Randy Purnell: Blog

Time Needed:

Tue, 23 May 2017 01:40:00 GMT

It will take about 1-2 hours to photograph an average sized home. We ask you to take the time to prepare your home and to make it look its best for photo day. We have provided some helpful tips to get your home ready (Prep Tip Blog). But we know that even with the best of intentions, sometimes things get missed, and we are always ready to add any finishing touches with on-site staging to help make your home look spectacular in the photos. Within 24 hours after your shoot, your Realtor® will receive the images sized both for the web and full-res images for print and virtual tours if needed. In short, our photographer’s specialty is helping bring in the buyers so that your Realtor® can do the best job in selling your home!

Why is Pro Photography Important?

Tue, 23 May 2017 01:40:00 GMT

We know that the first thing that attracts a buyer to your home is the listing photos! Nowadays, home buyers browse on-line before they make an appointment to visit a home. With all the homes available, your house needs to really stand out from the crowd to attract the attention of a prospective buyer. Photos need to show your home at its very best so that prospective buyers will book a showing.

You probably aren’t surprised that most listings do better with professional photos. One reason is that a home with better photos gets more people to come and look at it sooner, and therefore it spends less time on the market!

"The Wall Street Journal reports that only 15% of listings incorporate higher-end photography."

So using a Realtor® who uses a professional photographer like BrucePeter Photography, helps your home stand out!

So what does a professional architectural photographer do that you or your Realtor® can’t do? When our photographer shoots a house, he brings professional grade camera equipment with specialized lenses which can be adjusted to meet the needs of your home in regards to the lighting and the size of the space.

They also bring in several lights, reflectors, a tripod, and more. They use this equipment to keep your photos level and evenly lit. A point-and-shoot camera, or even a DSLR with an on-camera flash, cannot handle the lighting needs of your home and will often expose for the windows, leaving the interior of your home looking dark and drab. Home buyers want to see brightly lit homes and all the details of the space inside. Our photographer specializes in architectural photography and treats every home as though the images were appearing in a magazine.

Prep Tips

Mon, 23 May 2016 01:40:00 GMT

HIDE STUFF!
If you don’t have much time, you can temporarily hide things in places we won’t shoot: in closets, cabinets, and drawers, in the laundry room, in the garage, in unfinished basement areas, in the attic, behind the shower curtain, and under the bed. This usually takes less than two hours. (This won’t work for showings however, because people will look in these spaces).

DECLUTTER
When you have time, get a head start on moving and box up all the little things you don’t really need. Make space in your closets and take out things you won’t be wearing soon. This doesn’t have to be done for the shoot, but it’s something to start working on for showing your home.

REMOVE PHOTOS & SMALL NICKNACKS
Remove personal photos & put away cute items, stuffed animals etc. The aim is to remove things so that prospective buyers can imagine their own things in the house. Shelves should have only one or two large decorative ornaments. Remove all the small nicknacks as they are too small to show well in a photo.

WOULD IT LOOK GOOD IN A PHOTO?
Don’t just put things away, think about whether they will look good in a photo. As a guideline, imagine each room in your house as a showroom in a store. Yes, normally the trash can is in the kitchen, but does it need to be in the photo?

REMOVE PERSONAL ITEMS FROM BATHROOM
Hide all personal items: toothbrush, toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, razors, tissue boxes. Remove trashcans, plungers, toilet bowl scrubbers etc. Remove small decorations on counters. Leave one or two larger decorations (plants, vases).

CLEAR SIDE TABLES AND SURFACES IN BEDROOMS AND OFFICE
Hide bedside clocks, books, glasses, medicines, tissues, phone, etc.

CLEAR OFF COUNTERS IN KITCHEN
Store away coffee makers, toasters, cutting boards, knives, towel rolls, etc. Also remove magnets and papers from fridge. Leave one or two large decorative pieces.

PUT AWAY REMOTES
Put away coasters and magazines, etc. in the living room and family room.

CHILDREN’S TOYS
Some toys are OK in the children’s bedroom or toy room, but if you have toys in the living room, or other rooms of the house, it is best to store them away somewhere. Boxing up toys your child doesn’t often play with gets a head start on moving!