult on selling your Central Austin home.