The Importance of Quality Photographs For Your Listing

With a staggering 93%+ of home buyers starting their home search on the internet, the importance of good photos is paramount.  First impressions!

Back in the days of using film, having one good photo was the hope. It could take as long as a week from the time we took the picture to actually having it uploaded to the listing.

Fast Forward thirteen years to the digital age.  There is no longer an excuse to not have high quality, professional photos on every listing.   Nine to twelve photos should be the minimum.  We, North Fork Real Estate, Inc, take it a step further by changing and updating our photos continually.  We evaluate the best time of day and take the photos when your house has the best light.  A picture is worth a thousand words, good or bad, and we know the importance of a good first impression.

Here are a few tips that we use when selecting photos of your home.

1.  The exterior should be seasonal.  As the seasons change, so does the look of your home.  Snow is acceptable in January but not in May.  July your house should be in full green bloom and so should your photo.

2.  Living room.  Remove the newspapers, fluff pillows and if necessary,  remove and or rearrange furniture.

3. Dining room.  A fully set table with pretty centerpiece  looks appealing.  Don’t be afraid to remove a chair to get a good shot.  Nothing looks worse than the top of the chair to distract from the entire picture.

4.  Kitchens are very important.  Remove all stuff from your counters, ie. dishes, food, paper towels.

5.  Bathrooms are not my favorite to use.  They do not transpose well.  If you want to use bathroom photos, make sure your toilet seat is down and all towels should be removed .

6. Bedrooms.  Make the beds, put clothes away and fluff the pillows.

7.  Yards should use the same criteria as exteriors.  Seasonal.  Have the grass mowed and lawn furniture staged.  Remove any toys, bikes, etc.

8.  Add a photo that helps tell a story.  If you have a great association beach, use it.

9.  Have the main photo be the  exterior of the house.  The perception is that if you are not using the exterior photo, it must be a horrible house.

10.  The order of the photos is important.  The photos are telling a story so I like to start with the exterior photos and then move through the house.  Living room, kitchen, dining room, and bedrooms.  And for all rooms, always have the lights on and avoid people or pets in your photos.

Of course there are always exceptions.  No matter how hard we try, some houses don’t photograph well.  Trees and shadow are hard to overcome.  Once your listing is live, review your photos.  Good communication with your Realtor is important, if you have  concerns with the photos, discuss them with your Realtor and see if there is a reason that photo is being used.

To see our photos, visit our website to the featured property tab.  Also, click through our gallery on our images tab to see fun stuff on the North Fork.