Lawrence Kansas Real Estate

Rob my MLS will only allow 10 pictures so on really bad properties I take as many experior photos as I can. Maybe through in a couple of plot maps and aerials. Definitely photos, just be more creative with them.

Another great idea from BB!  Thanks Bryant!

Rob - you only have one opportunity to make a first impression with you photos. On the camera I use clients can review the pictures on the spot. I go around take the pictures, let client review - if we need to remove items to make photos more appealing it only takes 5-10 minutes to remove items from room and reshoot. Then place items back - go on to next room - you could have done this with the photos above. Example - Cleaned off refridge - removed towel - mail holder - removed booster seat - cleaned off counters, removed rug and wall hangings. Time needed 10 minutes - result better photo and you wouldn't have to come back and re-shoot. Sometimes clients like how room looks, they don't put items back which help with showings

Sandra

Rob, maybe I'm a little pushy.  I want GOOD pictures.  I want good INTERIOR photos.  If you're my seller and your house is not quite ready, I will ask you for a plastic baggie and start picking magnets off your fridge.  Likely, you will hop up to join me.  I will begin removing photos and clearing clutter.  I know you want your house to sell even more than I do, because it affects the core of your life.  I expect that you will do your part to help me sell your house. 

Like Sandra said, most of it you CAN do in ten minutes.  You're going to have to pack when you move anyway, go on and start now.

Rob, no offense but your choice of photos is not what I would choose.

Is that the best shot of the kitchen?  I would take it facing the island and the sink.  That way you probably wouldn't even get the refrigerator in the picture.

What's the point of the picture of the desk?  Is it part of the sale?

Garage pictures usually don't come out that nice. It looks the the cars barely fit. It's a three car garage but it looks really cramped from the inside.  Take the cars out and show how much room there is.

There has to be something better than a picture of a air conditioner.

Take a few of the front and the back yard.  I like to take frontal pictures from a side angle.  Take it from over on the left side to down play the garage and the driveway.  A big slab of concrete never looks as nice as green grass.

I would invest in the Kodak wide angle digital camera.  Jeff Turner had a nice post on it a few months back.  It will make the home look much more open and spacious.

I don't think we would refuse to list a property just because of clutter.  Our job is to sell the home, and the sellers have to understand that everything we say to them is in an effort to get to that goal.  Most take our suggestions well and declutter. 

If they don't, we continue to give them feedback on the showings they've received, which almost always point out what we've already mentioned.  At that point, we have to also let them know that they may have lost a potential buyer because they didn't listen to us in the beginning.  Some sellers need that kind of motivation.

Tim is right.  The first photo looks like a picture of an accordion door, and the kitchen just happens to be in the background.  The second photo is a picture of a desk.

Take photos of the home- not the furniture.  And, yes, you can have the sellers with you so they can help remove items.  Remove everything from the counters and put it on the floor of the dining room while you're taking pictures of the kitchen.  Then help the sellers replace only certain items, and ask them where they would like you to store whatever is remaining.  Talk to them about staging and help them stage if they won't hire a stager.