They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that much can be said for your property listing.

The way your property is marketed is key to getting viewings, and while there are many factors to consider to help achieve a successful property marketing campaign, professional photos are likely to be the first thing a house hunter will see and are therefore an integral part of it.

Why are good property photos important?

As we’re well into the digital age, the majority of prospective buyers and renters begin their search online, meaning your property photos will be the first thing they come across. Because of this, it will need to make a good first impression in order to stand out from the crowd.

Your agent will be aware of the importance of good photography and should point you in the right direction. After all, if your photos aren’t up to par, prospective buyers and renters may look for another property that is more appealing.

What are the common property photography mistakes?

While it may sound simple, there are multiple reasons why photos can turn out badly. In fact, it can be fairly easy to spot the real photo blunders on any major property portal. These can include the wrong lighting, a cluttered or messy room, bad angles, irrelevant focus on items in the home, blurring, poor quality, reflections and minimal to no photo editing.

These can all be avoided, however. Taking effective property photos isn’t hard. With a little planning, time and technique, your property listing can flourish with attractive photography.

How to take professional property photos

Every problem has a solution. In order to attract more viewers – and hopefully a higher price – you will need to consider the following:

Use the right equipment: This doesn’t necessarily mean breaking the bank to buy the latest gadgets, but using the basics (decent camera, lens, tripod, etc.) can be a good start.

Set the scene: When it comes to property photography, everything is carefully planned and staged. This means removing clutter and personal items, straightening furniture, opening all blinds and switching off the lights.

It’s all about relevance: Prospective buyers and renters want to see the best aspects of a property; not which wallpaper is used in the dining room. Every photo should tell a story, and so, it’s best to cut out anything irrelevant. This means showing off nice fixtures for the interior and getting a higher elevation of the front of the house for the exterior.

Photo editing: Once the photos are taken, post-production will play a vital role to make the photos shine even more. This could be anything from image enhancement and item removal, to virtual staging (if necessary).

How can you prepare your home for photos?

There’s no use taking good-quality photos if your home isn’t up to standard. As prospective buyers and renters will see the front of your property first, it’s important to make sure your front door, lawn and driveway are in top condition. This means trimming hedges, cleaning the driveway, painting the front door, mowing the lawn and wiping down windows.

Inside, you will want to declutter and depersonalise your home, rearrange furniture where necessary, and give each room a good tidy. Doing so will allow your target market to visualise themselves living in your property. Most importantly, you want to make sure that the key selling points (kitchen, bathroom and garden) look their best.

When it comes to selling or renting your property, every little detail is important to achieving the best price possible.

To find out more about how Hello Owl can help to get your investment ready for the market, please get in contact with us on 020 3432 3888.