Advertising a property: the importance of good photos
Whether you wish to sell a property or to let it, taking good pictures is of the utmost importance. If you sell something on-line, even small items, everyone will tell you the same thing: providing good pictures and a good description will help you attract more potential customers.
Building an audience
If you offer an excellent service, people will tend to come back. Since we’re a Cardiff based lettings and estate agent we know that the Cardiff property market is constantly evolving and that a landlord will have many tenants in their lifetime, and a home owner is likely to sell their home at some point to buy a new one. Let’s be honest, we’re doing our best to invite landlords, tenants and property buyers and sellers to ask for our expertise again when the time comes. This is why we provide a high quality service, and part of this quality service is to take good pictures.
Being efficient
We live in a fast-paced world, everything needs to be done quickly and no one has time to lose; this is how we managed to let newly-instructed properties within 6 days on average over the past year. But if we let properties so quickly, it’s partly because we advertise our properties on the Internet, with enough details and pictures to help tenants get a feel for the properties they browse. When a future tenant comes to one of our branches they already know more or less what to expect from the properties to let we advertise.
The Devil’s in the details
If we told you “flat to rent in Cardiff”, just like that, without any picture, would you really call us to visit it? You wouldn’t know which Cardiff area you’d be living in, how big the flat would be, how many bedrooms, if there’s double glazing, etc. You need to be precise, say that it’s a one-bedroom apartment in Cardiff Bay, and be even more specific and give the name of the Cardiff Bay Properties on offer, like Century Wharf or the Isis development. This is the bare minimum, but now if you want people to trust you and contact you, you need to show them the apartment. We don’t use square metres so much in the UK to give you an idea of how big a flat or house is, so it’s even more important to show photos so tenants or buyers can really get a feel of the place. If the flat or house looks attractive everyone will want to visit it!
Taking the right pictures
Using a good camera
No picture is better than a bad picture, but both a bad picture and lack of picture tend to put off potential buyers and tenants. You can definitely give your property a boost by taking good quality pictures, with a good camera. Please avoid taking low quality pictures with a phone (although we must admit that some smartphones take decent photos). If you cannot afford a DSLR camera or don’t like using it then go for a bridge camera, which is better quality than a compact camera and offers more shooting modes. Using a wide angle lens is definitely the best to take good pictures of a property.
Using natural light and interior modes
It’s best to take pictures from both the inside and outside of the home you want to let or sell. Buyers and tenants will be happy to see what the building looks like from the outside, and it will even make it easier for them to recognise the development if you meet them outside for a visit. They could use Street View if they have the address (personally we’ve made it simple and added Street View on the property details on our website), but our goal is to make life easier for our clients, so take a picture from the outside, it’s simple and doesn’t cost you anything. Try and avoid taking pictures when it’s rainy and dull outside; use natural light to your advantage. Bright weather will give a better look to your photos and be more attractive; the best time to take exterior pictures is around the middle of the day, i.e. mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
Try and use natural light as much as possible in interior shots too, by opening curtains and doors to let the light flow in and by choosing the best angle for the shot; turning all the lights on also helps make a place look bright. Please avoid using your flash as much as possible. Instead use the Interior modes of your camera; this will give a warm feel to your photos, which is so much better than the harsh look a flash would.
Look your best
You wouldn’t go to a Cardiff photographer for a family picture in your pyjamas, would you? Well it’s the same for a property: clean it a bit so it looks its best, as you don’t want to advertise a messy, dirty place. In order to capture as much of a room as possible go to one angle to take your pictures, and if you have a DSLR use a wide angle lens. Take at least one picture of each room, more if possible. It’s all digital today so really there’s no reason not to take several shots with different angles. If the place is furnished take pictures of the decorations and furniture. Not only will it help tenants and buyers get a better idea of what they will see, it will also help you later for the inventory.
Efficient, good advertising is truly what makes a difference between a house that will stay on the market for ages and one that will be let or sold quickly. Pictures truly help advertising a property for buyers and tenants, and good advertising will help your property be let or sold quickly. Taking good pictures is a win-win situation for all of us, so if you plan on selling or letting your property, take a few moments to take good pictures, or contact us and we’ll do it for you!
The information contained within this article was correct at the date of publishing and is not guaranteed to remain correct in the present day.
