Let’s Hear It For a Matte Finish (or at least, semi-gloss) It’s certainly possible that the owner of this “For Sale” Golden Valley home just refinished their floors, using a little (a lot) too much polyurethane. Theory #2: the photographer didn’t get the lighting quite right. Either way, when a real estate photo has you reaching for...Read More
I’ve probably seen > 100,000 property photos on MLS, but I don’t recall previously seeing one where the caption — in this case, describing Kitchen features — was embedded in the photo (“superimposed” also works). Pros: it’s hard(er) to miss. Cons: it risks looking cluttery. Verdict? At least for my listings, I’m going to stick...Read More
Photo Finish It’s a high-quality problem, to be sure: listing agents who have too many flattering pictures of the home they’re selling. Take a larger (over 3,500 FSF) home that’s especially stunning or feature-rich; add 100+ digital photos, the number top-tier real estate photographers now routinely provide; and the result could easily be dozens of flattering...Read More
Amateur vs. Professional Photography If you look very carefully, you’ll see the silhouette of a person reflected in the glass shower door. Wanna guess who? My bet is that it’s the listing agent (representing the Seller), who’s taking their own shots (vs. hiring a professional photographer). A pro would have avoided taking a photo with...Read More
Not Just Inclement Weather “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” –Mail carriers’ motto Unlike mail carriers, there’s actually a list of weather conditions that will cause home photographers to scrub. Like rain, snow, fog, and — especially for interior shots...Read More
Real Estate Marketing Rule of Thumb: Play Down the Garage, Driveway Just like people often have a more and less flattering side for photos, so do homes. Looking at the photos of this currently “For Sale” Minnetonka house (not my listing), it’s pretty obvious which is which. The top photo is from the current listing; photo...Read More
