Professional photos for the Internet will drive buyers to your property

When you sell your home, the first impression needs to be a positive reaction. But long before potential buyers set foot in your home, they’ve already checked you out online. And, if their online view of your home is negative, they may never consider your home.

According to the National Association of Realtors, 90 percent of homebuyers begin their search on the Internet. And in this case, the old adage, a picture is really worth 1,000 words (and a sale!)

Our first piece of advice–if you are not comfortable with digital photography, different file formats and the effect of various lenses, it’s best to hire a professional photographer. While more costly than your own snaps, in the end, your home will sell faster and at a better price.

Here are some tips to help you make wonderful photos of your home.

• Go for a general view of each living area–living room, dining room, kitchen, backyard, bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Exterior. Choose your lighting carefully. Make sure the home is not back lighted, which creates many shadows. Select a wide shot and include some landscaping. The grass should be green (summer) and the picture framed with trees and vegetation. Use a close up of the front door staged with flowers and plants–a welcoming scene into your home.
• Interior. Choose your shots carefully and don’t over do it. We have short attention spans and don’t want to see five shots of the same area of your kitchen. Make a photo of the room (carefully staged) and then zero in on details. For instance you may have a wonderful tile backsplash in your kitchen. Photograph the detail, texture and warmth of the stone to enhance the artistic aspect.
• Pay attention to distractions. After you’ve reviewed your photos, you may find a car in the driveway, the hose curled up in one corner, a pink riding toy peaking around the patio. While you may not “see” those distractions, potential buyers will. Be prepared the first time around to look with a critical eye.

And now for the technical stuff. Your photos should be sized at 640x480 pixels and in the .jpg format. Unless you know how to crop and resize a photo, don’t do it. Skewed photos (out of proportion) look amateurish. The same goes for enhancing a photograph. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll change the color balance too much and reduce the quality of your photos.

Beautiful photos will drive buyers to your property and give you an edge over your competition. Take advantage of your photographic skills or those of a professional to make the best first impression.