Recently I was going over the inventory in one of the towns I have a new listing in and noticed an interesting phenomenal. Out of 54 listings on the market only 35 had more than one picture. Out of those only 11 had professional pictures taken (regardless of the price point). And what a difference that makes. This got me thinking about the way that I always present the properties my team and I sell.
First of all, buyers really want to look at pictures. According to Realtor.com (still the number one website for real estate) more than 70% of people will pass on a listing that does not have any pictures and more than 50% will pass if there is only one picture. So why would you ever put a listing out there without any pictures? Even if the home does not show well (its old, it’s a knockdown, needs tlc) sell the street, the local park the community… There is always something else that could be highlighted outside of the home.
Second, when you take a picture, whether its done professionally or not, please look what you are presenting. No one needs to see a toilet as the focal point of a bathroom shoot. Nor the clutter of chachkas on the kitchen counter, nor family photographs all over the wall. I have seen dirty laundry in some pictures, people reflected in the mirror in others. Professional photographers are less guilty of this than the realtors, but we are all supposed to be professionals… take a step back, look at the pictures, look at the details; they matter.
Which brings me to my point. The details of the homes we sell, matter. Professional pictures present the homes better. Attention to details makes a big difference too. As a seller, look at what your realtor is doing. Are they asking detailed questions? Are they looking at the details of the home? Are they presenting these details and key points in their pictures and write up descriptions? They should! And the ones that do will sell! Details my friends make all the difference.
