Do MLS Photos Really Make a Difference?

Photos Make a Huge Difference!

It is extremely important to market
a home with pictures that make potential buyers actually want to buy. It is shocking
how some home sellers promote their homes on the Internet thinking the quality of their photos don't matter. Things like cluttered
countertops, poorly decorated rooms, and bad lighting are just a few things
that should never be captured in a photo while trying to sell a house.

We've gotten some great tips on
successfully marketing a home with quality photos over the months so we thought
we'd highlight some of them here. 

For example, Mary Fasnacht points out in her
blog post that a study done by Point2 Technologies showed that homes on
the market with at least 21 photos online generate the most page views and
attention from buyers. "Keep in mind," she points out, "that the quantity of
photos doesn't matter unless the quality is good too!" <<Read More>>

Rhonda Conchola wrote in a post that she often comes across photos that display too much of
the current owner's personality. Some of her tips to alleviate this problem
include:

• Remove all the personal items in your home that show pets,
  eclectic design choices, and religious views. Instead, display the positive
  architectural features of the home.  
• Less truly is more! De-cluttering your home makes a huge
  difference and the hard work pays off in the quality of the photos.  <<Read More>>

Karen Otto points out in a before and after post that "accessories are to your furnishings as jewelry is to an
outfit. Furniture and tables that look bland and unfinished don't do any good
for your photos. Add some flair and nice accessories; just make sure it's not
cluttered!"  <<Read More>>

Kate Case gives us 6 great pointers
in her blog concerning small things that can often be overlooked. Here are
three:  

• Tidy up the bathroom, close the toilet lid, and put in fresh towels. 
• Pick up any debris in the yard and remove cars before taking a
  photo. 
• Bring in fresh flowers for your table! 
• Remove garbage cans from each room before a photo is taken.   <<Read More>>

Michelle Molinari commented in a
post saying "that her general rule of thumb is that nothing is left
out that is smaller than a basketball. No mater how nice or tasteful it may be,
it appears as clutter in the MLS photos." She usually goes for the "hotel-like
vibe" and has found that her rule of thumb helps her to get that feel.  <<Read More>>

Teresa Meyer points out in her blog the importance of removing personal family photos from the
home before taking pictures. "The old school thought was that personal photos
made it feel like 'home' when in reality it only distracts potential buyers! In
some cases the buyer can feel like a guest in your home because of the family
photos."    <<Read More>>

Photos really do make a
difference.  If they didn't
magazines would save a lot of money by simply having any of us send in our
favorite digital photos. Instead, they hire photographers who take hundreds of
pictures, utilize the best lighting, find the best angles, and highlight a
product's greatest features. Your photos in MLS should do the same.  Well, that is if you want as many
potential buyers as possible to see your home in person. 

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