There’s no second chance at a first impression. Never truer as with a buyer’s first look at a home. Imagine a buyer as she approaches a house. She walks down the stone path lined with Liriope plants to the mahogany double doors in the front portico. By the time she rings the doorbell this potential buyer has already decided whether the home is nice or not nice. The fascinating thing about our human brain is that after we make a snap judgement, our mind leans to color further observations in support of our working hypothesis. Psychologists call this confirmation bias. It is the reason why first impressions are so powerful. Of course, after the door opens, the buyer’s opinion could change. But, for the moment, if initially impressed, she’s predisposed to encountering more good stuff.
In 2021, the first time a typical buyer sees his new home …he’ll view it online. That is the seller’s first impression. If the photography does not impress, that’s where this safari will end. Keep scrolling. Yet, if the buyer sees something exciting, anything that captures his imagination, he keeps looking –making his way to the master bedroom, the kitchen, the patio, and the den. As he looks at each room he imagines how he would live in each space. This buyer is intrigued. He likes what he sees and he makes an appointment.
Photography is where a romance begins between the buyer and his or her home. After all, beyond practical considerations much of buying a home is an emotional decision based on what we feel, on what we see, smell, hear, and touch. This article looks at all the ways you can prepare your home and your marketing to maximize the apparent value of your home –and to sell it quickly.
Deferred maintenance
The best bang for your buck is fresh paint. Neutral colors like a light grey-beige (griege) work especially well. A freshly painted and caulked home looks impeccable. The baseboards sparkle. Everything looks clean. This is also the perfect time to address details: Should the light switch covers be replaced? Or pressure clean that green algae off the exterior? Lastly, take a look at your landscaping. Some mulch, rocks, and a little gardening could vastly improve the curb appeal of the property.
One place that deserves special attention is the front door. Remember… first impressions! A recent Zillow study found that this simple upgrade can add significantly to the sale price. Consider a color that contrasts nicely with the building and choose hardware colors that complement the scheme.
Decluttering, cleaning
The way we normally live in our homes is not the way we want to present a house to would be buyers. While knick knacks make us feel cozy, a buyer prefers to see a clean canvas which he is invited to inhabit to his own liking. The same is true of unnecessary furniture. Minimal furniture makes a house look bigger, cleaner, and more open. It’s best to put all the clutter in storage until the house is sold. Lastly, appliances and bathrooms need to be spotless – a huge hot button for people who want to buy something that feels new and fresh.
Home staging
Ida Randall with Knoxville Staging Services LLC tells me, “Everything I do with staging is to highlight selling features and minimize distractions.” As an example she points out that people generally arrange furniture around the TV. That’s how we live, but if there is a beautiful fireplace in the room, that would be a better focal point for the arrangement. Furniture also serves to define purpose with each room. This is why empty homes don’t show as well… people walk into a room and ask, “What is this for?” Ida adds, “We don’t decorate, we merchandise. I add accessories to show you where to look. If I want you to look at the window I’ll add a pop of red over there.”
If a home buyer is doing his own staging, Ida advises to de-personalize the home to avoid distracting a viewer. “Put away all personal objects in the bathroom and have white towels and perhaps a green fern to give it a spa feel.”
Why use a professional photographer?
You’ve seen real estate photographs that were iPhone shots. They often leave parts of the room dark while the windows are overexposed (big white blur without a clue of the outdoors.) The dark areas lack detail, and the worse part: these photos fail to inspire. Professional architectural photographs with professional lighting do the opposite: they showcase the beauty of a home; they look bright, inviting, and they inspire. The photos shown here illustrate the two approaches. One was professionally photographed; the other was shot with an iPhone. The home featured here is listed by Amanda Jenney at Realty Executives Southern Living.
People buy with their eyes! According to a study by Redfin, “Homes with professional photos sell faster.” They sell two to three weeks faster in the $300,000 to $999,999 category. The same study showed high quality photos also fetch more more money –$7,000 to $11,000 more in the same price category. Considering that, it could be said professional photography and home staging don’t cost money, they make money!
About the author
Christian Lange is Creative Director of Christian Lange Photography (CLP) in Knoxville, Tennessee. CLP produces real estate photography and video as well as advertising photography for many high profile clients throughout the country. Website: www.christianlange.com/
