American homebuyers primarily shop for homes online before choosing a real estate agent. They crave lots of interior and exterior photos, and many won’t read about a listing that doesn’t have photos.
So, if you want to sell your home fast – pictures, pictures, pictures! And good one are imperative.
For example, a consumer wrote in a forum at CityData.com “As I am looking at a listing, if there are no photos, I disregard the listing. And, if the bedrooms and baths aren’t shown, forget it.”
There are reasons that a listing may not include photos of the home. These include:
- The seller requests that no photos be published
- The photos aren’t ready to be published yet
- Often, homes in foreclosure don’t include photos of the interior
The reasons listed above are rare, but they do happen. But if you’re the homeowner who wants to sell your home fast, never ever let your listing agent post your listing without including quality photos. If you do, no one will look at it and you’ve just lost valuable time… and money.
Since your home’s listing will include attractive, compelling photos, let’s talk about how to get the home ready for its moment in the spotlight.
Buyers Notice More Than You Think They Do
Cluttered kitchen and bathroom counters won’t help you sell your home fast. The toilet seat left up. Dark walk-in closets. Dirty baseboards. No, no, no.
While you worry about the color of your living room in your listing photos, potential buyers are wondering if those nasty baseboards are an indication of a general lack of home maintenance.
Is your car parked in the driveway a sign that the garage is overstuffed because there is little to no storage space in your home?
Cleaning the home, from top to bottom is the first task to accomplish. A thorough cleaning will help people perceive the home as well-maintained. Spend a few hundred bucks to get it done by a cleaning company – it’s a small investment with huge returns.
After that, it’s time to get rid of the clutter. With no strange faces peering at them from your family photos, home shoppers are better able to imagine themselves living in the home, surrounded by their “stuff”, not yours.
They can’t imagine that with someone else’s toothbrushes on the bathroom counter. Stash personal items and leave only the decorative stuff on countertops. Don’t take this lightly – I’m trying to help you sell your home fast… like now!
Then, play up every room’s focal point. This is especially important in rooms viewed from the entryway. If you need some help with this, check out the tutorial at serendipitysocial.com.
Although the photographer will adjust each rooms’ lighting to his or her needs, ensure that there are adequate window coverings throughout the home. Often, a room may need to be photographed with the window coverings closed to avoid glare or the sun streaking on the floors.
Then, ensure that every light fixture and lamp in the home has a working bulb. This is your one chance to make a lasting impression. If you blow it, you’ll also blow your opportunity to sell your home fast.
The Photographer Can Only Do So Much
In fact, the experts at realestatephotographerpro.com prepared a quick list for home sellers who want to sell your home fast:
“Photographers cannot do the following:
- Move or re-arrange furniture
- Make beds, clean, dust or declutter
- Pick up toys or yard items
- Photoshop vehicles, walls, damaged walls, power lines, wall pictures, cords, etc.
- Touch personal bathroom supplies such as shampoo, toothbrushes, deodorant, towels, etc.”
The latter item, by the way is an important one to consider because “Bright, artificially-colored packaging, like on cereal boxes and shampoo bottles are also distracting to the eye,” according to the pros at Eddy Photos, an El Monte, California photography studio.
You’ll find additional prep tips online at photoslc.com and kellycolson.com.
Exterior Photos
The exterior photos are important because they are digital depictions of your home’s curb appeal. And as exterior photos are the first one on a listing, the best way to sell you home fast is to ensure is to make this photo stand out.
Before the photo shoot, walk around the yard and remove anything that might distract the viewer from the home: cars, garbage cans, kids’ toys and other clutter.
Wash down the driveway and sidewalk, and ask the photographer to shoot the photos while they are wet to give a richer appearance.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions about preparing your home for the photographer. After selling homes for over 20 years, it ceases to amaze me how some homeowners take this step in the home selling process lightly.
Good – no great – photography is critical if you want to sell your home fast. Let’s make sure you prepare for this the right way.
