Chris Loeliger
Windermere Real Estate/S.C.A., Inc
Chris Loeliger | Direct: 425-785-9217 | Email: cloeliger@windermere.com
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Don't Even Think of Taking Your Own Listing Photos
Posted on January 14, 2011
Really. Don't! You can't afford it in this market especially.
Perhaps you have seen the Lovely Listing website. If you haven't, check it out for some fun. You'll see what I mean. It's a collection of some humorous, some scary, and some photos that are simply hard to believe someone would want the public to see let alone be used to sell a house. I'll bet almost none of them were taken by a professional photographer.
Those listing photos can be a bit extreme but I've seen worse in our MLS. I've seen out of focus (a lot), hands in the way, people, animals, and images I couldn't even tell what they were. I've seen accurate photos of things I would never post publicly.
I took the picture at right of a baby's room with black mold on the walls as an example. It's not from my MLS but it is similar to one I saw there. An argument could be made that this is an accurate picture and true to the house. You wouldn't want a an unsuspecting buyer to walk into this house. Hopefully, only a contractor that is equipped to handle this situation would be looking at that house. For that purpose I am actually okay with a photo like this.So, what am I not okay with? Simply put, really bad amateur photos. I'm not a photographer. I can't even tell you half the time why a photo is really bad. Maybe the color is off, or it isn't composed well, or the contrast is bad. The details get past me.
But, I do know that the photos better be exactly right. Photos are the first thing that any buyer sees when they are looking for a new home. On the web, in print, it doesn't matter where they start, the first thing they see are the photos. If the photos aren't right the buyer isn't going to look at the house for more than a second before they move on to the next house. As a seller you really can't afford to let anyone get away, especially not in this market.
Take these two photos, for example. My photographer, Dan Achatz, tells me that fluorescent bulbs have a bad yellowing and greening effect on digital photos. To me, this photo even looks like it is tilted a little bit and not straight up and down. It's not a great photo. But, that's alright. By the time Dan was done with it, the second photo is the one that he delivered to me to be published on the listing. The second photo has been straightened and color corrected at the very least.
I'll say it again. In this digital age you must have professional photos of your house. If your agent doesn't use a professional photographer think carefully about why. If they insist on taking their own photos ask them to follow the below rules from Dan (credit may actually belong to Teresa Boardman at Inman News):
The things you need.
1) A digital camera
2) A towel
3) A Hammer
4) A Cell Phone
Instructions for use the items.
1) Start with the kitchen counter.
2) Lay out the towel out on the kitchen counter,
3) Take out your digital camera and remove the battery.
4) Place the battery in your pocket.
5) Place the camera on the towel and fold the towel over it.
6) Take out the hammer and strike the towel repeatedly
7) Roll up the towel and place it in the trash.
8) Take out the cell phone and call a professional photographer.
9) Recycle the camera battery.
It's the right thing to do. Really.
Don't even think of taking your own photos or letting your agent take his or her photos. There is a reason why they're an agent and not a photographer!
-Chris
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