Pull up a chair and gather around kids. Uncle Mike has a soapbox and a story for you about the importance of the main MLS photo.
Disclaimer
MLS®, Multiple Listing Service®, and the associated logos are all registered certification marks owned by CREA and are used to identify real estate services provided by brokers and salespersons who are members of CREA.
There, now the Canadian Real Estate Association knows I’m not trying to confuse you by making you think my site, is their site.
I’m in the process of searching for a new car. My wife and I are sharing one and it’s working out so far. I know in the coming months it’s not going to be this easy sharing one car once the spring real estate market picks up though.
I’ve looked over a hundred cars easily already. In the beginning, I looked at every car listing trying to get a sense of what I want and what I don’t. Now that I’ve been through the grind and have narrowed my choices down, I scroll past the listings of cars with poor images.
Here’s an example of a photo that makes me want to click on it and further explore this car:
It looks like a professional took it and it looks like it’s in a professional establishement where I’ll get good service and straight, and hopefully, honest answers to my questions about the car.
This one, on the other hand, makes me feel like I’d be visiting the wrong side of town (Mimico) and buying a car where the boys tinkered with engine parts and suspension ready to race for pink slips against Vin Diesel:
Homebuyers browsing realtor.ca spend a lot of time looking at photos as well. They become just as savvy as I’ve become with knowing what they want in a house and want they don’t and if the main photo doesn’t satisfy their criteria or grab their attention, they quickly move past onto the next photo.
So now I’ll put you through a test.
You tell me which picture lets you know if you’re looking at a house or a condo, and by way of a vote, if I’m wrong, I’ll quit real estate (I won’t because I have to, you know, support my family…).
The bedroom is the main photo for this listing. Granted, the exterior photo isn’t awe-inspiring, but at least a potential homebuyer knows they’re getting a garage, nice landscaping, a family room over the garage and parking for at least 2 more cars on the driveway.
The photo of the master bedroom tells them, what exactly?
How about this next photo; what are we looking at here; a townhouse? Semi-detached or a detached house? Is it only a one-car garage or is it 2? What colour are the roof shingles?
This is actually a triple car garage, detached house with gorgeous trees easily visible from the driveway.
What a wasted opportunity to showcase the great curb appeal of a home. I guess curb appeal is overrated?
Then there’s this gem:
Listed at a measily $1,800,000, a photo like this would definitely grab a high networth homebuyer by their french cuffs and have the chauffeaur drive them to this place.
Nothing would make me want to take my imaginary 1.8 million dollars, walk around scaffolding, through frozen mud, and make-shift stairs to visit this house. The interior must be stunning, right?
These photos are why I harp so often about home sellers settling for crappy service, poor advice, or chasing the lowest commission because they want to save on the bottom line.
As hot of a seller’s market as it is, there are still lots of houses that sit on the market for weeks and never sell. There are houses that don’t sell for as much as they should.
In order to get the most amount of money possible when you sell, good photos of your home are one of the most important ways to gain the attention of homebuyers.
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