Realestock Blog

As house hunters scour the listings for the property of their dreams, the next best thing to viewing the property themselves is a fantastic set of photos. Photos give potential buyers visuals on what features a property has and the layout. It is the very first impression that house hunters receive of a home and it can intrigue them as easily as it can turn them away from purchasing the property. After all, pictures are worth a thousand words and a beautiful set of photos go a long way to turning a house hunter into a buyer.

There are a few things to keep in mind in order to take great photos. Here’s a list of 10 tips on how to take amazing property photos.

1. Cover all of the essential features.  Make sure you give prospective buyers every angle and shot on the essential rooms and features inside the home. Rooms that are absolutely crucial to a property and shouldn’t be left out include the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living areas and the backyard if the property has one. Also, include special features such as fireplace or pool as these could be selling points for buyers.
2. More is best. Don’t be afraid to include as many photos as possible. A floor plan is also a great inclusion if it’s possible.
3. Watch for intruders. Is there something in the photos that shouldn’t be there? Take more than one shot of an area so you can see whether furniture is misplaced or items are in a room they shouldn’t be and fix it for the next photo.
4. Watch the weather. While it’s not something you can control, photos showing an overcast sky or dreary afternoon light should be avoided. You can work around this with different camera setting or Photoshop, of course, but it is best not to overdo it.
5. Don’t leave buyers hanging. Taking a picture of only one side of the room, even if it’s to focus on the best attributes can make potential buyers wary of what’s lying outside of the frame.
6. Work different angles. Taking different angles of the same area gives prospective buyers the sense of perspective. Avoid the temptation to take crooked angle shots or use the wide angle lens, however.
7. Be careful with the flash and mirrors. Remember to turn the flash off in rooms that have lights on or if you’re taking a photo that includes windows. Also avoid taking pictures of yourself in front of a mirror.
8. Give a sense of life in the home. De-cluttering is a great idea to allow house hunters the space to imagine living in the home, but don’t go too far. Bare rooms signify a lack of care in the home, but going out of your way to include obviously constructed scenes will only give buyers a sense of falseness.
9. Know your camera settings and your tripod. If you’re taking the photos yourself, you have to understand the aperture, shutter speed and ISO to make your photos work harder for you. Shooting interiors at a slower speed for instance, makes them look better. A garden can look better in shade, and in harsh sunlight you might want to use a flash. There are courses you can take to learn more about how to make your camera work for you.
10. If in doubt, see the pros. While it is more expensive to hire a professional photographer, it could be well worth the cost.