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Could Home Staging Sway Your Online Home Search?

by | Aug 11, 2016 | Home, Home Selling, Home Staging, Staging | 0 comments

Doing an online home search? Consumers love looking for homes online to check out home values, according to Google who found we use our phones to sneak a peek inside others lifestyles. But, it’s the amount of time people spend house dreaming that is shocking. 
online home search

 

online home shopping

Online Home Search Facts

  • About 69 percent of the people Google surveyed said “shopping for real estate was fun” on their phone and online.
  • So fun, that 64 percent kept checking out houses and home values after they purchased a home.
  • People start searching real estate sites an average of three years before they buy, says Google.
  • Only one in five folks checking out real estate apps and websites are actually in the market to buy a home.

National Association of Realtors did point out that the excitement over online real estate searches and time spent surfing doesn’t mean all those people are trying to buy or sell homes without agents.

consumer online home

Stopping Online Consumers In Their Tracks

More than 90 percent of home buyers start their search online. How will your home or listings stand out amongst neighboring competition? It’s important to stage each room and create show-worthy photos of course. The Google findings confirm home buyers are ONLINE shopping for houses and no longer going door to door searching for the perfect place. People like to look at and fantasize about living in beautiful spaces and that’s why it’s important to stage your home than market it with pictures.
All you have to do is search the Multiple Listing Services or one of the popular real estate apps to discover people do not put enough time and effort into these photos. Here are some photos tips to increase the chances of getting your home noticed online:

More, More, More 

You can never have enough photos of a product when it comes time to sell online, so feel free to snap away!  Stand in every corner of the room and take snap a shot.  Don’t simply stand there and shoot, get low or high (on stairs or chair) in order to produce a more interesting picture that draws the buyer’s eye.

Light It Up 

Every light in the room must be on and your blinds or drapes should be open! Check out the image above do you see how bright the image is it has natural light, as well as artificial light to set the mood. Avoid backlighting too.  Make sure the light from windows is coming from the side or behind you to avoid glare.  This tip is critical and most often the one we see people not following.

Forget the Flash 

Take a shot with the flash but ALWAYS take one without the flash. The flash adds a hard light quality whereas removing the flash forces your camera to draw in as much natural and artificial light adding a warm, comfortable glow.  REMEMBER – You must have a steady hand or it will be blurry without using the flash.

Review Every Shot 

Check out the shot in the viewfinder after it has been taken to make sure it’s perfect.  A camera sees quite differently than us!  So many times you will catch things in the photo that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

Don’t Center Everything 

Create interest by positioning focal points to the left or right. A focal point can be a couch, fireplace or even a bed. By shooting off center you’re getting an angle that can help make the entire room look larger, which is what we want because buyers are buying square footage not your stuff.

Shoot for Magic Hours 

There are two ideal times to shoot your photos. An hour or two after the sun rises and before it sets is when the light is its softest, warmest and most flattering.

It’s In The Details 

Look at every detail and photograph some of the emotional connection points in each room so buyers feel the lifestyle of the space in the photo. Also, don’t forget to shoot from different vantage points by squatting low or climbing the stairs to take a variety of shots from different angles.

Touch It Up 

Finally, put your photos through a program like Canva.com  to put the finishing touches on your photos. You can brighten them up, sharpen them or crop the image to get that amazing shot in front of a potential buyer.
Let me know in the comment sections below if you find looking through home photos online fun. Tell me which is your favorite app and if you feel images could be improved on these platforms. Finally have a photo tip to share then make sure to tell us. 
Happy Selling,
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Source: “Phoning Homes: Google Says We’re Wild About Real Estate Apps,” The Republic/AZcentral.com (Aug. 7, 2016)

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“I FOLLOWED YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR EACH ROOM, TOOK GREAT PHOTOS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY PRICED IT WELL. WE HAD A MINI-BIDDING WAR AND SOLD IN 2 DAYS!”

~ Maria Robbins, Homeowner