Dear Heather

I am selling my house, but I am not very pleased with the pictures my agent took. Have you got any tips for photographing my house in its best light?

Not Very Techy,

Paget

Dear Not Very Techy

A picture is worth a thousand words and the photos an owner or agent takes of the home for sale can be the key in attracting a large number of prospective buyers.

Some buyers judge properties by pictures alone and others may hesitate to even view the property or attend an open house at a home that has no pictures listed, often assuming that there is something wrong with it.

However, posting any old picture of a house on the real estate listing may not have the intended effects that the homeowners want, so it’s important to be selective and follow some simple rules to make sure the images paint a property in the most positive light.

1. Give buyers options

When it comes to showing off a home, more is better, and buyers may want to see images of every room in the house.

Similar to a home staging event, owners should de-clutter each room and make improvements or upgrades before the pictures are taken.

Cleaning and removing personal items can make a room appear larger and more modern. In addition to taking images of each room, include bedrooms, basements, laundry, and additional rooms.

A word about photographing bathrooms. Try not to take a picture of the toilet, and certainly not with the lid up! Every home has one, there is always a more interesting feature in the bathroom!

Owners/agents should also include pictures of the exterior of the home.

Curb appeal is another factor that may lure more buyers into the fold.

Removing toys or yard items, planting flowers and pressure washing the outside of the home can make the house look more picturesque.

Most real estate agents also agree that homeowners living in scenic areas with a view or waterfront should include these images as well.

2. Don’t skimp on quality

Images that look unprofessional may turn buyers off, so avoid taking photos with a cellphone, disposable camera or other amateur lens. In our case we have a professional photographer on our staff that will photograph your home for free.

A professional photographer has a high resolution camera and pictures can be edited to improve colours etc. In addition, a good photographer can suggest altering lighting or resolution of a frame to give buyers a more realistic view of what a room looks like. Some homes look beautiful when photographed at dawn or dusk, some agents will provide glossy postcards or brochures and even aerial photographs as an additional service to help promote your home.

3. Video and location maps

Since 90 percent of home buyers search online (NAR 2013) the use of video to display your property online will entice buyers if it is presented professionally.

Properties that include video offer something more to view on line than those showcasing only photographs. In addition to the visual appeal many search engine include location searches that can be added using on line mapping tools.

To make sure your property is shown in its best light, sellers should ask their agent what types of services their agency provides.

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Heather Chilvers is among Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s Leading Sales Representatives. She has been working in Real Estate for 25 years.

If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332 1793. All questions will be treated confidentially.