Massive Seller Missteps: 7 Things About Your Listing Photos That Give Agents ‘The Ick’ By Realtor.com

Listing your home for sale can be a lot like using a dating app. Wannabe buyers scroll through hundreds of photos, clicking only when they like what they see.

And first impressions are everything. Sellers have a brief chance to capture buyers’ interest and make them think your house could be The One. It all starts with making sure that your listing photos shine.

In the dating world, you wouldn’t post a photo of yourself with your ex, right? Because that would give a potential love match “the ick.” Likewise, in the real estate world, avoid instant turnoffs.

Here are seven things real estate professionals say should never, ever make an appearance in your listing photos.

1. Your selfie

Roseann Galvan, a real estate professional in California, gets the ick when it comes to listing photos that have this: “People—or the ghostly reflections of the photographers.”

When it comes to taking listing photos, it pays to hire a professional real estate photographer. These pros have the skills to photograph a room and make it look great. They can also use special equipment such as external lights and filters that can brighten even the darkest rooms.

If you decide to photograph your home yourself, ensure your reflection doesn’t appear in the photos. Of course, this means taking extra care when photographing bathroom mirrors. However, you should also be aware that other reflective surfaces—like windows, glass doors, TVs, and even the oven door—can reflect your image, too.

2. Stalker angle

Another huge mistake some amateur listing photographers make is getting too funky with the camera angles. They might think breaking norms is cool, but how much cool is necessary here? Weird angles can create unintended impressions.

Case in point: stalker photos.

“Stalker photos are when sellers take photos of a room from outside the house, through a window or door,” says Stephen Keighery, CEO and founder of Home Buyer Louisiana. They’re reminiscent of Hitchcock—or far worse, cheapo slasher flicks.

Simply put, the feeling of being spied on gives prospective buyers the ick.

“It’s intrusive,” explains Keighery, “and defeats the purpose of what listing photos should be: inviting and comfortable.”

3. Mess and clutter

Before listing photos are taken, you need to do a heap of deep cleaning and decluttering to make your house ready for its close-up. And, sorry to say, decluttering involves removing all personal items such as family portraits, knickknacks, and other collectibles.

“Messy rooms in listing photos can be a big deterrent,” says Joshua Martin, real estate professional with Atticus Home Buyers in Wisconsin. “Buyers want to envision themselves living in the space, so it’s important to present organized rooms highlighting the property’s potential.”

Diana Caldwell, a real estate professional with Caldwell Group with XP Realty on the Kentucky-Ohio border, has this pet peeve: “Lots of items on the kitchen counters. Remove it all!”

Countertops filled with small appliances can give the impression of insufficient kitchen storage or counter space. And that could turn off buyers from even requesting a showing.

4. Pet paraphernalia

We all love our pets. However, prospective buyers almost universally dislike seeing signs of furry friends in your listing photos.

“I had just sent a client a new listing that, on paper, checked all the boxes and at a fair price. But my client’s first impression: ‘Why didn’t they take the litter box out of the room?'” says John Mace, a real estate professional with R1 Colorado in Durango. “And there were multiple photos of it!”

Before your home is photographed, move all signs of pets, including dog beds, cat boxes, toys, and feeding bowls, outside the camera field.

5. Bugs and rodents

Signs of an infestation of insects or rodents are a universal turnoff that will make folks scroll right past your listing in a hurry.

So ditch that fly swatter you keep handy, and get rid of any sign of pest preventive measures such as traps and sprays.

If you are about to list a home that has a pest problem, be sure to have it treated first by a professional exterminator.

6. Unaddressed repairs

Another thing that will keep people scrolling past your listing: blatant signs that substantial work needs to be done. No one wants to inherit an unfinished DIY project or, even worse, troubleshoot signs of a long-standing plumbing issue.

“Visible signs of damage, such as water stains, cracked walls, or broken fixtures, suggest unresolved issues that may discourage buyers,” says Joseph Melara, real estate professional with Residential Brokers in Palm Desert, CA.

Glaring signs of damage can distract potential buyers from seeing the true potential of a home. Instead, let buyers decide what issues they want to take on once they see the space themselves.

7. Cleaning supplies

Surprise, surprise: Real estate pros say a load of cleaning supplies in a photo can give the impression that a big cleanup just happened. And that can make a wannabe buyer wonder just how nasty the mess was.

The thinking could be that if you’re the type of homeowner who deferred cleaning, you might have delayed maintenance fixes, too.

"Call Eli Torres at (832) 430-2107, for your home buying and selling needs."

Source: www.realtor.com