FOR SALE BY OWNER tips

When developing an effective marketing strategy to put your home in front of buyers, make sure you take great photos of your home, inside and out. If your price, location, and features match what they're looking for, displaying your home in its best light will move them.

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Add Photos to Your Listing

A listing without photos won't even be considered by most house hunters.

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DO’S:

A professional photographer can help showcase your home in the best light. Unless you're a tremendous amateur photographer, it's well worth considering INVESTING a few dollars to hire a pro that has experience photographing homes.

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DON’TS:

Don't rush the number of photos you take. Take several hours to take shots from various angles inside and out. Provide your camera's gallery with a lot of options so that you can select the best images to include with your list.

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Work from the Outside In

When evaluating options for those vital outside photos, stand in front of your house and take a look. How do the shades in the bedroom window look? Does it look better with the curtains in the living room open or drawn? You should include a street level picture of your building, regardless of whether you live in a condo.

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DO’S:

When you take pictures of your home, wait for a sunny day. The best time of day depends on which way your home faces. You want the sun behind you, shining on the front of your home. Always see your home from a buyer's perspective.

Do find the best perspective.

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The best way to take room photos is from the far corners and low to the ground so that you can see as much of the floor as possible.

Removing throw rugs from rooms with attractive flooring

underneath can also give the appearance that the room is bigger.

Make sure you include captions with your photos. 

Describe each room in simple terms.

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DON’TS:

Before taking photos, remove toys, sports equipment, and gardening tools from the yard.

Examine your home's interior from various angles, and develop a list of areas that would be most appealing to buyers.

Don’t use a flash if you can avoid it. With natural light combined with overhead lighting, a room looks softer, warmer, and more welcoming.

Don't display your possessions. Think of your furnishings as props and photograph the prominent design and architectural features of your house. Your favorite leather sofa is less important than the big bay window in the family room.