To Get Professional Home Photos or Not

 According to the National Association of Realtors, 94% of consumers start their home search online. A photo says a 1000 words right? Then how come some photos posted look terrible? We have all seen photos looking unprofessional with bad lighting or they are out of focus. 

Photos are crucial to the successful selling of Plano real estate. The quality of the photos will determine if the potential buyer will want an actual showing to consider purchasing the property. As a seller, you should preview the photos before they go into the MLS or any marketing medium.

As technology has gotten cheaper and more readily used, consumers are demanding professional photos, dedicated websites, and virtual tours. It used to be that professional photos were only done for high-end homes. Now you are seeing it more common place. So by comparison if your photos are not professional, it really stands out. We are even seeing the technology being used on foreclosures in Dallas.

A professional photographer will have the wide lens to create space where as the average camera does not. They can also create the lighting and make things appear greener, brighter, bigger, and better.  As a seller, when you are interviewing agents to sell your home. Ask them if they use professional photography. Often that is part of their marketing plan. If it’s not, you may need to insist on it. A good agent that concentrates on listings will often have a photographer on retainer who can do it very inexpensively. 

Before your home gets photographed, there is a big checklist of things that will need to be done first for your photos to turn out the best they can be. To mention a few, remove all personal affects and valuables. Examples include: family photos, jewelry, firearms, etc. All the countertops should be free and clear of clutter. Don’t keep your mail in a pile. It should all be stored away.  The last thing you want is a custom made virtual tour of your effects making it tempting for the internet onlooker to want to steal. How easy it is for that internet onlooker to get your address? You have your house for sale with the address easily at their fingertips with a sign out front.

You don’t always get a second chance to make a first impression.  Don’t take a chance and end up selling to one of those We Buy Houses companies. Be safe and use common sense while selling your home. If you truly want to sell your home, you will want to do everything in your power to make it a home for someone else.

~ Jennifer Clark VIP Realty Platinum