Good ads

D - Pictures of your Home; How necessary are they?

Pictures in the real estate classifieds are becoming very common. Buyers want to easily see what the home looks like. Some real estate web sites now offer the viewer the option of sequencing the house ads based on the number of pictures they display.  

Suggestions for internet, classified and brochure pictures: 

Interior:

For interior shots, turn on as many lights as possible. A flash helps eliminate shadows. Open your drapes, curtains and blinds. 

Your shots shouldn't contain any clutter. Even if you have to move items around or move some furniture for your best shot, do it.

Exterior:

Statistics show that 82% of viewers are immediately suspicious when the front of a house is not displayed, or is not the lead picture. OK, maybe not 82%, but a chunk think your home's exterior must be Betty-Ugly. They'll quickly go to the next listing.   

Take pictures on a clear sunny day–preferably with the sun to your back. Stay away from scenes dominated with heavy shadows. Take shots from different angles.

Avoid a flat (head–on) shot of the front of your house. Otherwise the home will lack depth and often the garage is highlighted, the least appealing aspect of a structure’s architecture. 

Never use pictures with vehicles in the driveway.

Be sure trash cans, toys, bikes, etc. are out of site. 

If you live in a condo or townhouse, include pictures of your community pool, tennis courts, clubhouse and “common area” enhancements.  

PEOPLE'S EYES ARE DRAWN TO A PICTURE.

Look at any printed page-see how your eyes quickly focus on the pictures. Statistics show that many viewers of real estate web sites will only look at home listings that offer photos. The use of pictures to support your marketing efforts cannot be over emphasized.

Varied Views:

Create interest by taking some interior and exterior pictures from a low, ground level, position or a very high, elevated location.

If front pictures present a problem (overgrown trees, bushes, greenery, electric lines, etc) highlight the spacious rear yard by shooting from the house or by emphasizing space from the back toward your home. 

Capture the yard, deck, pool, mountains, beach, golf course or a picturesque view. 

Some sellers set up a "video" presentation by having their personal computer automatically display a variety of pictures during an open house, showings and for Realtor tours.     

Outdated pictures:

Don't use out-of-season pictures. Prospects think it's been on the market forever. Snow, lush lawns, bare trees, full trees, leaves, blooming flowers–these standout to viewers when viewed in the opposite seasons. As seasons change, use new photos.

If you want to show the delightful exterior in the off season, place a few pictures near where you set your brochures.

Camera hints:

If you have the option, set your digital camera on the setting that will give you the most pictures. Low settings are preferable to high settings since they are acceptable by all computer monitors that your buyer will be viewing from. 

If you have some old photos that would play well in your ad, a camera center can convert them to a disk, including resizing. Do not convert poor quality pictures from a cell phone.

With basic software, you can often edit out unwanted items as well as modify the contrast and brightness to enhance your pictures.