9 Tips for Taking Photos That Help Your Home Sell

Dayo is what many would call a ‘man’s man’. Having lived abroad for several years after getting his first degree, before moving back to Nigeria, he prided himself an avid DIY (Do it yourself) enthusiast. When he got married and bought his first home in Lagos, he painted every wall in that 2-bedroom apartment, did all the heavy lifting when the furniture came and potted every plant in the communal garden himself.

Dayo and his wife are expecting baby number 2 and think it’s time to upscale, through their RE/MAX agent they’ve found a trendy 4 bedroom terraced house in Ajah, their dream home. Being the DIY enthusiast he is, he didn’t see why he should pay the agent again on the sale of the apartment despite the highly discounted rate offered by his realtors and decided to make the sale on his own. He’s done it before in the US, he figured it couldn’t be any different here. He hurriedly took a couple of pictures with his smartphone and uploaded them along with a catchy description on all major free real estate sites. After several weeks and no enquiries, Dayo couldn’t understand why no one wanted his beyond reasonable, formerly loved apartment and revisited his listing on one hosting site. Click… click, then and there he knew why!

Great pictures go a long way in attracting potential homebuyers or tenants. It helps form the first impression of your property so here are a few pro tips for capturing the best images:

1. Turn off the flash.
Open the curtains and try to use as much natural light as possible. Flashes can create unattractive shadows and distracting bright spots.

2. Think big.
Shoot from the doorway or from the corner to include as much of a room as possible. Rooms shot from an angle seem bigger.

3. Avoid photobombs.
Yes, your kids and pets are darling, but you’re not trying to sell them (hopefully). Keep them out of your listing shots.

4. No selfies.
To avoid starring in your photos, shoot mirrors from an angle.

5. Shoot from the hip.
Or chest. Shooting from a kneeling position helps make a room seem more spacious.

6. Go for a close-up.
Highlight architectural detailing, such as molding or tile work, with a close-up image.

7. Overcast is underrated.
Exterior photos have more depth when they’re taken on a cloudy day.

8. Take tons.
Take several pictures from each angle and in different lighting schemes to give yourself some options.

9. Use photo-editing software.
There are lots of free, easy-to-use photo editing tools available online that allow you to brighten your images and crop away distractions.

Your Realtor can help you pick the best images of your home, or find a talented pro to take some. Find a RE/MAX agent here: http://remax.ng/officeagentsearch.aspx