Working as a real estate agent requires a unique approach to the process. Your income will depend on how many potential customers are interested in a particular property. Since the first acquaintance with real estate now takes place on the Internet on specific sites, creating high-quality images for your ad is essential.
The more beautiful photos accompanying your ad, the more calls from potential buyers you will receive. As a result, you will be able to close a deal faster and more profitably.
Today we have put together a list of tips to help you make successful and effective shots for an apartment, house, or any other property you plan to sell. At the same time, you can take high-quality photos without professional equipment but using a regular smartphone or digital camera.
Getting Ready to Shoot
The appearance of the object being sold is significant. Imagine that you are in a hotel room. The main thing in it is cleanliness and a minimum number of items. The less clutter in the picture, the better. So, the apartment will look more attractive from an aesthetic point of view and “add” a couple of meters of space.
Everything superfluous must be removed before shooting. Here are some rules:
- clear various surfaces from things. You can leave a few interior details, like a vase of flowers, but don’t overdo it;
- if unfolded things can be folded, be sure to do so: a folding sofa, ironing board, and other items. By the way, it is generally better to remove the ironing board;
- look around the kitchen. Put all dishes, detergents, and various kitchen utensils in drawers. They shouldn’t have transparent doors;
- tidy up the bathroom. Potential apartment buyers don’t exactly need to know what shampoo or shower gel the previous owners used;
- clean out the kid’s room. Toys on the floor will only clutter up the space.
If you have already taken photos, but noticed unnecessary details on them, correct the situation – just crop an image. If the extra elements are at the edges of the resulting image, just crop them so as not to repeat the process of photographing.
What to Shoot
When looking at a photo, a potential buyer seeks to understand the area of the object for sale and its condition. Images should be taken inside the apartment and at the entrance. It is also desirable to take a picture of the courtyard area.
Here are some rules for you:
- Try to take at least two good shots in each room. For non-residential premises (kitchen, bathroom, pantry, dressing room, etc.), one photo is enough;
- Take pictures of rooms. If you take a photo of a single wall, armchair, sofa, or any other element, it will give absolutely no idea about your apartment;
- In order for the buyer to understand what kind of layout the room has, it is additionally worth taking pictures of the transitions from one room to another.
- Do not shoot empty rooms. In order for the buyer to understand the correct scale, it is advisable to use some furniture.
Proper lighting
Any realtor will confirm that the proper lighting in the apartment guarantees 80% of the transaction’s success. The best option is natural light. To do this, you should visit the apartment and take photos in the early morning. Natural soft light can decorate and make even the most spartan room more voluminous.
A few more points:
- Do not point the camera at a window. Otherwise, the picture will be too dark. The buyer simply will not be able to see anything on it.
- If the sun shines directly into the apartment, use tulle to diffuse the light.
- Try adding artificial lighting to natural lighting, including lighting fixtures. Experiment and compare the final shots with each other.
- If you are taking photos with your smartphone and an object is too dark, click on it. The camera will automatically reset the ISO.
Choosing the Right Angle
The success of the final photo directly depends on the correct angle. Here are a few simple tricks to make your real estate shots more appealing:
- hold your camera or smartphone horizontally. Always ensure that the camera’s edge is oriented to the horizon line. Don’t “roll up the frame,” otherwise it will negatively affect image;
- the most successful angle when shooting a room in a house or apartment is from one of the corners. Sometimes a chair can be used to cover more space;
- make sure there are objects in the photo, both in the foreground and background. This will help to achieve the effect of depth.
A Few More Final Tips
High-quality pictures should not be blurry. If you don’t have a tripod, just place your smartphone on a horizontal surface.
When posting an ad, make captions for each picture. You can simply indicate the size of the room, or you can briefly write down the features and benefits of each room. It is also desirable to attach a schematic plan of the apartment to the ad.
Refuse to use retouching and filters. This may deceive the real expectations of the buyer.