In a previous article, I discussed the importance of assembling a dedicated home selling team to ensure a successful sale. Key players include a professional home stager and a dedicated realtor who truly prioritizes your interests. Today, we’ll delve into identifying another pivotal player: a skilled real estate photographer.

Securing top-tier real estate photos can significantly enhance your listing and give you a competitive edge. If your realtor reaches for their phone to snap listing photos, it’s time to advocate for a professional touch.

Here are insights from one of Anchorage’s premier real estate photographers, Dave M. Davis of DMD Real Estate Photography, to guide your selection process.

4 Tips for Finding the Right Real Estate Photographer- Dave Davis

Why are high-quality real estate photos so important? They are the first part of a listing that a potential buyer sees and also the part of the listing that people spend the most time on – 60% on average.

But the most important reason may be that you have about two seconds to capture a home buyer’s attention. A great photo is much better at accomplishing this than a simple written description.

With that in mind, here are 4 tips for finding a real estate photographer:

Choose a photographer who has real estate experience.

There are many professional photographers out there, but you want someone who has specific real estate experience. Photographing a home requires a different set of skills than photographing a person or a landscape, for instance.

A good real estate photographer knows how to highlight the most appealing parts of your home: recent renovations, a cozy atmosphere, and so on. Look for photographers who highlight their real estate experience or actually use the title of “Real Estate Photographer.”

Ask for a photographer’s portfolio.

Reviewing a photographer’s past work and clients is the best way to see if they are a good fit for the job. A photographer’s portfolio will give insights into the types of homes they specialize in, what aspects they like to highlight, and the quality of the photos they take. Do you like the images? How do they make you feel about the home they showcase?

Call the photographer’s references.

References will give insight into the photographer’s process and can give your personal thoughts on what it was like to work with them. Was the photographer reliable? Was he or she able to turn around the images quickly?

Look for a photographer who can showcase a home with more than just photos.

Huh? Isn’t shooting photos what a real estate photographer does? Of course. But some of them do a whole lot more.

As technology improves, new kinds of media give potential home buyers exciting ways to explore your home. Ask potential photographers to see a full range of their services, and look for someone who also shoots videos, provides floor plans, creates virtual tours, and more. Even if you do not use all of these services, having them available shows that a photographer is innovative and always looking to improve their craft.

So what can you do with all those great photos?

The possibilities are endless! Here are a few great ideas.

1. Put them on the MLS on your real estate listing.
2. Create a website for your home sale.
2. Use them for social media marketing by creating a Facebook page for your home sale.
4. Create a virtual tour or video highlighting key elements of your home.
5. Create great flyers.

Make Your House Stand Out from the Crowd Online

On one project where I served as the home stager, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Dave Davis, our chosen photographer for the property.

1. Once the home staging was finalized, Dave captured the essence of the property through professional photos, which were then featured on the MLS listing.

2. DMD Real Estate Photography further enhanced our marketing strategy by developing a dedicated website and a captivating virtual tour for potential buyers.

3. To maximize our online presence, I crafted a Facebook page for the property. This page showcased engaging photos, detailed descriptions, and integrated links to DMD’s photo gallery, property website, and virtual tour. Targeted Facebook ads were also deployed to reach the right audience.

4. To elevate the property’s appeal, I produced a video highlighting the home’s exterior and its picturesque gardens. This was shared on both the Facebook page and YouTube, generating buzz and intrigue amongst potential buyers.

5. The realtor further amplified our efforts by developing a dedicated website for the home sale and crafting eye-catching flyers, both of which were seamlessly integrated with our Facebook promotions.

6. This cohesive marketing approach not only spread the word but also piqued buyers’ interest. Central to this success was the power of quality photography, enticing potential buyers to experience the property firsthand.

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Have you dreamed how to flip a house and make a profit? The first step is buying a great property with good potential to make a return on your investment. Then it is important to invest wisely in your repairs and upgrades. Finally, prepare the home for sale by having it professionally staged, create great curb appeal, get professional photos and sell it fast and at the high end of the price range for similar homes before you have any price reductions.

Invest Wisely

We have all heard the real estate rule of thumb about buying the worst house in the best neighborhood. That strategy gives you the greatest opportunity to make the most profit, as long as the investment needed to fix it up is less than the value of similar homes in that neighborhood in great shape. Do your research on market values for similar homes to know what you can reasonably list it for. Prices can fluctuate so consider that in your calculations.

Before making upgrades, consider what is typical for similar homes in the area so you get a good return on your investment. You don’t want to invest a lot of money installing granite counter tops, for example, if similar homes nearby have laminate counter tops. Consider what the typical finishes are for counter tops, flooring etc. Look at local listings on Zillow and the details for homes for sale to find out.

Of course, you want your house to stand out and look better than similar homes to get the highest price. Great design and color choices can make all the difference without having to spend more for higher cost materials. Do a consultation with an Interior Designer or color consultant to come up with a great plan before you purchase anything.

List High and Avoid Mistakes

There is a range of prices for similar homes in your market. You want the home to look in great condition so you can get an appraised value at the high end of that range and sell fast so you don’t have any price reductions. Time is the enemy of the house flipper due to holding costs. Price it competitively. Give yourself the best chance for success by using professional home staging and avoiding mistakes many home sellers make that cause a house not to sell quickly.

Connect with Buyers

The key to selling fast and for the highest price is making an emotional connection with buyers so they can envision themselves living in your for-sale home.

Hire a Professional Home Stager

The best way to connect with buyers is to get a consultation with a professional home stager and have them stage it for you. They are experts at decorating a home to highlight its best features, downplay the flaws and connecting with buyers so they can envision living there. They can give you paint color recommendations, stage it to appeal to your target market and give you tips for living in the home if needed while it is for sale. They can often use your existing furnishings and belongings to stage it and save you money on furniture and other rental fees if you plan to live in the home while it is listed. See my article on what to look for to find a great home stager to help you.

Don’t sell it Vacant

If you are not living in the home, you may be tempted to skip the cost of staging and sell it vacant. It is hard for any buyer to make an emotional connection with an empty house. They look a little sad and lonely! Buyers have a hard time visualizing how big the rooms are (they often look smaller with nothing in them to give a sense of scale), if their belongings will fit, how to arrange furniture and the purpose of different rooms. Without furniture and other things in the rooms, there is nothing to focus on except potential flaws. Vacant homes often stay on the market much longer, leading to price reductions.

Stage for your Target Market

Who is your target market? Is it a young family with children that are interested in your location near schools? A single professional? A retired couple? Look at who lives in your current neighborhood or is moving in. Check on Zillow to see how close the house is to different schools and what ratings they have. Stage your house to appeal to that target market. For example, to appeal to a young family with children, at least one bedroom should be decorated as a child’s room. A professional home stager will do this research and stage it to appeal to that market.

Increase Your Selling Price with Color

Before selling, consider your paint colors, inside and out. Did you know that the right paint colors in the right rooms attract buyers and can increase the sales price? The wrong colors can also reduce the price buyers are willing to pay. To find out more, check out my free report,  Top Paint Colors for a Speedy and Profitable Home Sale.

Great exterior colors and a memorable front door color can also make a big difference in helping your house stand out and be memorable with buyers….in a good way!

Get Professional Photos

The first step to getting buyers to look at your property is to outshine the competition online with great photos. Your home stager or realtor can recommend a professional real estate photographer to take photos of your beautifully staged home to attract buyers online.  Check out my tips on how to prepare for your photoshoot.

Get Buyers in the Door with Curb Appeal

Make sure you have great curb appeal with a neat and clean yard, and a welcoming front door.  Your online photos may get buyers to the property, but without great curb appeal they may just drive by and never make it inside. Here is a handy guide on how to increase your curb appeal. A great front door color, beautiful door mat and pots of flowers or outdoor art can make a big difference. Consider highlighting “outdoor living space”, which is a great selling feature to attract younger buyers.

You can do it!

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Here are my top ten home staging tips to help you appeal to the greatest possible pool of prospective buyers so you can sell fast and for the price you want.

Get a Home Staging Consultation with a Professional Home Stager

First, get an “objective” idea of how buyers may view your house. We all have problem areas that we no longer “see” because we live with them every day. Also, consider who your likely “buyer” is and what they want. A consultation with a professional home stager and advice from your realtor can help you determine and appeal to your “target market.” A home staging consultation can give you that objective view and great advice to either do the home staging yourself or enlist the help of the home stager to do it for you.

Make it Spotless

Make it spotless. The most beautiful house, if dirty, will turn off potential buyers.  It is worth it to hire a professional cleaning service if you do not have time or desire to do it right yourself.

Paint Neutral Colors

Paint neutral colors to make everything look fresh and new. Neutral colors will go with most buyers’ belongings. Buyers that think they will have to repaint will offer less. Sherwin Williams “Accessible Beige” is one of my favorites for home staging.

De-clutter

De-clutter so you only have about half the items that you normally live with. Cluttered rooms or too much furniture will make your space look smaller than it is. A consultation with a home stager can really help here before you get started. Home sellers often remove too much or the wrong things in their de-cluttering efforts. The things that remain and their arrangement are critical to making that emotional connection with buyers.

Remove Personal Photos

Remove personal photos for your own security and to help buyers visualize their family living there. As a buyer, it is hard to “move in in your mind” if they are looking at your family pictures.

Repair to Make it Move in Ready

Repair needed items. Most buyers want a property that is move-in ready.

Don’t Sell it Vacant

Don’t leave it vacant. Buyers will focus on the flaws since they have nothing else to look at! When buyers make an emotional connection and can see themselves living there, the house will sell. It is hard for buyers to visualize how their belongings will fit, or to make that emotional connection with a vacant property. It is worth the expense to stage a vacant property. It is cheaper than your first price reduction, which will likely happen as your home sits on the market for months. If actual staging is not possible, try virtual staging so buyers at least have an idea of how it could look and how their belongings could fit in the space.

Replace Old Carpeting and Outdated Lighting

Upgrade outdated lighting or old carpeting. Your stager or realtor can advise you on which upgrades will provide a good return on your investment in the final sales price. Old lighting can shout “dated” faster than anything. Old carpeting is filled with years of dirt… and no one wants to buy that! The examples shown below were from a house that sold the first day on the market after home staging.

Create Great Curb Appeal

Clean and maintain your yard and make the front door area look welcoming. Great curb appeal will assure buyers make it inside to see your beautiful house.

Get Professional Photos

Get professional photos! Most buyers shop online and will decide about viewing your house in a few seconds. Great photos are critical. See my article on “Preparing for your Photoshoot”.

Prepare for Showings

Finally, when showing your house, make sure all lights are on, curtains are open, toilet seats are closed, and personal items are out of view in the bathrooms.  Remove all evidence of pets.

Best of luck on a fast sale!

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Need a home staging consultation? Call today to set one up or try my online consultation.

If home staging is not an option, consider one of my Virtual Home Staging packages.

Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Virtual Home Staging in my recent blog article.

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Getting professional photos to highlight your for-sale home is critical to helping your listing outshine the competition online and getting buyers to visit your property!

Professional photos also  help make your vacation rental stand out online and attract your ideal customer.

Even with professional photos, it is important to make sure what is in the photo looks great and will capture buyer  or renter interest! After all, a high quality photo of an ugly room will emphasize the negative aspects rather than the positive.  Here is a checklist to make sure your rooms and the photos look fabulous.

Prepare for Your Photo Shoot – 2 weeks or more in advance

• Consult with a professional home stager.  Staged homes or rental properties will look significantly better in photos than un-staged homes. Stagers are experts at decorating your home to create an atmosphere that appeals to buyers or renters so they make an emotional connection!
• Stagers will help you highlight the positive and downplay the negative, give you an objective plan of things you can do to get top dollar and sell quickly with suggestions that will give you the greatest return for your investment.
• Stagers can re-arrange furniture and decor to highlight focal points and enhance space, recommend paint colors that appeal to buyers or renters and look good in your photos.
• They recommend repairs or remodeling, arrange to rent and place furniture, art and accessories if needed.
• They research your target market in advance, and decorate to appeal to them. Most stagers will need 2 weeks in advance of photos to consult with you, devise and implement your staging plan and set up and have furniture and decor delivered if it is needed, although they can usually work with what you already have.

Complete painting, repairs and maintenance

• Make your house spotless! While this is particularly important before showing your house to buyers, a clean house will make your photos look much better!
• Stick with the plan. If your home has been staged, do not add, take away, or re-arrange items that have been placed before the photos

On the Day of Your Photo Shoot

If you have used a professional stager, they may have done most of this for you. If you are living in the house while listing, some of these things will still be up to you to do on the day of the photo shoot.

In All Rooms

• Turn on all the lights, including accent lights such as under kitchen cabinets
• Open all curtains unless specified otherwise by your stager to downplay a poor view
• Make sure shades, if partially closed are all at the same level and are even at the bottom with cords neatly hanging and as invisible as possible
• Consolidate and hide electrical cords as much as possible
• Remove personal photos
• Make sure price and other tags are not visible on pillows, towels, curtains or other items
• Remove pets and all evidence of their bowls, food, beds etc.
• Turn off TVs and ceiling fans

Kitchen

• Remove all items from the countertops except a few appliances and decorative items
• Remove dish towels
• Sinks should be clean and empty. Remove sponges and soaps
• Remove small area rugs in front of sink or doors. They are distracting in photos.
• Remove all magnets, papers etc. from the refrigerator
• Close all cabinet, pantry or closet doors

Living /Family Rooms

• Neatly arrange pillows or throws on couches
• Clear coffee and end tables of items except for a few decorative items
• Hide remotes

Dining Room

• Clear table except for a centerpiece

Bedrooms

• Make the beds. Ensure the bottom of the bed spread is even along the front and sides. Crooked bedspreads look distracting in photos
• Put away clothes
• Close closet doors
• Clean and organize closets for interior photos
• Clear bedside tables of all items except for lamps and small decorative items

Office

• Neatly organize papers and files
• Hide personal information, certificates or bills

Bathrooms

• Towels are clean and neatly folded or hung. On towel racks, make sure the bottoms are straight and even.
• Put down the lid on the toilet seat!
• Remove personal items such as soaps, shampoos, toothbrushes etc. from view
• Remove bath mats (they are distracting in the photos).
• Shower curtains are clean, pressed, and open to show the shower

Entry

• Put away shoes, coats, keys, backpacks etc. so they not visible
• Remove all rugs except entry rug just inside the door

Exterior

• Park cars elsewhere so house is clearly visible
• Put away all tools, toys
• Make sure yard looks cleaned and maintained
• Remove trash cans from view

Resources

Tips for Finding a Great Real Estate Photographer

Tips for Finding a Great Home Stager

Ready to Prepare for a Great Photo Shoot?

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