Tricks for Real Estate Agents on Getting the Best Photos

In many markets across the country, homes and properties are flying off the market. Homeowners and agent barely need to stick the sign in the yard when 10 offers get plopped on the porch. But that doesn’t mean agents and homeowners should simply disregard the art of staging and a good showing. The key is preparing everything ahead of time and launching at the right moment with all the ducks in a row, ready to get the very best willing and able buyer.

That comes down to that first impression and what makes that first impression, nine times out of ten it’s those listing photos.

Buyers see homes online first to the tune of about 90% of the time. It’s not even up for debate that those photos are the key to gaining a second look. While many agents simply hire out, there are some that insist on taking their own, which is find, especially in lower-priced listings where every dollar counts. Here are 20 amazing tricks and tips for getting the best real estate photos.

#1. Get the right camera.

If you are going to take your own photos, please do not use your cell phone. Granted, a lot of cell phones nowadays have great cameras but unless you know how to use all of those thousands of settings and angles, it’s best to get a camera that you really love. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on a camera, spend some money on a class learning how to use the amazing camera that’s actually on your phone.

#2. For camera owners, consider a wide-angle lens.

This will help you take a photo of the entire room without altering or deceiving the viewer. If you’re going to invest in a camera, consider a wide-angle lens specifically for real estate photography. This allows for a larger image covering the entire field of view rather than simply honing in on the corner of the bedroom.

#3. Do not use a fisheye lens.

This can artificially distort the image and while you want the room to look as best as I can, you don’t want to deceive the viewer. The room should look just a little bit better than when you would actually walk into the room without being so different that it throws buyers off.

#4. Consider drone photography.

Drone photography is extremely popular now and it doesn’t have to be as expensive as it sounds. If the neighborhood is something that you want buyers to see or close proximity to water, freeway entrance, or just a great gated neighborhood, using drone photography and viewing the property in the neighborhood from above really gives buyers a better sense of what they are buying. This is also a great way to explain to buyers moving from out-of-state as they may not be able to drive the neighborhood on every home they see.

#5. Take a shot of every room.

While you might not use every shot of every room in the listing, you need a good collection of photos to go through and edit if necessary. Plan on taking at least one shot of every room and multiple shots of important rooms such as the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and multiple shots of the exterior of the home. Most MLS listings require the initial photo to be of the outside of the house or the view from the house so make that first impression shot really count. You don’t have to take pictures of everything including smaller details such as the corner of a countertop in the kitchen but use the entire image so that buyers get a sense of what it’s like to be in the room.

#6. Choose the right time of day.

Twilight photography is a big deal right now. This beautiful dusk time of day offers fantastic lighting, especially if you have exterior lighting on the house and a beautiful sunset in the backdrop. For interior, you wanted to be well lit and clear outside, so yes, this does mean taking pictures at different times of the day. Try to avoid taking pictures when it’s overcast or rainy as this simply adds to the drab of the photo.

#7. Take everything out of the room.

I’m not talking about furniture but I am talking about things. Make sure you de-clutter everything including the top of counters, tables, benches, chairs, etc. There may be one item on the counter and that’s it. People are not buying your things they are buying the bones of the house so make sure buyers can see it clearly. You want the furniture to remain and that’s about it.

#8. Consider a stager for rearranging the furniture.

Homeowners may be only able to see their layout in one way and that might be the way that they have chosen to design their home for years but there could be a better way. Talk to a real estate stager about the best way to arrange furniture in photographs that might not work necessarily in person but look great on camera. Think about the way they take photos of models. They contort them in different ways that is very unrealistic in person but on the page, it looks fantastic.

#9. Make sure you have enough light.

Lighting can change the way everything looks and bright light can create amazing photos. Let them natural light in as much as possible to brighten up the entire room.

#10. Consider color.

A pop of color such as a bright red pillow on a neutral colored couch really stands out to buyers. They may remember that image, “remembered the house with the bright red pillow?” That’s what you want them to remember. Don’t go overboard with a bright red wall, but simply add those pops of color in otherwise monochromatic rooms.

#11. Use external lights.

Any external lights are going to add drama to that twilight photography. Consider having outdoor solar lights put in for that phenomenal twilight image and use as many external lights as possible when taking images of the outside especially at dusk or at night. Having pictures of the outside of the home at night and during the day is a great idea.

#12. Don’t get wonky with the camera.

Keep the camera straight on. You don’t want to tilt the camera up down or side to side as it can distort what the room actually looks like.

#13. Take images at eye level.

You don’t need to stand on a chair in the corner of the room to get the best shot of the space. Simply take shots from high level.

#14. Shutter speed can be important.

If a shutter speed is too fast the image quality can decline. If it doesn’t let enough light in the image can become grainy or blurry. Again, if you need help understanding how your camera, even your phone camera works, consider taking a class before taking those shots.

#15. Edit your photos.

Don’t just pop on all of the photos that you just took. Go through them one by one and straighten, crop, and highlight the photos. It’s okay to use a little bit of Photoshop. Even free Photoshop applications can help alter the image just slightly by either making them clearer, highlighting the detail, were changing the shadows and dark highlights.

#16. Consider a professional editor.

While you don’t always have to hire a professional photographer, you can hire a professional editor. If you’re not too sure how Lightroom or Photoshop works, you can always hire a professional. Even freelancers from online can make it very affordable to edit your photos.

#17. Upload high-resolution images.

If you have your own website, super-high-resolution photos will slow down your website but places like Zillow and other real estate generated websites expect you to upload high-resolution images and then they will convert them. You want the best resolution possible on those websites.

#18. Don’t over-edit.

Buyers will see right through it. Don’t get crazy on the vibrance, color, or clarity making it seem almost like a painting rather than an actual image.

#19. Stay away from filters.

Don’t give your images a CPS filter, black-and-white, or some other weird color. Buyers want to see the house as clean, clear, and concise as possible.

#20. Once you have the best photos, share, share, share.

Not only on your own website but on social media, have the homeowners share, and connect with others so that they share those photos as well. Photos really draw buyers and so the more you have on the website and the more places buyers could potentially see the home, the more chance you have of a great offer.

If you’d like more information about joining a real estate team with eXp Realty to gain the resources, support, and experience of other team members, contact my office at any time.