3 Secrets for Sellers to Shine Online!

With high inventory there’s no point in sugar-coating it…your home simply has to look its absolute best to bring buyers in the door.

I’m just going to say it…the market is challenging for sellers right now. With high inventory there’s no point in sugar-coating it…your home simply has to look its absolute best to bring buyers in the door.  When there’s a shortage of homes for sale you might get away with a few shortcuts, but in a buyer’s market like we’re currently in, taking shortcuts is a quick way to a slow sale.  With so many homes for sale, buyers are looking for ways to eliminate homes from their list.  Poor quality photos and cluttered properties simply don’t appeal as much to buyers as gorgeous photos of impeccably prepared homes.

Once upon a time, buyers could see just a few photos online. They’d have to go to the house to get a better idea of what it’s like, then they’d come back for a second look if they liked it, before deciding to write an offer.   Today, buyers spend hours pouring over photos online before they decide to take time out of their busy schedules to actually go and see a property.  Today, the first showing happens online!  When buyers are coming to see your house in person, that is the second showing!  That’s why your home simply has to shine in the photos online.

Here are 3 of our top tips to make your home shine online:

1. Get rid of all your area rugs, large or small!
   Homes are viewed on buyer’s phones more than anywhere else, so the images are small.  When you shrink rooms down to 2 x 2 inches, area rugs make them look cluttered.  Plus, hard surface flooring is more popular than ever. If you’ve got it, flaunt it!
2. Empty all horizontal surfaces.
   Countertops, desks and coffee tables reflect light. When they’re empty, your home will look brighter and more inviting. In “real life” your home should look almost barren before your photo shoot. One simple item on each surface is fine (a table lamp, fruit bowl or a book), but no more.  That way when the pictures are shrunk down to phone size the room will look clean and spacious.  After your photo shoot, you can put some of your items back to give your house a more warm and homey feel. But for photos shoots, empty is the way to go!
3. Clean your windows.
   You’ve done all that work to make your home bright and appealing. Make sure that your windows let the light pour in!  Not only will this serve you well for your photo shoot, it will make your house more appealing when buyers come to visit in person.

When it’s time to hit the market, we send our professional interior designer to meet with our clients in their home for a private consultation before their professional photo shoot.  She knows how to set up your rooms for our photographer to make the most of your home.  Our professional stager advises our sellers on everything from furniture placement to accessory arrangements so their home shines online. When it’s done right, and we sprinkle our marketing magic on those beautiful images, buyers simply can’t resist.  ?