Snap-happy sellers invest in photography

The adage, “a picture tells a thousand words” is unquestionably true when selling a property.

With most homebuyers inspecting properties online before attending open homes, first impressions matter more than ever, and quality property images can make or break a great sale.

Make no mistake: photos taken on a mobile phone won’t cut it when it comes to the best representation of a house or apartment.

While professional real estate photographers can be expensive, they can also be worth their weight in gold.

It’s not just pictures that can sell a thousand words but floor plans, or layouts, too.

The typical suburban family home is much larger than even those of 20 years ago and determining which room is located where in a house can be puzzling at best, and exasperating at worst.

Examining a good floor plan, buyers will quickly be able to discover whether the home has adequate storage space in bedrooms and kitchens, where the garage is, and other important points.

Such images can also tell buyers where properties on a large block are located and where rainwater tanks and sheds are in comparison to the house.

At the same time, both floor plans and photos should be a true representation of the property.

There is a very fine legal line about how far sales agents can go when touching up property images and problems in this area may fall under the banner of false advertising.

Sellers should prepare for the professional photographer’s arrival at their home by giving it a thorough clean, especially in the most important areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, the main living room and main bedroom.

Also, remove clutter and debris from inside and outside the property.