When it comes to selling your home, a pleasing appearance is essential for that critical first impression. Your dedicated agent will meet with you and offer suggestions on how to best prepare your home ahead of your photoshoot with their professional photographer. They will have advice for you on de-cluttering, staging and upgrades you may wish to make prior to going on the market. However, you might be wondering what small yet effective steps you can take to make your home photography shine. These simple yet unexpected suggestions will help show off your property in its best light.
The exterior of your home should exude curb appeal. It is, after all, the first photo that will be seen when searching homes online. For exterior photos, move your vehicles out of the driveway and away from the house. You would be surprised how far down the street aerial photos will pick up your car! However, if you live in downtown Charleston, it’s helpful to park in front of your home until your photographer arrives. That way, you can move it at the last minute to get a beautiful exterior photo without any vehicles on the street blocking the view.
When entering your home, it may seem obvious that surfaces should be cleared, and unnecessary items should be stored away. This is especially important in the kitchen, bathrooms and any desk space that you may be using often. It can be easy to forget vertical surfaces or those out of reach. An easy task would be to remove any magnets and papers from your refrigerator, and dust ceiling fans in advance of your photography appointment. Be sure to keep fans off during the shoot, however, as they will appear distorted in the still photography.
Our photographers create high-quality images and shoot with full frame professional cameras and high-end wide-angle lenses. This makes their work suitable for online marketing, magazine ads and other print and digital media. Because we can capture a wide view of a room or property, it can make spaces appear larger and more open. If there is a piece of furniture, exercise equipment or corner of a room you wish to avoid, consult with your agent about whether to keep it in the space. The wide-angle lens will be sure to pick it up in the photos, so it may be best to move the items to a lesser trafficked area, like the garage.
The adage “let there be light” can also be applied to real estate photography. While curtains and blinds should be open prior to the photographer’s arrival, you might be surprised how light bulbs can affect photography. Non-matching hues or wattages can cast an unnatural light, and burned-out bulbs may be distracting. Consider the color temperature of the bulb, the type of room and whether to use the same color bulb in each room.
While everyone loves Fido and Whiskers, and homebuyers are likely to have their own furry friends at home, it’s easy to be distracted by a large crate, pet bed food bowl or basket of toys when scrolling through images of homes. It’s also possible that potential buyers could be allergic to pets so best to keep these items out of sight during the photoshoot.
When selling your home with William Means, you can be confident that you have selected the best real estate firm in Charleston with unmatched expertise and premier marketing. Scheduling listing photography of your home is one the first exciting steps to marketing and selling your home. Our agents will guide you every step of the way with the tailored, trusted level of service that generations of Charleston families have depended on. Comment below with any questions or share your favorite tip for getting ready to sell your home!
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