Real Estate Photography Tips

Taking Good Real Estate Photos when Selling Your House For Sale by Owner

We'll start our real estate photography tips with an exercise you can easily do, in a short space of time.

• Go to any for sale by owner, or real estate site that list properties for sale.

• Do a quick search by area, type of building, price, bedrooms etc. Hint: Narrow it down to a manageable amount of properties.

• Look at several listings including the write-up and the real estate photography, while pretending that you are a buyer.

• Select properties that you would find of interest, if you were buying a home today.

• How many properties did you selected because of the real estate photography?

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Below are some links about advertising that you may find useful when it comes to help selling a house.

How to Write Great For Sale by Owner Ads

Using Target Direct Mailings to Sell

Getting those Flyers in the Hands of Buyers

Internet Coverage is a Must

For Sale by Owner Advertising Main Page

Return to Sell My House Home Page

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How did you make out? I'm not a "visual" type person, yet I still select properties based on those real estate photos that I see online.

How to Take Photos of a Home as a For Sale by Owner

Real Estate Photography Tips

Some Basic Do's and Don'ts

Look at the 2 photos above and below of similar type homes. A couple of real simple mistakes are made on the 1st home.

How to Take Good House Photos Tip

Always try to include the whole building in your outside real estate photography. Don't chop part of the house, garage, roof etc. off.

• Most buildings when you sell a property, look better if you take the shot on an angle instead of straight on. This is a common mistake by us "non-professional" photographers, when it comes to photos. Real estate agents also make this mistake quite often.
  

• Try to take your pictures on "bright sunny days" if possible. Dark, and rainy days don't give people a warm and fuzzy. Having said that, a light overcast sky can turn out great when it comes to taking exterior real estate photos.
  

Question: What is the most important room when it comes to help selling a house?

Answer: In many cases, the kitchen.

Lesson? Always try to take a nice photo, or several of the kitchen.

Following are 3 photographs of similar type kitchens.

Two of these glossy's are less than stellar, while one is excellent for a couple reasons.

Some House Interior Photography Tips

• Again, try to get the whole kitchen view in the picture. It gives a feeling of a larger kitchen and feels more warm and inviting.

• Use lots of light in your photo. This is important for all inside shots.

• Have clutter cleared away and please don't have dirty dishes in the sink.

Neat, clean, bright and inviting is the goal when it comes to selling for sale by owner.

For information on preparing your property go to House Staging

How does the kitchen below make you feel?

Does it make you feel that you would like to see more of this property?

This does depend on your own personal choices and desires, but if this is the type of kitchen that would appeal to you, you would want to see more, right?

More about How to Take Great Interior House Photos

Bathrooms

Should you take for sale by owner photos of the bathrooms? Well, in my humble opinion, it depends, when it comes to these real estate photography tips.

Do you have a bathroom(s) that will enhance your collection? Go ahead. When you have photos online when you are selling your property for sale by owner, more is better up to a point. My advice is don't use less photographs online to save a nickle. Why?

How to Take Interior House Photos to Bring Out Those Good Feelings in Buyers

Feel Good Photos do just that. They make the viewer feel good. They make the viewer say, "I think I'd like to live here!"

Poor photos, on the other hand, make the viewer say, "Next!"

A couple of real estate photography tips about bathroom images as illustrated above and below.

• Try to get the whole bathroom.

• Please check to make sure the toilet seat is down before snapping the photo.

• Lots of lights on to make the room bright.

• Try to color match the whole bathroom with any accessories.

The bathroom above, looks clean and bright.

The towels and accessories are all matching.

What does it say to you?

"I think I'd like this bathroom and perhaps the whole home"

Home Photography Tips Concerning Backyards and More

A real estate photography tip when it comes to landscaping, backyards, decks, views and pools etc, is to make sure they add value to the viewer. In other words, don't take photos of your property, just to add more pictures.

The two photos above and below illustrate something to the viewer. The unkempt lawn with the patio chairs and table engulf in vegetation says;

Wow! I bet the rest of the home is a disaster as well. Next!

The second of the play set says a lot as well;

• Wow! If that play set is included, I bet my young children would love it!

• Looks like there may be younger children in this neighborhood.

• Looks like they keep the yard in good shape, so the rest of the property and house probably is also.

• Oh oh! Is that water back there? I could never feel comfortable with my 2 year old at this place.

• Boy, I sure like that green space and water between my home and my neighbors in back.

Do you see what I'm getting at here? One of the most important real estate photography tip, is to try and look at what buyer's might be seeing when you take a photo.

Sometimes what may look like a positive, could in fact be a...wait for it.....Next!

Yes....a picture is worth a thousand words.

Extra Real Estate Photography Tips

Those Other Rooms

Yes, it is a good idea to take photos of various other rooms in the house, but don't go overboard.

• Bedrooms? The master bedroom may be all that is needed, unless another bedroom is really special.

• Living rooms?, family rooms? Great. Use full room coverage if possible and make sure features like a fireplace or home theater are included.

• Garages? Outside photo great. Inside photography? Only if it's really special. If you can eat off the floor and there is a big bright modern workshop inside, go ahead, snap one off.

• Furnace rooms? - Short answer - No. Have you ever heard someone say; "Oh, We went to see that house because of the lovely furnace photo!"

• Air-conditioners - No.

• Hallways? - No.

• Basement apartments? - Yes

• Garden? - If well maintained - Sure

• Rear of property? - If it enhances your viewer's visit - Sure. If you have a lovely 2 or 3 tiered red cedar deck with a hot tub - Absolutely.

• Finally, use your judgment. Look at each area through a potential buyer's eyes. Will a photo here be a plus, or a minus.

When it comes to How to Take Photos of a Home as a For Sale by Owner, Ask Yourself....


What am I Selling?

Many people selling homes forget what they are marketing. They think they are advertising a house. Unless it is an income property, they are selling a dream, a wish, a lifestyle, a new beginning, pride, comfort and/or prestige.

Important Real Estate Photography Tip:  Always keep in mind that you aren't just selling a house. You are selling "FEELINGS"

Think to yourself. Why did I choose to live here? Yes you have to stay within your budget, but you probably made an emotional decision when you chose your present house. Be honest now. Am I right? Probably. Unless you are a structural engineer. Whole nutter story. :)

Should I Do My Own For Sale by Owner Real Estate Photography?

In most cases, taking your own photos is probably your best choice. If you list with a for sale by owner company, which I do highly recommend, they may offer to take photos for you.

If they do, ask to see them first before they go online. If you are not satisfied, let them know. It is too important to not have good photos online.

If you selling with a Realtor, which of course I hope you don't, same thing. Ask to see their work before they post anything on their website.

DO NOT be afraid to ask that pictures be retaken, or that you supply your own photos to be placed on a website. Poor photos equals poor results!

The Absolute Worst Case of All

when Taking Real Estate Photos

I shouldn't even have to include this next real estate photography tip!

The worst photo sin of all and totally avoidable when it comes to taking great real estate photos, is leaving photos on a website out of season! Oh Boy!

It's the middle of summer and the outside of your house online show 3 feet of snow!

It's early spring and the trees leaves in your yard are showing their spectacular fall colors!

If it's the middle of winter where you live and there is 3 feet of snow on the ground, it is OK to have summer photos (selling the dream). Just have a note where it will be noticed that these are summer pictures for your viewer's pleasure.

Of course this depends where you live. Some areas don't go through this wild change of seasons like where I live. :(  Yes, sometimes I'm jealous).

If you did the exercise above looking at various houses on line, now would be a good time to go back and take a second look. Perhaps jot down what appeals to you.

What makes you want to say; "Next!" This may help show the way when it comes to help selling your house with online photos.

You Should Always Have Your Property Online with

Great Outside Real Estate Photos

and

Great Interior Real Estate Photos

I think it is extremely important to have a presence online today when selling for sale by owner.

For some great insight of who and why you might consider certain websites to promote your property for sale by owner, please go to the following page: For Sale by Owner Websites

I did not include information on this page about real estate photography tips about type of equipment to use, shutter speeds, lens etc., because my knowledge is very limited in this area.

I did a search online about camera settings and the like with a lot of conflicting and more-or-less confusing results so, I'll try to provide a link to some simple, easy to understand real estate photography tips when it comes to "taking the shot" if and when I find it!

For More Information about Advertising

For some great promotion ideas to market your home, please click on the thumbnail photo links near the top of this page.

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