Attracting potential buyers or renters is one of the toughest challenges that real estate investors face. A lot of it has to do with the property that you choose in the first place and the location because if you pick a poor location, it’ll be difficult to convince people to view the property. However, even if your property is in the best location, it’s still down to you to impress potential buyers or renters, and the photos you take are the best way to do that.
The photos are the first thing that people will see before they decide if they want to book a proper viewing or not. If they are not up to scratch, you will put people off and you won’t get any viewings. It’s crucial that the photos highlight all of the best features of the house and make it look nice and spacious.
If you are terrible with a camera and all of your photos come out blurred, you should consider hiring a professional photographer who knows what they’re doing. However, if you want to maximize the return on your investment, you need to cut costs as much as possible and taking your own photos is a simple way to do that.
But, this only works if you take amazing photos and attract lots of attention to the property. So, if you are planning to take photos of your own real estate investment, check out these tips to help you make sure that they are perfect.
Invest In A Good Quality Camera
Even though you can take the photos yourself, you still need to invest in the right equipment. Some phone cameras are incredibly high-quality these days, but that’s not the only thing you need to consider. Technically, you could take some good photos with your phone but a proper camera gives you more flexibility with the settings, so you have a better chance of taking the perfect photos.
You don’t need to buy the most expensive camera on the market with all of the bells and whistles, but you should at least pick up a good mid-range one that is capable of taking high-resolution photos.
When you are searching for a camera, always look at the different lenses that come with it because wide-angle lenses are particularly useful for your exterior shots. If the camera doesn’t come with extra lenses, research what other ones are available and how much they cost. Don’t get caught out by cheap deals that end up being more expensive once you’ve bought all of the additional lenses.
It’s best to buy a camera in a shop instead of purchasing it online too, so you can feel it in your hands. You will struggle to take good photographs if you cannot comfortably hold and operate the camera. Everybody is different, so try out a few models and find one that is right for you. Although buying a new camera is an investment upfront, it will get a lot of use, especially if you plan to take on more real estate investments in the future.
Consider Buying A Drone
If you plan to invest in real estate long term and expand your portfolio to include more properties, you should think about buying a drone. It’s the best way to take amazing photos of the exterior that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to get. People often struggle to visualize how big the outdoor spaces are based on the pictures and the perspective can make them look smaller. Overhead photos taken with a drone are a great way to give people a real sense of the space that they have available.
It’s also a brilliant way to take more interesting photos that catch people’s attention. Don’t underestimate how important this is because people are trawling through hundreds of pictures of houses that are all taken in the same way. Soon, they all start to blur into one, but if you have some interesting pictures taken with a drone, your property will stick in their mind and seem more interesting.
If you want to buy a drone for taking photos, make sure that you find one with a high-quality camera. Check out www.drdrone.ca to find some amazing drones that have excellent cameras capable of taking high-resolution images and video. Using a drone to take videos of the property is another way to make the listing more dynamic and interesting. Although drones can be expensive, they’re a worthwhile investment if you plan to build a large portfolio because they can drastically improve your listings.
Create Virtual Tours
The way that people view houses is changing a lot and people want more than simple pictures and videos these days. In recent years, virtual tours have become a lot more popular and it’s easier than you think to create your own. A lot of cameras come with a 360-degree image function, and if you take these in every room, they can be stitched together to create an interactive image of the whole house. Potential tenants can virtually walk around the house and really get a feel for it in a way that you simply cannot get with standard pictures and videos.
These virtual tours have become particularly important in the last year as the pandemic made in-person viewings impossible in many places. However, it’s likely that the trend will continue because it gives tenants a clearer picture of what the house looks like and how it is laid out. This is something that you may have to pay a professional to do, but with a bit of research and practice, you can create your own.
Simple Staging Tips
Before taking any pictures, you need to prepare the property. There are a few simple staging tips that can make the place look so much nicer and drastically improve the quality of your photos.
Removing clutter is the most important thing because if you post photos of a messy house, it makes it look a lot smaller. People viewing the photos will assume that the property lacks storage space and it’s not well looked after. It also makes it harder for them to imagine living there if it is littered with other people’s stuff. Make sure you declutter the outdoor areas to make them look bigger too, and that includes moving any cars on the driveway.
Arrange the furniture in each room in a way that lets natural light flow into the room and makes the space look open and inviting. Even if it’s not the most effective way to arrange the room, the aim is to show how much space and potential there is. Simple things like making the beds nicely make a big difference too.
Light is also crucial, so open all of the curtains and windows before taking any photos. A dark, dingy photo of a house immediately puts people off. In small rooms that don’t get much light, try to remove any outside obstructions from the windows and then use some mirrors to make the room look brighter.
Add Bursts Of Color
When decorating a property and photographing it, you should steer clear of any bold colors on the walls. Everybody has different tastes and you don’t want to put people off. You should present the home as a blank canvas that is ready for them to put their stamp on, so neutral wall colors are best. However, pictures of a house that is cream and white throughout look pretty boring and won’t get people excited about booking a viewing. So, you need to find a good middle ground and add some bursts of color.
Not only does this make the property look more attractive, it draws the eye, so you can place things tactically to highlight the best features. Do you want people to notice the amazing breakfast bar in the kitchen? Place a vase of colorful flowers on it. Want people to see the large windows in the living area? Put some colorful artwork on the wall adjacent. This is a great little trick that makes your photos work for you in the way that you want them to. It’s all about highlighting the best features and showing the viewer why they should be interested in the property.
Get The Right Height
This is a common problem with real estate photography that people often miss. Taking photos at the right height is crucial because if you have too much floor or ceiling in the photo, it’s hard for the viewer to get a real sense of the space. It also means a large part of the photo is made up of something boring. You should invest in a tripod for your camera so you can take steady shots and maintain the same height throughout the house. In most houses, you should be around 1.2m off the ground, or a little higher in the kitchen (around 1.5m). This might vary in houses with taller ceilings but it’s a good general guide to follow.
Taking your own photos can be a disaster, which is why a lot of people recommend against it. However, if you invest in good equipment, follow these tips, and practice a lot, you should be fine.