Surprise!!! You probably expected all of our posts to be associated with the wedding theme, especially at the beginning of the season… Nope… Today, we are going to talk about another industry that has a habit of following similar patterns to the human nuptial urges – the real estate industry.
Not very many of you would actually think about calling it an art… Neither did we … until the time we started photographing real estate listings for local agents in the area. Throughout the past few years we worked on expanding our services to include real estate photography and virtual tours. Have to admit, it was a “rough ride” (literally!!!) on some, but on the overall, it has been nothing but a pleasant experience which has given us a newly found appreciation for the real estate industry.
The arrival of spring usually marks a new “boom” in real estate sales. And why not? Nature is waking up in full bloom, what better time to try getting rid of that “old house” and look for a new one. We felt it was appropriate to share our thoughts on the subject – from photographer’s point of view.
1. The Listing Appointment: listen, take notes and ask, ask, ask…
The agent is already at your home and outlines the best strategy to sell it for the highest profit. Let’s shift the paperwork part temporarily to the side and examine the main activity of the process – marketing. Let’s forget for a moment what you have heard from the news regarding lost values, buyers looking for the deal and foreclosures being the “hottest” selling item. Let’s focus on how you, the owner, can earn the most out of your home’s equity. Yes, you guessed right – let’s talk about showcasing your home. Ask your agent to take time and look through the rooms – what appears to be out of place; is the furniture too dated; does it appear cluttered. Do not be embarrassed to ask – real estate agents view and sell “tons” of properties throughout their career and will be your best source of information on what “sells” and what does not.
2. Consider property staging
Chances are you already own nice furniture and accessories, but they just may seem “tossed” together. We have walked through some properties where at first look every detail seemed fine (by itself). Together – not quite there. One good idea is to seek an advice from a professional stager. They can re-arrange your existing set-up to emphasize on details like room size, shape and natural light. If that service seems a bit costly for your budget, there is always another alternative. Visit the premier furniture stores online and browse through their sample rooms. Chances are you will find ideas that will match your furniture and space. All you need to do is roll-up your sleeves and re-create.
Some of you are probably asking “Why should I go through that extra headache if I have hired an agent to represent me and the price is good?” Well, here is why… The majority of homebuyers begin their house shopping online. For days they will browse through numerous listings, studying them, imagining their life inside. And then, there will be this one listing which will take over with an extraordinary appeal that screams: “Buy Me: I am what you want!!!!!” Noticed we said “want”. That is the art of real estate sales.
We already mentioned the work behind the scenes, the “world wide web”, the visual appeal. So, here is the question: How would you like to be perceived by the potential buyers who are just looking? Would you want to be just another average and mediocre offer? – bet not. Consider the ideas your agent presents to you. Most of them are experienced enough to use good photography to enhance their listings. They seek the services of professional photographers and work closely with them to emphasize on all the features of your home that will make it more attractive and appealing to the homebuyer. A professional photographer will eliminate unnecessary shadows and glares and find the best angle to show the dimensions of your room. Further on, he/she will assure that the view you see from your windows is properly captured in the photos. As trivial it may sound, but do you really live in a house with slanted or barreled walls and cabinets? – a professional photographer will choose the right equipment and post-processing steps to eliminate any camera caused distortion.
A very popular feature of home listings today is the Virtual Tour. Designed to organize an online “walk-through” for the homebuyer, virtual tours come in a variety of formats with catchy music and backgrounds. Most professional photographers offer them as part of their listing photography package.
Well, we are sure, there is more to the art of selling real estate, however, we are only observing it from the sidelines. Our involvement is usually to facilitate the “artist” – the real estate agent. As we mentioned earlier, we are blessed to work with some of the best agents in Western North Carolina. To all of them we would like to say “Thank You” for loving what you do… for all your hard work and creativity.
'Till next time,
Darina and Vince Redmond
The 4th Dimension Photography, Inc.
'Till next time,
Darina and Vince Redmond
The 4th Dimension Photography, Inc.
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