The fluctuation of the real estate market is affected by many factors outside of your control. One element within your control, however, is its marketing and how you show off your home’s best qualities.
My suggestion is to use visual tools to best portray your home and attract a buyer who is willing to pay a premium price. Buyers want to know and understand the property before they decide whether to arrange an inspection. With the scope, reach, and power of the Internet, the methods you use to portray your property are more important than ever.
Selling your own home online has never been easier, yet there are still some who doubt whether an investment in these visual tools is necessary. If you want top dollar for your home, you need to attract as many qualified buyers as possible, and presenting your home or property professionally with photos, a floorplan (3D is available) and even a video walkthrough, IS imperative!
There are two BIG benefits to utilising these tools;
- Buyers can carry out their own ‘virtual tour’ of your home and see whether or not the configuration, layout, size and features of the home suit their needs. A close study of these visual tools leads them to take the next step – arrange an inspection.
- Making these visual tools readily available on your online listings helps to weed out unqualified buyers. This saves home sellers the disappointment of rejection from buyers who inspect and say, “not for us”.
If you are going to sell your home privately, professionals who offer these visual presentation tools are only a Google search away.
Start with a search for ‘Property Photographers (Your Suburb or town)’. Once you make contact with them, ask if they provide floorplan and video walkthrough services. Most good property photographers have formed alliances with videographers and floorplan providers, so for a modest amount of money, maybe a few hundred dollars you get the whole package. Don’t be averse to elevated drone photography. These shots can provide a stunning overview of your property from a bird’s eye perspective.
I suggest that professional photos and a floorplan of your home or property are the bare minimum because people are visual animals; the more they see and like, the more likely they are to take the next step.
Maybe the question should read, “How important are great photos when I sell my house?” Why? Because I’ve seen plenty of terrible images that do nothing to attract a buyer. Therefore, any images of your home or property for sale need to be a true representation as well as attractive.
Clear, crisp and uncluttered shots are key. Remember, a picture tells a thousand words, and so you want those words to get buyers interested; not scrolling to the next property.
Recently a client asked me why, after 12 months, she could not sell the property. It took me only 3 .7 seconds to find out why. Her photos were dark. The home was untidy. Humans found their way into every second photo (including the cardinal sin of the photographer’s reflection in the bathroom mirror).
“Does your home look like the photos you have used in the marketing?”
“Yes.”
I advised her to tidy the house and get professional photos taken. She took my advice and her house sold.
If you feel that you are capable of getting the job done yourself, here are a few tips to ensure your images are ‘buyer friendly’;
- Let there be light. Open all blinds and curtains, turn on the lights to any room that’s dark or dull. Buyers love light-filled homes.
- You may have ‘presented’ your home so that it looks good, but it needs to look great. The more pristine, the more buyers will like it.
- Use a camera with a wide-angle lens. A picture tells a thousand words, and buyers like to see space and depth.
- Make sure the images are in landscape format NOT portrait.
- Photograph your home front to back. Start with shots of the front (that is the first thing that buyers see when they come for an inspection).
- Photograph each room aiming for the best depiction of light and space.
- Kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces are the real visual ‘attractors’ of any home. Not the birdbath.
- Take multiple shots of each room from different angles and pick the best. Ask the opinion of your family or trusted friends and do not be offended if your favourite is not theirs. You are photographing your home to attract buyers, not to please yourself!
- Always pick your top 3 or 4. These are the shots that buyers will see first on any of the major websites. If they like the look and value of your home, they will search deeper into your listing.
Remember, you’ve got one opportunity to make a good first impression!