Photo Quality Helps Real Estate Sales

Since the launch of Nohuts.com on January 24, 2016, our team has noticed that property listings with good quality photographs get significantly more views than those having no pictures at all or even those with unfocused images. As a result, if you opt to list your Jamaican property online via Nohuts.com or any other online real estate platform, we strongly suggest that you ensure that good photos are used to market your house.

More online views will bring you more inquiries whether via phone or email. Likewise, more inquiries will result in more persons requesting to view your property and making you offers to buy or rent your house. On the contrary, in not providing photos, you may fail to attract any prospects at all as such listings tend to be passed over or ignored. You can’t sell your home if no one calls.

Remember… the objective of posting online is to allow prospects to have a good “look” at the property before they decide to visit and see it for themselves. You want to create a lasting impression. Here are some tips to increase that possibility.

• Get Quality Pics
  Take a look at the listings on Nohuts.com and you will see a difference in the number of views based on the quality of pictures used or the lack of images. It is therefore essential to have great photographs to visually depict the special qualities of your home.
  You can hire a professional who’ll use state-of-the-art equipment and tools to provide you with high quality and good looking photographs of your property. Alternatively, use a digital camera. You’ll need to invest the time to learn how to use it following the advice given in this article and elsewhere on the Internet. Thereafter, post the best pictures you’ve taken of the property.

• Choose Your Equipment Wisely
  A digital camera with five or more mega pixels is ideal for this job. Such cameras are fairly priced and readily available. You do not have to get any of the expensive cameras used by professional photographers (i.e., of the DSLR quality).
  If you can afford it, get a tripod as it helps in getting sharper shots without the blurriness embedded because of shaky hands. If possible, avoid taking pictures with cell phones as the quality may not be as it appears. However, cameras in many of today’s smartphones have gotten so good that it’s possible to get decent results if you make the effort. If money is tight, as it is for most Jamaicans, you might want to work with what you have.
  Regardless of the camera of choice, it is imperative that you learn how to use the features available before you start taking photographs.

• Prepare to Impress
  Before taking any pictures, you should clean and tidy up each indoor and outdoor area that you’ll be using in your shots. Declutter and clear the spaces to be used in the photos of all distractions such as family photos, shoes, dirty laundry, toys, fallen leaves, garbage. Make the beds. Sweep the floors and paved outdoor areas. Paint, if needed. Prune your hedges. Mow the lawn. Add flowering plants and art, inside and outside to add colour. Make sure paintings are hung straight. Re-grout bathrooms, if needed. Set the scene by arranging any furniture you have to ensure that the marketing photographs look their best and to give the buyers and renters a sense of each area’s purpose and function. Mimic the appeal of a luxurious hotel or villa.
  In a nutshell, make the estate appealing to as many persons as possible, so much so that they’ll be eager to buy or rent your property. You want to create a lasting impression.

• Get lots of photos
  Once you’ve set the scene, take as many pictures as possible. Vary the shots from different angles and positions. You can even change the camera settings to give you more options. Take pictures at different times of the day. Get some first thing in the morning at dawn. Shoot some at high noon when the sun is directly overhead. If you want to give it a try, you can also opt for sunset with all of your interior and exterior lights on to create a warm and intimate atmosphere. Regardless of when you capture your photos, make sure that the sun is behind you as you shoot so that you can avoid glare and keep your shadow out of the pictures.

• Photograph the Interior
  Use natural light as much as possible for interior pictures. Open curtains, drapes or blinds so adequate sunlight can enter the house. Do not take the pics on rainy or cloudy days. Turn off flash to reduce shadows and reflections from windows and mirrors. Take pictures from the corners of rooms and from the entrance. Include fixtures in relation to the rest of the room.

• Photograph the Exterior
  Outside photographs can be taken when it is overcast to prevent the overshadowing of the sun. Shoot some pictures from the angle of approach to the property. Take other shots of the property in relation to the neighboring properties, or in relation to the beauty of the natural surroundings. Avoid getting pictures of wires, dumpsters, and anything else that reduces the focus from what you are promoting.

• Photograph Amenities
  Take additional pictures of amenities if they adds to the value of the property. For example, if your property is an apartment within a complex, capture the entertainment area, pool, gym, sporting facilities, washroom area, park, or anything available that is shared among the residents and adds to the beauty, comfort, serenity, and value of the complex.

• Photo Editing Software
  Use photo editing software if needed to really make your photos stand out from the crowd. Crop photos to improve composition and get rid of any unwanted distractions. Adjust brightness and contrast to make the house look bright and lively rather than dull and gloomy. Rotate to straighten the property vertical and horizontal lines. Don’t overdo it. You don’t want buyers or renters to feel like you’re hiding any flaws.

• Choose Wisely
  As you select the pictures you want to list in your online advert, make sure you chose those that capture the essence of your property and the ones that make the place stand out from all the others listed online. Include as many photos as you can using the best ones that you have.

So, now that you know what to do, go ahead, take quality pictures, and list your property at Nohuts.com. You’ll quickly see that using good, compelling photographs will help in selling or renting your property.