You Only Have One Chance to Make a First Impression & That Includes the Internet

With more and more people turning to the internet for shopping, it was only a matter of time before people started to do the same when searching homes for sale.  Gone are the days when you relied on a real estate agent for access into a homes interior, and he/she would have to drive you around to show you a variety of homes just to walk in the door, know that it is not what you want, and walk right back out.  Now potential buyers have that power to explore inside, outside and all around houses all by themselves without having to leave the comfort of their home, or with their smart phone as they are out and about.

With this in mind, the demand for quality real estate photographs has never been higher, and yet, we still find home photos on line that are dark, that are of a corner of a room, and are just poor quality.  Heck, there are even photos of laundry thrown about and dishes in the sink.  When searching homes for sale online, you will inevitably come across many potential homes.  However, the only ones that will be given a second look at are those that are presented well in the photos.  After all, if the house does not look good in a picture, what are the odds of it looking good in person? 

There are two main problems that occur in amateur real estate photography that are sure to cause a potential buyer to gloss over the listing online.  The first is perspective and the second is season.

Many real estate agents are content with standing directly in front of a home when taking a front shot.  This provides no depth to the house and makes it look smaller than it is and almost cartoonish.  Instead, the better perspective would be to move off to one side of the house and crouch down.  That way, the building looks bigger by comparison, and you can see how far back it goes.  Even if the house does not go back very far, it at least lets a potential buyer know that there is a home behind that door.

  Second, the issue of seasonal photographs is such an obvious one that it seems everybody should be aware of it.  If I am looking for a house in the summer, it will be hard to picture myself there if the photo was taken under two feet of snow. 

For those agents who do not have an eye for architectural photography or the ability to enhance photos, it is a wise investment in having them taken by a professional.  There is no better way to peak interest in a home than to have quality images on line as soon as the property is listed.  It is all about that 1st Impression.