Getting the Most Out of Your Listing Photos

April 1, 2016

Getting the Most Out of Your Listing Photos

The first thing most people do when looking for a home is look for pictures. Excellent photos are a tool that must be utilized in order to gain traffic. People want to know what to expect. Today’s renters expect photos of the property—how many times have prospects driven down to see a unit, only to realize it’s not what they are looking for at all? They focus on the time they could have saved if there were photos. Posting excellent and enticing photos will get more people to your properties.

If you already have pictures take a few minutes and with an open mind; look at them, step away and look again. Are they fresh? Do they make you want to see them in person? Can they be improved? These photos need to gain traction.

Photo No-No’s

Let’s take a look at your existing photos. Use this checklist as you review them.

• Does the property look smaller than it actually is?
• Does the apartment look clean or cluttered?
• Can you see anything that would turn off a viewer from coming to see the apartment?
• Is the photo tilted, so that the home looks lopsided?
• Is the image way too dark to make out the details?
• Is the photo blurry because there was not enough light in the room?
• Can you only see a portion of the room, or an odd angle of the wall and ceiling?
• Can you see the flash in the photo?
• Is this a place you would live from seeing the picture?

Do not fret. This isn’t the end of the world. These mistakes are common and can be addressed.

Let’s Talk Tips & Tricks

• Plan ahead. Know what shots you want to take and make a list so you don’t realize later that you missed an important photo.
• Weather: Properties actually photograph better on overcast days than on sunny ones, as the sun creates a lot of shadows. Aim for a day when the sun is trying to burn through the clouds to maximize natural light and reduce shadows. It’s a great idea to return to a location during different weather conditions to give yourself enough shots of the building to figure out just which one has the best shot! You just may have a rainbow shining through on one of the pictures.
• Staging. Make sure that the apartment you are photographing is clean and well staged. You want the apartment to look stylish enough to catch their attention and entice them to come visit.
• If you are taking a picture of the outside of the building – take a picture from the center of the building. If you want to fit the entire building in the frame, switch to Panorama Mode
• When shooting interiors, use the natural lights provided by the windows.
• Take photos from every angle and if possible at different times of the day.
• Carefully select the photographs you use. Put yourself in the potential renter/buyers shoes and post the pictures that would pique your interest!

Happy Shooting!!