It always amazes me to see bad photography in a listing on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS.)  I shake my head and wonder why the seller lets their Realtor® get away with it. Since just about everyone starts their real estate search online these days, why would a listing agent not want to have the best quality photos taken of his or her listing?

I just did a quick search in the MLS and came up with a few examples of bad listing photos. Do any of these photos make you want to run out and view these properties?

 

Real life examples of bad photography in listings in MLS

I always tell my sellers that when a buyer views their home online, it’s like having a first showing; the showing that the buyer does in person is essentially a second showing. When quality photos are taken of a property, a buyer can just about see everything they need to see about a property from the internet. If they don’t like what they see online, they aren’t going to show up at your door.

How can you possibly get the best price for your home if the photos aren’t enticing people to come look at it?

So, it only makes sense to put your best foot forward:  your agent should schedule a professional photography appointment as the first step of his or her marketing plan for your home.  If you happen to see your agent taking their own photos with their smart phone, put your foot down and insist on professional photography.

If you’re a seller, don’t settle for photos that are too blurry, have bad lighting, or that are not taken with the appropriate wide angle lens.  Those are pretty basic standards, and typically you don’t have to worry about these issues if your agent hires a professional photographer.

Here are a few other rules I have about photos that sellers should think about:

1) Don’t have your photos taken on a rainy day. If on the day of your photo appoint, it happens to be one of 25 cloudy days that we have each year in Scottsdale, request that your photography appointment be rescheduled!  This is Arizona, and you want sunny, blue skies in your home’s photos.  Why?  Because it looks more appealing.  All of the competing listings for your home will have been photographed with sunny skies (statistically speaking) so why put yourself at a disadvantage by having the dreariest photos?

2) Clear off your countertops and refrigerator, and put away the kids’ toys. You don’t want these things to be the only thing people see when they look at the photos of your home.

3) Make sure there are no vehicles parked in the driveway. Or, if there is, make sure someone is around that can move the vehicle during the photo appointment.

4) Make sure your photographer has some sort of additional light source to light up darker rooms. My photographer carries an extra lamp, which comes in handy when we encounter a room that has no overhead lighting.

If you want to see some examples of great listing photography, check out The Matheson Team’s featured listings.

If you’re looking to sell your Scottsdale home, and are looking for an agent who invests in outstanding photography and marketing, contact Scottsdale Real Estate at 480-351-5359 or fill out the contact form below.

Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-351-5359
don@scottsdalerealestate.com