SELLING BY SHOWING OFF
Before the Internet, cell phones, and social media, buyers looking at homes perused the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) book filled with tiny, grainy images of homes. Photos of featured homes (paid-for ads) were larger and sometimes in color, but most were black-and-white, amateurish photos. The photo was insignificant compared to the information provided below it. Today, the reverse is true, driven by an explosion of online advertising. (In a recent report, the Internet Advertising Bureau announced that Internet advertising revenue for the fourth quarter of 2016 increased 20 percent year-over-year.) Photographs have become the most effective bait to attract future home owners. Recent studies show that 89 percent of buyers use online tools to shop for homes before contacting a real estate agent. They peruse the web, finding homes that appeal to them, and then contact a REALTOR®. Getting your home sold quickly takes exposure. Beautiful, engaging, photos of homes, inside and out make the best first impression. Online marketing through photographs is one of the most important ways to market your home. Listing photography is a great tool for showing off the best features of your home. Bright and colorful shots of welcoming spaces encourage buyers to imagine themselves comfortable and living happily in your home. By focusing on the unique aspects of your home, such as large rooms with great views or amazing architectural features, you can generate genuine
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