Have you ever opened a magazine or clicked through a website, seen a house, and thought, “I want to live in a magnificent house like that.” That’s the impression you want to leave on potential buyers when selling your gorgeous home on the Alpharetta real estate market. The only question buyers should be asking is where to sign. Yes, listing photos are that important. Before a buyer even sets foot on your carpet, they will click through every picture available. It’s the very first impression they will get.
So, don’t let your house be a flop. A stunning first impression can have someone halfway sold on a home already, while a lousy impression will have them clicking to the next listing within moments. Here are five photography secrets from Monica Blanco to make your home stand out when listing your Alpharetta property.
Get a real estate agent
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Nothing will turn off a potential buyer faster than not knowing what to do. It might not seem like it, but having an agent who knows the business and what does and does not sell is a huge boon. So the best thing to do is find an agent for your Alpharetta real estate.
Monica Blanco is a seasoned agent who knows the Metro Atlanta area like the back of her hand. She has lived in the region for more than two decades and has explored the neighborhoods for years as an agent. Monica Blanco’s focus is always on the customer, and she not only prides herself but thrives on learning and meeting the needs of each person she meets. Monica has the connections to find you an exceptionally skilled real estate photographer who will make your home look its very best. Get a head start by working with her!
Schedule a meeting
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Once you’ve hired an agent, schedule a meeting at your home so you both can see what you are working with. This is important for several reasons — your agent will know what next steps to take, but you might not.
A meeting will allow your agent to establish which areas of the home might need a lot of work. Your agent can advise you on actions to take, such as calling in a home inspector to sort out issues or a local contractor for particular renovations. These actions can make your home soar in value and give your photos a chance to showcase the home’s best elements.
Home staging
One of the best ways to make your photography genuinely stand out from the rest is by making your subject stand out. When listing Alpharetta real estate, give the viewers something to chew on. Allow their minds to daydream with possibilities. It’s a great idea to stage your home so that each space has a purpose and looks incredible, with intentionally chosen design elements that tie everything together. You want your buyers to be able to envision their lives within the space.
A dining room table with plush chairs and a fruit basket can have buyers imagining themselves at the table for dinner or working on a laptop in the afternoon. You can enhance a set of porch swings with a table between them with a bottle of wine or a book and glasses to give the imaginings of a relaxing evening watching the kids play or reading a book in the shade.
Camera gear, settings, and composition
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This is the most daunting part of taking great photos for photography amateurs, so it’s important to hire a professional to get the job done. However, if you are set on taking photos yourself, keep these things in mind.
- Use a proper camera
- Use a wide-angle lens
- Keep your aperture (F-stop) between F8 and F11
- Use ISO 400 and lower
- Keep shutter speed at 1/60
An iPhone simply cannot compare to a high-quality camera. A proper camera will make photos look sharper, more detailed, and cleaner out of the box. It also allows you to adjust settings to make each room and angle pop. A wide-angle lens is preferable because you want the photos to exude an open and inviting feeling. This lens allows you to capture more in the frame without sacrificing detail.
The listed settings are guidelines more than fast rules. However, they are preferable because, although Alpharetta property receives more than enough sunshine, home interiors are always darker than their exteriors. A lower F-stop allows the home’s natural lighting from outside to come through, while a higher ISO takes in more information and keeps details sharp.
The composition is critical as well. If the resulting photo has poor lighting, shows reflections in mirrors and glass, or is tilted awkwardly, it will affect the impression. So, here are some tips.
- Use natural lighting when possible
- Capture as much of a room in a single photo as possible
- Minimize reflections and awkward glares
- Use a tripod when possible to keep pictures level
Tell a story
Finally, you’ve taken all your photos. They look stellar! Now you just have to list them, but be careful. Listing them in just any random order is a huge mistake. You want to tell the story of a day in the life of Alpharetta luxury homes. You can ask your Alpharetta real estate agent for help with this. Go on a small tour of your home as if you just finished the afternoon shopping and are preparing for the evening.
You may start with the exterior when you pull up in your car. Then, you are in the entryway. You take the groceries to the kitchen, maybe with your kids or a pet at your heels. Dinner is prepared, and then you sit down to eat in the dining room. Afterward, you enjoy an evening in your cozy spot in the spacious living room by the fireplace. Then, you might take a trip to the backyard before the sun sets or retire to the master bedroom instead. Finally, you can show the bathrooms, showers, and any extra rooms.
Ready to get started?
If you’re ready to sell the story of your stunning home, reach out to Monica Blanco for the guidance you can count on. As an expert, award-winning agent serving the Metro Atlanta area, Monica provides exceptional customer service and strives to reach success at every turn. Get started today!
*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock
