SELLING BY SHOWING OFF Before the Internet, cell phones, and social media, buyers looking at homes perused the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) book fi lled 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 photo s. Th e photo was insign ifi cant 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 e ff ective 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 . Th ey peruse the web , fin ding 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 bes t fir st impression. Online marketing through photographs is one of the most important ways to market your home. Listing photography is a great tool for showing o ff t he 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 interest. Stage your home to give the appearance of space and light in every photo without distorting reality MAXIMUM TARGETED EXPOSURE When you hire an agent, they can place your listing on all major real estate portals, such as Zillow and REALTOR.com. Buyers
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