Effective Real Estate Photography by Graeme Daniel First Impressions Are Important Your online photographs will provide prospective buyers with a first visual impression of the property you have for sale. This is your big chance to show off your property in the best possible light, and the better your photographs are, the greater the impact on potential buyers. The great advantage of Web-based photographs is that they are readily available to all the buyers in the market; the advantage for buyers is that they are able to compare and contrast properties across the range of their particular interest, without initially inspecting them at ground-level. With this competition in mind, it's clear that good photographs will enhance your chances of bringing buyers to inspect the real thing. Preparing the Property for Presentation In some markets, owners are able to substantially improve their selling price by evacuating the house entirely, leaving the field clear for a makeover which is much easier to achieve and maintain without the daily wear-and-tear of occupancy. While such extreme staging may be not be feasible for many owners, similar results can be achieved in Web-based presentations through careful preparation of the property. Before any photographs are taken, you should optimise the appearance of the property with painting, landscaping, cleaning, and basic repairs. Major improvements to appearance can generally be achieved at minimal cost - resist the temptation to make major alterations, as costs may not be recoverable at sale. Whatever steps are taken to make the property more photogenic will flow through to count towards a good impression when prospective buyers arrive to inspect. To optimise your property's appearance, a minimum effort should include steps along these lines: Yard, Garden and House Exterior Mow lawn, trim shrubs, prune trees, weed gardens, clear leaves from roof-gutters, clean the pool. Remove garden trimmings and rubbish. If required, buy a few potted flowering plants to add some extra colour to the front gardens, especially in areas near the front door. Touch up shabby paintwork on exterior surfaces, fences, gates, and garden accessories such as pergolas. Tidy away children's toys and other 'casual use' items such as bicycles and garden tools - your lived-in look may not command universal appeal. Remove items that might offend people who may not share your political or religious beliefs, let alone your quirky sense of humor. Clear vehicles from both curbside and driveways; close the garage doors. Inside the House Items that are not included in the sale should be listed and either clearly labeled as such, or removed. touch up paintwork. Repair anything that should work, but doesn't - taps, drains and toilets, electrical fittings, airconditioning, hinges and latches on doors, windows, furniture. Window screens and panes should be in good condition. Although defects may not necessarily show up in your photographs, they should be remedied before any buyers arrive to match them against the real thing. Unclutter and tidy thoroughly; even remove some furniture and rugs to storage if it will help to make the house appear more spacious. Clean everything - especially areas associated with food and household cleanliness - kitchen, bathroom, toilets, ensuite, laundry. Clean carpets photograph better, and make a good impression on inspection. Add a few touches of colourful decor - even if it's not your personal style, they will enhance internal photographs. Now that all this is done, it's time to take those photographs before anything has a chance to revert to its comfortable state of domestic chaos. Next Principles of Good Photography