Real Estate Talk:
Proper photo shoots

If you are going to sell it, show it well

By Joseph Marovitch

When it comes to showing your property, the first impression can lead to the next impression or be the last impression. It depends on what the buyer views initially.

Have you ever visited a Centris listing on-line, during the summer, and find pictures showing a property in winter with snow on the balcony? Have you ever seen a listing with close-up pictures of a bed that looks like the blanket was just thrown on, or a picture of a bathroom with the toilet seat up and items on the sink? Have you ever seen a listing with pictures that look like the house has no lights? These are listings with pictures that turn buyers off.

When it comes to showing your property, the first impression can lead to the next impression or be the last impression.

Pictures of a home must be bright, crisp, clean and grand. Each room must bring a smile and appear inviting. The buyer must be able to see themselves in the space, at peace and happy.

The process of selling your property starts with attracting buyers. The price is what buyers consider first. Whatever the buyer requires is dependant upon the price. Once the price range to purchase a property is established, the buyer than sets out to find a property within their budget that suits their needs.

When the buyer starts searching for a property on Centris or any other Internet site, the first thing they will look at are pictures of the property. Therefore, the pictures should be as attractive as possible. This is where an experienced home photographer is an asset. A professional photographer knows how to stage the room, find the best angles and determine the best light for a picture.

‘Pictures of a home must be bright, crisp, clean and grand. Each room must bring a smile and appear inviting.’

A professional photographer can make a room look large and inviting just by choosing the time of day, angle to shoot from and an excellent lens to shoot with.

The better the photos are, the more buyers will come to visit. On the other hand, awful photos can deter buyers.

If you are using a real estate broker to sell your property, the photographer is usually included in the service provided.

If you are selling the property on your own, a good house photographer can run anywhere from $200 to $400. A certain number of pictures are usually included but extra photos cost more.

‘The better the photos are, the more buyers will come to visit. On the other hand, awful photos can deter buyers.’

A broker placing a property on Centris for thousands of other brokers and potential buyers to see can place up to 99 pictures on the system.

Next Weeks Topic: Staging – What to do and why it can be difficult.

Should you have questions or comments, please refer to the comments section at the bottom of the page. As well, to view past articles, go to the search link and type in Joseph Marovitch.

Have a great week!

State of the market

We are still in a seller’s market. There are fewer properties for sale and an increasing number of buyers, including foreign buyers, entering the market. The issue for many potential sellers who want to upgrade or increase the size of their property is to be aware that, when they sell, they will be entering a seller’s market and therefore will have to spend more for their next home. For these potential sellers, it makes more sense, financially, to renovate their current property then to sell and purchase a more expensive property.

The light at the end of the tunnel for buyers is that, as is the cycle, interest rates will rise to curb inflation. Higher interest rates will slow down the real estate market and the price of homes will taper off. Another factor that will slow down the market is the onset of winter and the holidays. People are not so quick to house shop in the cold of winter.

Image: Mark McCammon from Pexels

Read also: Real Estate Talk: Multiple offers