Online real estate listings are vital in selling a property. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that in 2020, 97% of buyers used the internet during their search.
While open houses are now back in (mostly) full swing as coronavirus restrictions continue to be lifted, online listings are still the first opportunity to capture buyer interest. So how do you make sure your property appeals to buyers?
Image source: Getty Images.
Is your home ready for its closeup?
A picture is worth a thousand words, but real estate listing photos can translate to hundreds of thousands of dollars in offers. So before you start snapping photos with your smartphone, consider hiring a professional real estate photographer.
In fact, your real estate agent might already have the photo shoot scheduled; a recent report by real estate photography service HomeJab says that 72% of agents hire pro photographers for listings. Well-composed photos capture more eyes, which can translate to more offers from homebuyers.
So what should you not do when getting ready to have your property photographed? Here are five things to avoid.
1. Not decluttering or tidying up
HomeJab surveyed 310 professional photographers, and more than half said their clients' homes weren't ready to be photographed. The main problem is that the spaces often weren't tidy or decluttered enough. We've all seen those photos -- the unmade bed, the dirty coffee mugs in the sink or on the counter, the garbage pail in the middle of the yard.
Buyers might overlook those things when inventory is tight, but it doesn't make the most of your home's first impression. It's understandable if you want to save money on a home stager, even though NAR's 2021 Profile of Home Staging reported that 23% of buyer's agents said a staged home increased price offers between 1% and 5%.
If you do skip staging, make your house look neater and a little less lived in for the listing photos. For example, if you want to show off the inside of a gorgeous tile shower, remove the bottles of shampoo, loofahs, razors, and any other evidence of its daily use.
2. Using poor lighting
Lighting is everything in photography, and you'll want to make the most of it for your shoot. Open up heavy draperies and blinds so natural light shines in. Replace all burnt-out bulbs in fixtures, making sure to use matching cool or warm bulbs -- it does make a difference in photos.
Is there a best time of day to take home photos? HomeJab reports twilight photos can triple buyer engagement with a listing. Twilight usually refers to the time before sunrise and after sunset: It's not completely dark, yet the sun isn't out in its full glory.
3. Allowing pet photobombs
Furry friends tend to be rather photogenic, but that doesn't mean you should let them into your listing photos. While you likely won't hear any fuss from pet-loving house hunters, even they would agree they don't want to see food dishes, toys, or other pet evidence front and center in the photo -- again, decluttering is key here. And for those who don't have pets or are allergic, seeing them in a photo could be a turnoff because these potential homebuyers might think your home is covered in pet dander.
4. Not including enough photos
HomeJab reports that 80% of listing agents will include at least 30 photos for a single listing. That might be a lofty number if you're selling a small studio apartment, so it really depends on the size of the property you are trying to sell. Still, it does show the scope of how up close and personal buyers want to be.
Listings that don't have a more extensive photo gallery might lead buyers to wonder what the sellers are hiding. For listings that just feature photos of the exterior, it could mean that the interior is in need of major repair, woefully outdated, or otherwise a mess. Or if the listing says there are two bathrooms and only one is shown, buyers might assume the worst of the other bath. It's fine to highlight the rooms that really shine in a home, but buyers want to see all of it.
5. Not thinking beyond photos
Video and 3D tours came in clutch during the early stages of the pandemic, when open houses were put on hold. In 2019, HomeJab reported 5,743 job assignments, with 36.74% of them being virtual tours. During the first year of the pandemic, the number of jobs shot up to 8,193, with more than half (52.79%) requesting virtual tours. In 2021, the numbers dipped slightly -- 7,781 jobs, with 48.30% requesting virtual tours -- but still remain above prepandemic rates.
Virtual tours are a start, but if you are working with a real estate photographer, keep an open mind when it comes to taking advantage of digital technology. If you hire a real estate photographer, it's not uncommon for them to incorporate drone photography or even non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for your property listing.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to what buyers want in a home, but you can give your property every advantage by uploading more attractive photos to your online listing -- and more of them.
