The Importance of Property Photography When Selling Your Home

How your estate agent presents and promotes your home for sale can have a huge impact on how quickly you sell and for how much your home sells for.

A house that is well presented and has good quality marketing will sell more easily and will often get a better price. Property photography is a huge part of this. Even if you have the ideal property, if you can't get people through the door, you have no chance of selling. Your property imagery is the all-important starting point.

In order to sell your property, you need to draw in and entice potential viewers through the marketing, enough for them to pick up the phone and book a viewing. The property photographs give your potential buyers a glimpse of what their future lifestyle could be. This is why property photography is fundamental in selling your home. The viewer must buy into that lifestyle, even before they step foot through the door.

Most buyers start their property search online using portals, such as Rightmove and Zoopla to search in their desired area. Having good quality images could be the difference between one of these browsers scrolling past your online listing or wanting to know more and clicking into your listing. Good property photography will make your home stand out. It will give you an advantage over the competition and give you the best chance of a successful sale.

Here are our best tips to ensure that your property photography is spot on:

• Choose your agent carefully. Before deciding what agent to instruct to sell your home, look at how they present their current houses. Pay careful attention to their property photography. Ask them if they commission a professional photographer. Ask to see their marketing material. Compare them with other agents in the area. A professional photographer will know how to handle different light levels and they will know how to get the best images of your house. It is vital that your agent uses a professional.

• Give the photographer the best chance of getting good shots by tidy and decluttering before they arrive. Create space by removing unnecessary items of clutter and furniture. Clean and polish so light is reflected around your home. Be on hand when the photographer is there and ask them if they need any assistance.

• Arrange for your photographs to be taken during the time of day that your property looks at it's best. You will know when the light falls best in your home. Work with your estate agent and photographer to make the most of this window of opportunity.

• Ensure your photography is seasonal. Images of tulips and a spring garden when it is approaching Autumn are indicating to the viewer that your home has been on the market for a number of months. This may put them off as they may start to wonder why. Ensure your estate agent updates your external images each season.

• Create ambience by adding subtle lighting with lamps and candles. This can add warmth to your images and make your house look homely and inviting.

• To complement your property photography, look at staging your home. See our previous blog on how to do this What is Home Staging.. Home staging and property photography are a perfect match. Together they can really add the wow factor to your property marketing.

• The best type of photography to sell your home is lifestyle photography. This type of imagery portrays the lifestyle that a property has to offer. Lifestyle photography looks at the detail and quirky features of your home that give it character. It draws the viewers in by showing enough of the home but not too much, leaving them wanting to know more. This will prompt them to book a viewing.

If you are on the market already, examine your current property images. What do you think? Compare them to other houses in the area and rate them. If you are unhappy and would like them updating, speak to your agent. A good agent will value your feedback and appreciate your input. It is in their interest to sell your home also, so they should oblige. If they are unwilling to update your marketing images, then consider moving to an agent that values and embraces high-quality property photography.

If you want a second opinion on your property photography, feel free to send us a link to your online listing or brochure. We will be happy to give you honest, constructive feedback. Email us the details hello@greenkeysalesandlets.co.uk. or call us on 01522 904 904 or 0151 458 3183.