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How to sell your house with photographs
By Stuart Atkinson Published: 02/06/2009
Selling your home through a 'for sale by owner' website will save you a fortune in commission and fees if you go about it in the right way. One of the most important aspects of your property listings are images. Great images sell property. They attract homebuyers enabling you to sell your house quickly for top dollar.
Over 80% of all homebuyers start their search for a new home online, so it's important that you create online real estate listings that are visually appealing. A well constructed real estate listing will have great images, and this will help to encourage buyers to enquire.
Before you choose a For Sale By Owner website, create a portfolio of between 10 and 15 images that you can use when setting up your adverts. I've used the pleural 'adverts' as most for sale by owner websites do not have a sole agency agreement, meaning that you can advertise on as many sites as you like.
You don't need to be David Bailey to take a great photograph; all you need is a reasonable camera and a bit of patience. Before you start to click away you need to stage each room, and plan the sequence of images that you are going to use. Think about the features of your home that first attracted you, and the features that buyers like such as a feature staircase, fireplace, or picture windows.
You need to photograph your home when it looks at its best, so give it a good clean and tidy. Remove all clutter, but don't go too far, as you want to portray not only a home but a lifestyle. Your pictures, magazines and furniture will all help to show buyers how your house could look when they move in.
If you need inspiration Google 'New homes for sale' and look at how property developers use images. They usually include:
1. Interior lifestyle images
2. Kitchen images
3. Bathroom and sanitary ware images
4. Internal living space features
5. Exterior images
You will notice that many property developers feature lifestyle prominently. That's because lifestyle is important, and indicates the likely target audience. For example: Starter homes appeal to young professionals, and family homes appeal to families.
For example: A nice image of a garden that is safe for small children will help to sell your house to young families. An image of a nice dinning room dressed ready for dinner will appeal to people who like to entertain.
Before you start here are a couple of photography tips that will help you to take the photos that will sell your home:
1. Take your time. Give yourself plenty of time to take the photographs as the images you take are a powerful tool in selling your home.
2. Turn on all lights in the room. Indoor lighting will add warmth and atmosphere to your pictures giving great photographic quality.
3. Hold the camera steady. Press your arms against your sides and stand with your feet apart or lean against a wall. This will give you nice sharp images.
4. Check your work. Take a sequence of pictures then check how they look. Life looks different through a camera so don?t be afraid to re-take images until you are happy with the results.
5. Photograph the room from a corner. This is an interesting technique that will enable you to show off as much of the room as possible.
6. Include features. Features add value and desirability to a home so remember to include these in your images.
7. Best light. Light is at its most flattering a couple of hours before sunset, or in the morning, two hours after sun rise.
If you're not happy with the photographs you have taken, you can employ the services of a professional photographer or even ask a friend who is keen on photography. It's important to use great images in your real estate listings, because great images sell.