How Professional Photos Will Sell Your Property

If you're wondering why the property you're trying to sell is sitting longer on the market than expected, the problem could be your photos.

With increased popularity in sites like Pinterest and apps like Instagram, there is a trend in the movement from personal use to professional use for things such as product marketing. Most potential homebuyers begin their buying process online; these buyers are visual and don't want to see boring text heavy pages accompanied by dull photos. Long story short: it's all about the photos. When you capture professional, high-quality photos of your property, you capture your audience as well.

Choose the right photographer

When selling your property, you want to put it in the best light possible, and doing this starts with finding the best photographer. In order to produce the most eye-catching photos to market your home you'll need a photographer that specializes in a buyer's point of view, so that each and every photo will demand the attention of potential homebuyers.

Most experienced photographers will have a portfolio with multiple examples of their work; looking at their past work is a huge indicator of whether or not they're the best photographer for you and if you'll get the desired results for your money. When they shoot a property they need to catch images that truly speak to potential buyers. If they can't do that, you might need to explore other options.

Test it out

If the photographer you're looking to hire doesn't have a portfolio with photos of any small rooms, you might have to get an example for yourself. To get a better idea of what your photographer is capable of, give them a test to see how well they can capture an image of the property. For example, have them take photos of a small bathroom. These rooms can be difficult to capture in the best quality possible because of the limited space and large mirrors that can reflect the photographer and camera. It can be difficult to capture the best details of a small bathroom in one frame, however, the right photographer will be able to pull it off.

Get the best angles

In order to get what you're paying for, your photographer should capture each room at the finest angles. Photographers that specialize in marketing homes will be able to snap images that show off the space and lighting of your rooms. Each photo should allow viewers to look at them straight-on rather than having to look down or up at a photo of a room. In addition, each photo should be worth 1,000 words. Your photos should hold some value to the viewer. This means no photos of a wall corner or the floor. If you won't be able to describe the photo in more than a few words, then you probably shouldn't take it.

The most important photo that your photographer will take is the exterior of your home. This photo will be the one that's highlighted in all search engines and it's the first photo that buyers see; a potential buyer can decide right then and there if they want to learn more. Obviously, your actual home exterior has a lot to do with the appeal, but a good photographer will be able to catch it in its best light that shows off your home in top-notch quality. Your photographer should also cover the common areas of your home that can be a big selling point like the kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom, finished basement, laundry room, and any unique features to the home like custom designs and renovations. The idea is to provide a visual piece that plays a large role in the decision of the potential buyer.

Use a high quality camera

A high quality camera is essential to market and sell your home in a timely manner. It simply isn't enough to rely on your phone to capture images that will sell. If you absolutely have to use your phone's camera, be sure to avoid using any apps with obvious filters and edits, like Instagram, because potential buyers will see right through it. By heavily filtering and editing your photos, potential buyers might think that there's something you're trying to hide.

If you hire a photographer to handle all of your photos, then be sure to ask them what kind of equipment they use. It's important that your photographer uses a full frame camera so that the images don't appear distorted. If you choose to take the photos yourself, consider purchasing a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR). Yes, they're pricey, but they have been proven to help the home sell for a little more than the asking price due to the extremely high-quality photos they provide. They are versatile cameras because you can change lenses, which plays a huge role in the color and clarity of every photo that you take. Homes that have professional photos also tend to sell more quickly.

By hiring a professional photographer to capture high-quality photos of your property or buying a DSLR camera on your own, you will not only increase the rate at which your home sells but even get an increase on the listing price, which will be a great return on your investment. When you're trying to market and sell your property, keep in mind that the first impression is everything and when you nail it, your efforts pay off big time.

To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.