Is Picture Quality Important when Marketing Online to Sell your Home?

If you are a Seller interested in selling your home, you may be not asking yourself one of the most important questions: what does my property look like online? Remember, in today’s internet and online marketplace, the quality of the pictures is everything! What your property looks like in pictures online WILL make a difference on how fast and how much your property sells for, and possibly if it sells at all. I am astounded at what I see from licensed real estate agents in the industry everyday with regards to their picture quality and choices of pictures chosen. I cannot understand why many agents would post silly pictures of a bad half bath without proper lighting. Or a picture of a corner of a room that shows nothing?? This will not bring buyers to your home! So why do they include those pictures in your online marketing??

Ask your real estate agent if professional photography is an option when marketing your house? Would the restaurant, Chick-fil-A, post dark cell phone pictures of their chicken sandwiches to sell them online? NO! Would Coca-Cola take a picture of a half can of Coke with a partial image of the person taking the picture mirrored in the can? NO! Does a buyer want to see a doggie door in the kitchen picture when prospecting for her dream home? NO! So why would a Seller with a $250,000 home be ok with representing their property online with unprofessional pictures–potentially even costing them thousands on the sales price? They should not be.

What are the benefits of professional photography?

• Lighting, Lighting, Lighting: Professionals add light to rooms that are impossible on an iPhone; no more dark corners in the pictures.
• Blended Imaging: Professionals take several pictures with different settings on a tripod and then blend those images to get a very dynamic, “alive” shot.
• Wide Angled, High-Quality Lenses: An entire room can be captured in the picture including light fixtures and flooring. This is huge when showing off your home.
• Creative Shots: Professionals will show off small parts of the home, which creates intrigue and interest.
• Arial Shots: Drones are commonly used by professional photographers, which can be hugely important in seeing an entire property. This is a must with larger properties.
• Picture Selection: Professionals will not send you pictures of a property that do not highlight the property. They are artists, so they want their artistry to come through. There is a reason why magazine pictures are so powerful!

What is the Ultimate Purpose of Online Marketing?

Their is ONE primary goal for all of the online marketing we do as real estate agents–and that is to get potential buyers to see the property. Your property will not sell if your property has not been shown. Excellent pictures has proven to be one of the most powerful ways to create more showings. You only get a few seconds online to create interest. You do that with quality, well lit, professionally-captured pictures…. as the old truth says, “pictures are worth a thousand words.” Then make sure your pictures are worth those thousand words!