A picture is worth a thousand words’ sums up just how crucial great photography is to selling a property.
Your listings photos are the first thing potential buyers see and can result in double the amount of leads and swifter sales – more than 30% faster, in fact.
Properties with outstanding pictures get potential buyers clicking and research reveals they sell over 30% faster! Quick sales equate to more enquiries and instructions – treat the task with the respect and effort it deserves, and you’ll reap the rewards. We all know that time is money, but get this bit right and you will soon be clocking-up the sales and welcoming fresh enquiries.
We know that most DIY agents rely on their smartphones, but that doesn’t mean your shots can’t be picture-perfect. Here’s how to ensure your listings are the best they can be.
First impressions count
Never, ever be tempted to list a property without any pictures. Hard to believe, but it does happen! An ‘images coming soon’ message just doesn’t cut the mustard. Don’t compromise – when you have all the shots you want, you are ready to go live and not before. Bear in mind that you only get around seven seconds to make a great first impression and you won’t get a second chance. In general, online listings receive most views in their first fortnight online and property alerts mean th ey’re instantly visible, so get it right first time and you’re in pole position.
The magic number
Obviously, the shots you need will depend on the house you’re photographing but aim to end up with 15-20 usable images. This means you will have sufficient in the bag to upload to Zoopla, Rightmove etc, while retaining enough in reserve to refresh your listing in future, if you need to. As a rule of thumb, the number of shots required per listing is between five and nine but, again, it depends on the property – and only you can be the judge of that.
Based on merit, take one or two pictures of each room, plus front and rear externals and garden. If your property has notable extras, then flaunt them. Home office, en-suite, conservatory, balcony, patio, gym, cellar, summer-house – if they’re fabulous, they need to be in the spotlight.
Remember not to have too many, though, as it can be overwhelming – stick to a maximum of 20.
Here’s the plan
Never, ever stint on the preparation, otherwise you’ll find yourself walking away without the shots you need to market online and an additional visit to take more photos comes across as incompetent and unprofessional.
You need a clear plan of action for a successful shoot, so you get the right number and type of shots to attract maximum viewings plus impress your vendor and maximise your chance of referral. Have a list to ensure you get all the right pictures, allow enough time to take them and have all you need with you to prevent any hitches. It really is all in the planning.
The ability to edit photos after you’ve taken them gives flexibility with the timing of photoshoots but the general rule is that it is easier to fix photos that are too dark, than it is those that are over-exposed, so less bright times of the day are best for interior and exterior photos.
The holy grail
When you get to this point, all you need is PropertyBox. This super-innovative instant photo enhancement app removes all the time implications of self-editing by offering a truly affordable alternative – first-rate images are with you within seconds.
Everything’s dealt with in one fell swoop – sky replacement, vertical correction, brightness, colour and shadow adjustments. And PropertyBox blurs personal photos, car registration plates and so on to comply with data protection (GDPR) requirements.
We’ll have you picture-perfect in the blink of an eye!
