A Pictures Is Worth A Thousand Words

Yesterday I went to a Real Estate Photography class taught by Harry Bisel. It was a great class and I learned a lot. I hope to share at least a few of the things I learned with all of you.

"Pictures sell. Good pictures sell more" - A.D. Coleman

The first thing we need to remember with Real Estate photography is that we are NOT documentary photographers (I'll save that for my scrapbook) but ADVERTISING photographers. We are trying to SELL a house. Instead of taking pictures of EVERYthing, take as many pictures as are necessary to sell the house. A small empty bedroom is not going to hold a memory or help someone remember the home. (yes, I too have been guilty of taking these pictures!) As the listing agent, we work for the seller and need to take only pics that help sell the home. Now I'm not saying we need to "hide" things, but we need to show the home to the best of it's abilities. (And sometimes that IS the bathroom!).

Photographs are the new curb appeal. We have to be better marketing photographers so we can elicite emotions. When something elicites your emotions, you remember it, you think about it...that's what you want to do when you take pictures of a home. We want to get online home buyers to pause and linger at our online listings including pictures.

How do we do this?? We need to understand the purpose of the photo. Why did the seller buy the house? For me, the openness when you walk in and the stairway was my selling point - and I've since updated the railing to a beautiful wood and rod iron railings. What made you pick your house? Tell your agent, that may just be the feature that the next buyer will like as well! Capture that moment, feeling, emotion in your photographs. Bring color and softness to kitchens & bathrooms (ex. add flowers for a touch of color). And even if the house is now vacant, play up big areas.

When taking the pictures, walk to all four corners of the room to get a picture. The "typical" front on shot may not be your best. I try to do this...and use whichever photo (or photos) I think best showcases the room. Kitchens & bathrooms need to be SPOTLESS for pictures.

And remember to create memorable experiences first!!

check out Harry's website for more great information or to hire him: www.harrybisel.com

Wicked

I've been meaning to write this blog for a few weeks now and just keep forgetting when I'm by my computer - go figure!!

I experienced another Kansas City first (for me) - The Music Hall! I went with my friend Jen & her mom to see Wicked a few weeks ago. I had NEVER seen it before (nor did I even know what it was about) and I LOVED it!!! I highly reccommend going to see it!!

Thanks Jen for inviting me. I think I've found my new musical buddy!!! (I went with her and the hubby to see Legally Blond this summer!)

REMAX.COM First To Add Foreclosures

REMAX.COM FIRST TO ADD FORECLOSURES
Homebuyers Can Search Over a Million Foreclosed
Properties, Find Foreclosure Experts in One Site

(Denver, CO - November 30, 2009) – Homebuyers looking for the right home at a great price will now be able to search through more than a million foreclosed properties and access agents specializing in short sales and foreclosures, all in one location. RE/MAX International, Inc. is the first national real estate franchise to offer U.S. foreclosure listings on its highly-trafficked web site, www.remax.com.
Remax.com visitors can now access more than 1.3 million Real Estate Owned (REO) properties in the U.S. through RealtyTrac.
“We strive to provide consumers with the most information, properties, videos, articles and resources to help them navigate today’s market,” said Kristi Graning, Senior Vice President, Information Technology and eBusiness for RE/MAX International. “Remax.com is now the perfect combination of resources on one web site, where visitors can search for foreclosures and connect with a uniquely trained RE/MAX agent who specializes in short sales, REOs and foreclosures.”
Homebuyers across the country, including those looking to take advantage of the recently enhanced Homebuyer Tax Credit, can search foreclosures by accessing the foreclosure tab in the featured property search box on remax.com.
Sourced by government agencies and national news media, RealtyTrac is the No. 1 foreclosure listing service. It collects extensive foreclosure data from more than 2,200 counties, covering more than 90 percent of U.S. households. As part of the partnership, RE/MAX agents also have access to an advanced subscription of RealtyTrac’s service and foreclosure information which allows them to better serve clients. The comprehensive subscription offers agents more detailed information including properties in default and properties scheduled for public foreclosure auction, along with tax assessment information, comprehensive lien and loan history and neighborhood home sale trends.
“We are very pleased to be working with RE/MAX, one of the world’s leading real estate brands, and we’re excited to give consumers another way to access foreclosure data,” said Rick Sharga, Senior Vice President for RealtyTrac. “We believe we can have a positive impact on the national housing market by providing consumers with vital foreclosure information and giving homebuyers an opportunity to find the perfect home with the right agent.”
RE/MAX agents are uniquely qualified to manage foreclosures and distressed property. More RE/MAX Associates have earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation than agents from any other national real estate network. The CDPE training, through the Distressed Property Institute, gives RE/MAX agents the expertise to assist buyers and sellers of REO and distressed properties.