Seducing real estate buyers is not all about text
We have already talked about seducing customers through a property description, however the message displayed on the text must coincide with the images shown. But great real estate photos don’t come easy. You need to have an eagle eye, a sense of aesthetics and a sales perspective to take the best photo to impress your potential buyers.
Hiring a photographer can be expensive, however it can make a difference. Professional photos help real estate agents to sell faster and at better prices, but if you want to save some money, this article is a must-read!
At ListGlobally we’ve gathered some tips to help you look better than Tom Cruise on your customer screens. Want to start? Let’s do it.
A few tips before you start
No one likes a messy or dirty home. Even though this seems quite basic, it is important to remind you that before even taking out your camera. the apartment or the house needs to be cleaned. Little details can make all the difference to show a lifestyle inside the property. When possible, for example, place colorful artwork and vibrant pillows, a bouquet of flowers or some other detail in the setting to catch your customer's attention.
No, we are not saying you need to redecorate the property to look like a Vogue centerfold, but it is important to bear in mind that paying attention to details will make your photos look better: move some pieces of furniture to make the space more elegant and minimalist and open the curtains...well… you can leave the curtains closed if it is raining.
And one last tip before you snap some pics, don’t forget that clearing the floors will also make your space look larger.
Now that you know how to start, let’s take our first picture
- Go to the corner of the room or the doorway if the room is very small;
- Set up your tripod;
- Get 3 walls on your screen to show the space. Shoot at an angle rather than directly at windows;
- Smile and shoot at waist level, not eye level.
When should you take the photos?
Even though dusk is beautiful, it is a really hard time to photograph, so the best time to take photos is during late morning and/or early afternoon. At this time, the sun is shining the brightest and you have less shadows to deal with.
Also, most homes are more appealing when shot in natural light so you will maximize use of the natural light during these times.
But if the property you are trying to sell has an amazing artificial light setting, you might want to sell that and take some photos at a later hour. It is wise to study the landscape around the property and your lighting options to see what you prefer to shoot. Also, try to consider what is of interest to your customers.
Vertical or horizontal perspective?
The best orientation option is taking the picture in landscape view. The reason is because the human eye sees the world in a roughly 4:3 aspect ratio, so our brain finds the horizontal view more natural despite the use of 3D videos and other formats are coming into the market. Use these new formats as an enhancement to your presentation.
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall
Make sure you avoid capturing your own image in a mirror or reflective surface and end up being discovered posing like you are asking who’s the fairest of them all. The camera flash will show on these surfaces and maybe a reflection of something you want to hide.
And please… avoid distortion
We already talked about the human eye and how we see things, but sometimes it is really hard to reflect the room and its beauty. On real estate listings, it is quite usual to see pictures that have distortion but if you want to do it, please do it right.
According to Alan Carville, an well known Architectural photographer servicing Realtors, “Nothing screams 'amateur' more, than seeing interior images with crooked lines or walls that look like they are going to topple over”.
On shooting day
As mentioned before, everything needs to be clean and cleared. Remove family photos and other personal items to give your space a model home appearance and make sure you invite the sun to come in and turn the lights on.
In this section we will be guiding through some tips to photoshoot every section of the house.
Bedrooms
- Make the beds and close the closets
- Hide personal items
- Make sure that if you are photographing the closet it is uncluttered and organized
Pro tip: use nice pillows on the bed colors that capture potential customer attention.
Living room
- Turn the television off and hide the remote control. Remove unnecessary furniture to create a much more open feeling
- Making the living areas of your listings seem warm and pleasant, while at the same time stylish and organized
- Be sure the sofa looks nice and all accent pillows are clean and matching
Pro tip: If there is a coffee table, place a low plant and a couple of books or magazines to add a nice touch.
Kitchen
- Clear and wipe off the counters, hide dish soaps and any appliances that clutter the space
- Remove everything from the top and doors of the fridge (like messages, magnets, tissue box)
- Close-ups of the sink or a window in each room won’t do the areas any justice
- Set up the kitchen/dining table with nice set of dishes
Pro tip: A bowl of fruit or bouquet of flowers presents nicely in the photos.
Bathroom
- Put down toilet lids and remove all toiletries from the shower/bath, as well as on the counter
- Clean mirrors and any glass surfaces
- Hang a new set of towels that coordinate with the paint or tiles
Pro tip: a flower or plant can add a nice touch.
Exterior
- Clean porches and walkways. Put away bikes, cars, toys etc.
- Porches and walkways should be dry
- Sprinklers should be off and all lights should be on
Apartment
- Shooting interiors will similar to single-family homes
- Special amenities like a pool, a gym, and an entertainment room are amenities that should be photographed
But the new trend is Video and 3D Property tours… so what should I do?
Property tours are the new trend on real estate and they are really important for international buyers and virtual tours. We suggest you use photographs for showcasing individual rooms and their features, and use video to express the lifestyle and layout of the entire home. Videos are great to show buyers how they can interact within the space.
More about ListGlobally
ListGlobally operates the largest global network of property portals in the world, advertising across +100 property portals in over 60 countries, reaching a monthly consumer audience of over 200 Million potential buyers.
Questions? We invite you to reach out to us or open a chat with us on listglobally.com.
Contact our ListGlobally Team and we will help you get started with your enhanced global marketing strategy. If you are a Real Estate Professional or property seller and you’d like to expand your international network, to advertise or to engage with international property buyers, contact us at ListGlobally.
