You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again – your main goal in selling your home is to make money. Whether this is to make a profit or to pay off your current mortgage, your sole goal should be on making that sale, and the photos of your home play a critical role in nailing that sale in a short amount of time and for the most money. If you have stunning professional pictures, you’ll immediately set yourself apart from other homeowners battling for the same buyers. Think about it.
If you had to purchase a home in a particular community for work purposes and there were only two for sale in that area that fit your needs, which seller would you trust more from the get-go: the one who posts casual pictures that capture dishes in the sink or a sock in the corner, or the one who gives the impression of a pristine lifestyle? You can show off your pristine lifestyle and build up the buyers’ confidence in the quality of your home by putting in a little extra effort.
Isn’t it true that the real winners in every category of life are ones who put in the most effort?
Needs some ideas? We’ve put together some helpful tips to get the ball rolling:
Make it shine ….
- Pretend that you are shooting for a magazine. It all starts with cleaning, cleaning, cleaning! Get rid of the clutter, move out old, unattractive furniture, and hide away all of your personal belongings. You don’t want your family photos, laundry, or your pet’s favorite torn lounge chair online for the world to see.
- Speaking of pets, we highly recommend sheltering them or having them stay with a close family friend or relative during the shoot. This is important. Even if you’re the most meticulous pet owner in the world, advertising to potential buyers that you have birds in a cage, a free roaming guinea pig, or a bedroom dedicated to a family of rare Siamese cats is going to turn people off. Pets often create odors that stick around for a while, and since you’ll be working hard to make this odor disappear, you want to avoid bringing any further attention (no matter how adorable they may be).
- Add sprinkles on top. A few home accessories with colors that pop will go a long way. Do you have any bright sofa pillows or a cozy looking throw? How about a healthy green plant or a vase of colorful flowers strategically placed in each room?
Light it up. Are your pictures really dark or washed out? Not enough light from the windows? Add some lighting to bring them up a level. Bright LED lamps in the corners or off-camera can add just the touch you need. - Hire a stager. If you don’t want to go through the effort on your own, you can hire a professional stager who can come in to rearrange the furniture or even bring in some accessories or extra pieces of furniture. When you’re interviewing different stagers for the job, make sure to check on rates per room. You may decide to only photograph certain rooms in the house, but you’ll win bigger with more pictures.
- Hire a professional real estate photographer. Although you can take great pictures on your own without a very expensive camera, you should consider having a pro do the work. This can give you an even greater advantage over other sellers by helping to increase the perceived value of your home.
It’s all about that curb appeal …
It goes without saying that your potential buyers want to see the outside just as much as the inside. If you’re going to show them, then why not pull out all of the stops and SHOW them! Before taking pictures, we recommend taking these important steps:
- Cut that grass. Whether you do it yourself or support your neighborhood professional, give your lawn a clean, close cut. Get rid of some tension with your weed-whacker by obliterating those stubborn weeds and extra strands of grass along pathways, the house, and around trees.
- Trim the hedges. If there is one thing that helps to look like an abandoned hideout, it’s a runaway row of hedges. You can save the day by a quick trim to make sure that the bushes are nice and even, adding another spark of life to the outside.
- Colorful landscaping. Plant a variety of colorful flowers, and lay some mulch or river rock to give it a clean, polished look. If you would like to provide a night photo for effect, consider adding some LED path lights.
- Give it a bath. Shine the windows, hose down the house, and clean the gutters. Sweep the pathways and driveway. You don’t want pictures of cobwebs around your doorways or of water-stained windows. Take strategic photos from angles that really show off your home.
Invest in Drone photography …
Drones have a variety of uses but most importantly, it provides potential buyers with a big picture view. As regulation continues to shape the future of drones and their legal use by civilians, you can still stay ahead of the crowd by hiring a licensed drone photographer. This is something that most home owners never see for themselves for as many years as they have been in their homes. The house, the yard, the distance from neighbors – this is a valuable shot.
Shows the road home. If you choose to have the drone capture video footage, you can take the potential buyers on a ride up the street to your home and even pull up into the driveway and walk them to the front door.
Whether doing it yourself or hiring an experienced professional, make sure to draw up a plan.
Map out the route, plan the time of day, and have the pro take multiple photographs to give yourself options. Do you want to benefit from the lighting effects of sunrise or sunset? Do you want to catch the school bus en route?
Do you want to include any wildlife around your property such as deer? Think ahead. Planning the details with your real estate agent and photographer will help your drone project move smoothly and provide a valuable finished product.
If you’ve been thinking about selling your Phoenix Valley home, let us assist you with positioning your home in the best light possible to sell quickly and for top dollar. Contact me today at 480-363-1622.