This week on My Greenville Home, Dan spoke with Mark Harvell, a full-time real estate photographer in the Upstate who has partnered with Hamilton and Company for over 8 years. Today Mark shared about the importance of professional photography in selling your home, how to prepare for a professional photographer to shoot your home, and a few funny stories too!
Real estate agents like Dan Hamilton include professional real estate photography in their marketing plan to their clients because your home’s online presence is often buyers’ first impressions.
Your home’s online presence often becomes buyers’ first impression of the property, so having professional photography is a must. That’s why real estate agents like Dan and his team at Hamilton & Co. invest in high quality photography as part of their competitive marketing strategy.
How can you prepare your home for professional photography?
Mark suggests getting your home staged or at least reorganized prior to shooting. Many clients expect Mark to walk in and show them where to place furniture, but that is not his area of expertise. Mark recommends hiring a professional stager if you need help rearranging your home.
If you have pets, it is especially important to remove all traces of pet hair, toys, beds, etc. If a potential buyer has a pet allergy and sees, for example, a cat tower in your online listing photo, they may completely forgo a tour out of concern for their health and miss out on your home!
Once you have adequately prepared for the photoshoot, it’s time to leave. Ideally, your whole family (pets included) leave the property while your home is being photographed. There are several reasons for this. One, it allows photographers like Mark to focus on the task at hand. Two, Mark uses a wide-angle lens to photograph, ensuring the most realistic representation of your space. This camera catches more than many people realize and often when clients stick around for the photoshoot, they are caught in the shot.
In addition to some do’s and don’ts for potential clients, Mark shared about the photo-editing process, explaining how he makes his photos look as realistic as possible (right down to the color of the sky!). Learn these cool tricks and more when you listen to the whole episode.
Dan Hamilton is the founder of Hamilton & Co. and the lead listing agent for the team. He is the only agent in the Upstate endorsed by Shark Tank star and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran. Additionally, Dan hosts a weekly radio show on The Answer 94.5 and 106.3 WORD giving tips and advice on real estate and is a frequent contributor for real estate on Your Carolina TV show on WSPA Channel 7.
