How Professional Photography and Home Staging Go Hand-in-Hand
Photographer: Kit Goldsworthy
So you’ve cleaned, polished, and made the necessary repairs to prepare your house for sale. And that would be enough – if you were selling a TV.
Contrary to what you might think, selling a house is not as simple as putting an advertisement online. Because when you’re selling a house, you’re in fact selling a lifestyle. And with 92% of potential home-buyers using the internet to search for homes*, it is crucial that your listing stands out from the competition, and connects to potential buyers.
How, you ask? This brings us to our first official blog at Right at Home Staging: How professional photography marries in with home staging to visually elevate this aspirational lifestyle.
Here is how:
Making First Impressions Count
Image (left): Photo taken with iPhone 8 Plus ; Image (right): Photo taken professionally by Reflexe
Buying a home is one of the biggest investments that any one can make, so it’s no surprise that buyers are becoming more discerning when looking for a home. With this in mind, and the fact that there is an increase in competition, making a good impression is not only important, it’s crucial.
Both professional photography and home staging hold the same end goal: to make the best impression, trigger attention, and maintain it through the thoughtful choices of visual cues.
Remember. You’re not only selling a house. You’re selling its real potential as a buyer’s home.
Connecting with Potential Buyers
Once you’ve made a strong first impression, and you’ve got a prospective buyer’s attention - it’s time to foster an emotional connection. With buyers spending 60% of their time viewing photos (as opposed to the property description) when looking at online listings**, the layout of your home and the quality of said images all come together to help narrate your home’s “story” to its prospective buyers.
What’s the story you want to tell visually? Will this be the perfect home for a busy professional? Or will it be the ultimate dream home for a young family?
As people, we are emotional creatures. By conveying images and visuals that are not only appealing, but connect with the buyers, it can be the mere difference between someone taking that next step of jumping to request an appointment with your real estate agent, or continuing their search elsewhere.
Highlighting Features
Image (left): Photo taken with iPhone 8 Plus ; Image (right): Photo taken professionally by Reflexe
On the one hand, home staging allows the best version of your house to shine through, walking the fine line between a bare, empty house and a cluttered, messy one. By minimally dressing each room with a focus on key aspects, it gives your potential buyers just enough to be able to visualise their lives in each space.
On the other hand, professional photography looks to enhance these same characteristics. As anyone who has taken one of those “selfies” knows, camera quality, angles, and lighting can be your best friend or your worst enemy. A professional will not only be able to determine which photos capture your home’s better side, but will also be able to edit them to visually inspire potential buyers.
The two together
The real estate market has changed. With online real estate searches up 253%, it’s not enough to simply put a “For Sale” sign out the front of the home, or having a listing online. With a limitless online market, home staging and professional photography work hand in hand to truly elevate your home above the competition by allowing buyers to not only picture their lives in your home, but to fall in love and emotionally be connected to your home, leading them to act, and place that offer.
* NAR, Highlights From the 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (2014)
** Wall Street Journal, 20 Seconds to Love at First Sight (2013)