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When we were buyers in 2012, we were Sooo thankful that the pics of the house we ended up buying were so bad. I think we benefitted from less competition between buyers. 😊 Pics were terrible, house is a GEM! Sad for the sellers though.
Years ago, I saw a home that was beautiful - but dirty. Smudged windows, greasy kitchen, dust on every surface, clouds of dog hair, piles of news papers, dead bugs on the floor, grungy bathrooms.... it was gross. I threw a low ball offer and got the house for $75k under the ask. That's a lot of money to leave on the table just for not cleaning your house. Great video!
Waiting for my third realtor to arrive, the last two gave me a listing price 120K apart from each other, so she will be the tie breaker! She also just sold the house around the corner for WAY more than I would have imagined, so she has the inside knowledge of who is looking in my neighborhood! Cannot wait to hear what she has to say!
@@Miz-Newsy The third realtor was slightly over the first realtor, and I think the low ball realtor was trying to "steal" my house for a quick sale or she had a family member interested, but needless to say she will never be trusted or used by me!! In the end I chose to stay put, with interest rates being so high, my payment was going to go up significantly.
When i sold my last house I had decluttered, fresh paint, good lighting, etc. It was looking fabulous. My realtor said it was staged really well. I was excited to see the listing when it went live. Oh my gosh. The puctures were so horrible i literally cried. I immediately called my realtor who said he would talk to the photographer and see if anything could be done. Then i never heard back. Luckily, i had multiple offers in 3 days even with the aweful photos.
When my husband and I were shopping I said no one house and my husband was exhausted looking and made me explain everything I disliked. I gave a laundry list of things about that one in particular. Unfortunately the market was bad and everything else was off the market so our agent encouraged us to go look at it. We fell in love with it and bought it immediately. It was the pictures that did it in, but it was beautiful in person. If we hadn’t been pushed because it was the last thing on the market we never would have found it.
I agree with you 100%. Most owners have pics (and even at the showings) that show way too much of their crap. Get a U-Haul and edit, edit, edit! Counters cleared, please!
Your channel is so much fun to watch. I know it annoys you when potential buyers comment, but I LOVE that first house with the brick entryway. So unique! Definitely poorly photographed and could have been staged. On that last photo, I think the house looks beautiful and I would definitely want to see it live. I'm not getting your critique of it. The kitchen looks clean, large, and beautiful with lovely white cabinets. The house we bought 11 years ago on the west coast was sooooo poorly marketed that it sat on the market for a very long time, and the photos were so bad, they were laughable. It is a custom made home that did need some work and we've made in gorgeous! I am so grateful that we got a real bargain because we have had a $900,000 gain on it in 11 years.
One thing I learned when moving to a new community and looking at 40+ houses is that if you have ONE unique thing that stands out, it can be a really good thing. With mine, I noticed the family room with a custom carved cieling fan and built-in bar. And then when I went to sell my home, the buyer told me that it was the unique iron address sculpture that made her remember my house and she loved the aesthetic. Now putting in something unique can certainly work for or against you but at least it gets them to remember it! Maybe another video on this? :) Thanks for your expertise.
Great examples of homes. They all would look so much better with good staging. It is unbelievable how much stuff people have in their homes, declutter!!
My parent’s realtor was absolutely terrible. She took the worst, incredibly dark photos of their home with her cell phone. She then told my parents that there wasn’t many showings because their home wasn’t modern enough. My parent’s home was immaculate and traditional but every square inch of it was updated. I told them you need to fire her if she doesn’t have professional photos taken. She also told them they needed to paint all of their trim and doors white. They were light oak but all brand new.
I have a new hobby: looking at home listings near me and "grading" the quality of the photos on the listing. Downgrades I have seen: Exterior photo that is out of season, a spare room office with 2 desks and for some reason 3 chairs (2 of which seemed to be randomly placed in the room), any pic where the camera person is shown in the reflection of a mirror, series of photos with dramatically different and poor lighting.
My home sold the first day on the market and I made a 101% profit on it. I cleaned my home thoroughly and I staged it. I even got a storage unit and took everything off the walls and removed some of the furniture that was cluttering up the house. My realtor hired a very good photographer who took beautiful photos. Did I also mention I had a 5 way biddng war also?
As an occupied-home stager, I LOVE your videos! I too cringe when I look at the horrible photos online that agents post, as well as rooms that could have looked SO good had they had a staging consultation or staging day to get them ready for the photos. Sellers need to better understand that they need to see the house from the buyers' point of view, and your videos and a good stager can do that!
I go onto Google maps and look around the neighborhood. Ive seen the house that looked alright in the listing looking totally trashed on Google maps and the neighborhood looking run down.
Five years ago my realtor took pictures of our home that were do bad, I hired a professional photographer and my home photographed like a model home. Within a week it was sold. When we closed she never even reimbursed me and she made a commission on the home we sold and the one we bought. Talk about greedy.
An agent is only as good as their good sense, people skills, experience, contacts, negotiation skills, and follow through. YOU are one of the GREATS. BTW a good set of quality photos posted digitally is *only* about $800. My Realtor rolled it into HER costs.
We were ready to buy a house, the online photos were great! It looked clean, it looked like an HGTV house from pictures. We went to the house, it was grimy, dusty, but more importantly from the time we walked through the door until we left- it felt like we were being watched, there was an oppressive feeling throughout, creepy vibes, the realtor was saying its not going to be on the markwt long, i have 4 more viewings scheduled. I barely commented about anything, after we left i told my husband NO. It stayed on the market for months- turns out there was a home invasion with 3 murders!! I will never buy a house without walking through it!
Great real estate photographers will move items to present the best photos. They will close toilet lids, move shampoo bottles and make sure trash cans are out of the shot. But they cannot move a bunch of stuff. You have to declutter first. You will be moving anyways, so get rid of stuff in advance or store it. Think of model homes. People will fall in love with a model home because of the staging and the lack of clutter. A new home may be smaller and lack the lot size or finished landscape but the model the buyer looked at causes an emotion based purchase.
As a RE photographer, just wanted to point out the owners should work with their realtor to stage and prep the home to be ready for the photographer. Homeowner should remove the hooks, spot clean the carpet, add some area rugs, etc. And-invest in a professional photographer (which this listing did NOT do). A pro photographer will have level photos with squared verticals, same color lighting, and close up, in focus, well-lit photos of counter tops, etc. In kitchens and baths.
It’s not just the sheets. Wash your comforter. Clean the floor. Air the room. Also, move the furniture back from the doorways and windows. IRL it might be fine but, in photos (because of the angles), it looks like the furniture is hanging into the woodwork and goes out into the path.
Years ago when online listings were just getting popular we sold a house. I'm not sure if my husband let the realtor in or what but in the online pics she had my laundry basket sitting there. Fortunately it was clean laundry. I was not amused. But the house sold quickly despite her terrible pictures.
I have seen this SO many times. A member of my time always accompanies the photographer and arrives early to avoid anything like this from happening. Not only for the clean and neatness in the buyers eyes, but for the seller. Glad you sold!
As a buyer, I won’t even ask about a house if all they have is one picture. It makes me feel like they’re hiding something. I also look at the price history and it makes me sick when I see that it sold for half the price 2 years ago. Or a tenth of the price 10 years ago. I want to go back in time and buy it for “cheap.”
You are not alone! I completely understand and it is very important to be skeptical. Buying a home is one of the largest purchases in your life and it is important to look closely. Thanks for watching!
Great video, I have been watching your videos recently and I have a question for you. We just recently painted the inside of the house and I was wondering if it is ok to hang some pictures on the wall? I am hesitant because I don’t want to put new holes in the walls just to hang a few pictures. What do you think?
Thank you so much for explaining what the bad pictures can do. As a professional real estate photographer I am tired to see and explain to agents that they are hurting not only sellers but themselves too. I would never pick the agent if she has pictures like that. (Looking for buyer side and maybe recommendations on agents in Denver for myself). Thanks again. Your video are awesome!!! Lena
Hi Lena! Thank you so much for commenting! I am so glad my videos are helpful for you and your work. If you are looking for an agent, feel free to use this link to find an agent! bit.ly/FindAnAgentCM
sorry , but brick tile is great for dirty & muddy feet - you should see the listings I see in Wyoming (so many have pool tables in the basements that the sellers are leaving w/ house ....or filled w/ over whelming decor - when the house is crammed full of stuff especially w/ messy teenage boy room , I have to wonder if they are really wanting to sell the house ) - leaves on the ground make me think the yard hasn't been maintained ....most houses I see will have a listing period of less than 3 months but I 've seen the same houses listed for the 3 + years I've been looking for houses in that area (just something I've noticed online)
I rarely use digital/virtual staging on my listings. The only time I really use it is when a client asks. I prefer to do staging with a company in the area. Mostly to have the photos reflect what appears in the home. Thanks for commenting!
Yes, Kati, This video was really informative! Thanks for your advice! I LOL’d when you were talking about the smell of dorm rooms with dirty sheets! Is it the listing realtor who takes the pictures with their digital camera? What if the pictures are bad? Or do some agents get a professional photographer to take them? In that case, is that cost usually paid by the listing agent as a marketing expense?
Let's see if we are gumshoes. Its 100K+ shy of a million dollar house in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Warren County's median cost of homes is about a third of that. It looks like it was purchased the year before the pandemic, and then sold about a year ago. It looks like someone intended to flip the house while living in it (or someone was living there while doing high-paying remote work, and had to return to work) and so that is why you just have the beds and kitchen table.
Hopefully experienced buyers look beyond peoples furniture and furnishings. And see the size of rooms or the potential. I know though when we were looking at very similar houses by daughters favored the house that had nicer furniture so pretty sure inexperienced buyers may get stuck on furnishings rather than what they can do with the home.
A lot of people want the instant gratification of moving into the dream home, not making the dream home. Many who are willing to put in the elbow grease can't afford to in this economy with the cost of materials through the roof. Not even getting into the home prices being ridiculous. 20 years ago, you could get into a starter home for under $100k. 7 years ago, you could get into a starter home for $150. Right now, a starter home is going for $300+. Paychecks haven't caught up with inflation (they won't) and with a mortgage now costing 40%+ of someone's income, and their bills, gas, and groceries taking up the other 50-60%, there's just no room left in the budget to see a home's "potential." The house that's closest to selling the ideal image wins.
@@allalala9916I thought what she saying was that a lot of buyers can't see past the couch, beds, pictures on the wall, etc. They can't look past that stuff to look at the house itself. I think that's very true. If the couch is a $15,000 couch and the other furniture is equal quality, the house is going to give a much different impression than if it's a $1,000 couch and salvaged stuff from Goodwill. A lot of people just don't have any imagination at all. That's why realtors advise putting new white towels in the bathroom; they give the impression of clean and the white doesn't bring the viewer's brain to a screeching halt.
I hate when I see pictures that I’ve obviously been manipulated. A toilet is never that wide, for example. The doorways are not that wide. Or everything is so light and bright. When my dad sold his house, I went online and looked at the photos and I did not even recognize parts of the house from the way the photos were taken.
@21:21 Hate those cheap builder grade light fixtures with the ball bulbs. Seeing those in a $600,000+ house is ridiculous. Our realtor from 10 yrs ago pointed that out in a new build and never forgot. A simple replacement.
I've bought and sold several homes and I must be the only person who prefers to view a place that is completely empty. I can inspect the condition of the floors and walls and cupboards much easier. I do not like the distraction of stuff that I am not bidding on. If I see a mat or rug, I always lift or roll it up because they are almost always hiding damage. Same with pictures on the walls. Give me an empty viewing any day. I am not stupid. I do not need staging to visual 'potential'.
Yeah whats perplexing the most is when people obviously spent A LOT of money for a wonderfull house in the past and then they take SOOOO crappy photos :O
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Some of these houses with old furniture and old bedspreads remind me of my grandparents. In these moments I feel like I can smell the photo. Today is another day when looking at such photos makes me sad. The photos smell of death and I feel like I would be clearing out my deceased grandparents' house again if I bought a house like that. Am I the only one who feels this way?
The other day, my daughter showed me pictures of a house in the small town that I’m going to list mine. The pictures were terrible! Paint colors were terrible! There was ugly shag carpet almost entirely throughout ( orange and yellow, even in the kitchen. The house was dirty. Dishes in the sink, dirty clothes everywhere. I wish you could see it! Positivity the worst I’ve ever seen! It included a second house on the property, that was a single wide, sitting in the weeds. Needed to be torched! 2 bedrooms, one bath, asking about $400, 000 more than I’ll be asking for a 3 bedroom, one and a half bath, tri-level. Mine is freshly painted, new flooring, new lighting, new hardware, new roof, etc. gosh I’d be sick if that one sold before mine. What are people thinking!!
We are in the process of buying a house under construction in another city. We’re not planning to put our current home on the market until I retire next year. We need to replace carpeting although it doesn’t have stains so that wouldn’t show up in pictures. Should we replace it before listing it or give a carpet allowance? We have carpet in the bedrooms only.
My biggest recommendation is to consult your agent. They know your market and what people are looking for. If you have the time and money, replacing the carpet will not hurt. If you would rather just give some money at closing, it would likely be okay as well. Thanks for watching!
@@pennystonks2838Two years ago we had all of the carpet removed from the upstairs bedrooms, we decided to refinish the downstairs at the same time. It was stressful during the process, but we’re so glad that we did it.
I understand what you mean especially for certain markets, but you can upgrade unless you are referring to solid hardwood and tile, which the former can be hard or at least very expensive to add to an existing home.
@@misterogers9423 It is solid hardwood. We saved up for at least five years (we don’t like debt). Having good quality hardwood instead of carpet is worth it to me. I understand that some people prefer carpet, and that’s fine for them. We all have different tastes.
Wow, there is a monogram on the window shade. No one wants to see a fixture bearing a previous owner’s monogram. Also, they forgot to sweep the leaves off the back patio before taking pics. That’s a high maintenance pool area! One other issue - this is a colonial house and the picture in the front hallway is southwest decor - looks very odd in this home.
My sister just sold a home in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The realtor took her own photos because she didn't want to hire a professional photographer. As you can imagine, not the best photos. And it took almost a week after the listing went live before the photos were uploaded. In spite of this, due to low inventory, they had an offer in a week $10k over asking. And the interior wasn't painted and had lots of spackled holes. Plus the house was empty of furniture because they had already moved. Probably a good thing the photos went up late. The buyers had already viewed the house by that time. Clearly, low inventory trumps. Hate wide angle photos. Really distorts room size. Also hate the photos that don't show the flow of the house. That third kitchen was definitely older. The exposed cabinet hinges and arched detail on the doors are dead giveaways.
I’m not moving anytime soon. Just moved to Albuquerque from Hoffman Estates IL 6 years ago. Like to keep up with real estate trends and find out who I can trust for future transactions. Would like names of agents with your vetting and expertise. Thank you!
Thanks for commenting! I have MANY connections I'd be happy to connect you with. Feel free to fill out this form and I will personally find an agent for you bit.ly/FindAnAgentCM
Have you ever painted over all that red? It takes 3-4 coats of Kills and then possibly a darker color….. i have done it - never again! Paint your house a nice neutral warmish white
I am willing to buy a bargain schitt hole but I am not paying for the DIY lux install with mismatching grout lines or a flip of what should have been refurbed... if it says refurb it a had better be refurb to OG not flipped
I love that brick flooring but I get it. I also kind of like an empty house when looking as long as I can tell what the room is for. But I’m a weirdo and looking through a house that looks occupied feels creepy to me. What I hate is when there’s a close up photo of someone’s flower arrangement. Why? I think people need to be careful that the photos make the rooms look as spacious as possible. I’m sure there’s a good TH-cam video on how to take these photos.
I love that brick floor, too. And looking at it empty is absolutely not a problem for me. If I were looking for a house in that price range, I would be so excited.
I also love that brick floor. Such character. It goes with the house. Not everything has to be the same tired “luxury vinyl plank”. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But I also resent it that HGTV has set the standard for homes now that all look alike with white white white, or grey grey grey everywhere, with no evidence of good design or even anything unique, handmade or with character.
Don't even get me started. I can't believe the pictures some realtors put on their listing. It's horrible. There's a house sitting in the market in our area for over 90 days. It's a nice house, priced well but the photos are a huge turn off. That realtor needs to be fired!
Unpolished potential vs upgrading. If you have access to subcontractors in your family, it seems like it might be better to upgrade. If you have to pay someone for labor, it's a different story. The trick is being as neutral as possible without being too trendy.
Why on earth do people & agents think it’s okay to list poor quality photos, bad lighting, no staging, dirt carpets etc?? Especially in expensive homes? Do they not care about getting top dollar? Are they desperate/ delusional? I honestly don’t get it!
You know, when you show all those photos side by side, what REALLY leaps out at me is clutter, fussy patterns and lack of clear surfaces or any sense of flow from one space to another. Sorry, but if I'm looking at your house, I don't want to see it stuffed with YOUR life. It's like I'm fighting to see thru everything to picture my own furniture there. I think ppl should enact your decluttering video BEFORE they get pictures done. Great vid as always. Love your clarity.
When we sold our house we used a family friend as our realtor. Mistake. He did not even specialize in my area. All he did was list the house, he took the pics and did not give us any notice or instructions, we had dishes piled in the dish drainer, no chance to declutter or depersonalize. Now that I have done lots of research helping my sons buy and sell a home, I know that realtor took advantage of the family friendship and gave us nothing of value for his commission. Next time we move we will be downsizing and we will prepare our home many months in advance and use a local realtor.
Thank you for commenting! Seems like you have prepared and want to be ready to sell! One of the most important things is to have a good relationship with your Realtor. They are there to help you and support you.
I laughed out loud at the mattress on the floor. That’s a really cool house that could be staged well.also all the random throw rugs are not looking good
I was looking for a house last year and found one that sounded good, until I saw the pictures. The people were very into pets and every room showed it. There was a litter box in every room. There were tanks with turtles, tanks with fish, an area in the basement for guinea pigs. There was also a lot of clutter. I could smell the stink just looking at the pictures. It was a great house, great price, great location. It had everything I was looking for. But no, just no.
What's the most unique or hard to find features that buyers actually want, but they are largely missing from the market? Or is the answer is that don't want unique or hard to find features for the most part? Assume top 1/3 of the market - maybe 30% over the median price for metroplex.
It is not necessarily a common desire, but when we were looking for a house 10 yrs ago, we needed a 3-car garage and double side gate for a flat trailer. Many garages are too small for large pickup trucks, and people end up parking cars outside, and junk is stored in the garages (Phoenix).☹️ For 2-story, there should always have a full bathroom and 1 bedroom downstairs imo. We compromised with a tandem garage (double and a single). The single was the minimum size and isn't long enough for many vehicles. Many double garages are way too small to accommodate 2 cars and also storage cabinets, which is a common design flaw. P.S. Many listing's omit the garage from pictures. I guess not everyone thinks it is important.
Great question! To be completely honest, it varies by the area but the biggest commonality is space. People want more and more space either at a price outside their range or in a location that does not offer it. But there are more niche things depending on the area!
@@KatiSpaniak Makes sense. Bigger lots/double lots, more finished square footage, larger garages, larger porches, larger covered patios, higher ceilings, larger basements, etc. Or just a good price per square footage for the area. Everything else is niche to a certain extent because space is flexible.
I think the realtor usually does it, unless the owner is selling it themselves. Probably in really high end, they hire a pro photographer. Probably the seller pays.
@@alyross2850zwhen my sister sold her house, the realtor took terrible photos, so she took her own. She has the eye. After she had her own photos put up, the house sold in two weeks for more than the asking price.
Typically, the listing agent pays for the photographer. For my team, we have strong relationships with a handful of photographers. We know who we like and what we like so we use our preferred photographers, pay for them, and have consistent, professional photos on all of our listings. Thanks for watching!
a local agent posted pics in a bathroom with a roll of toilet paper on the vanity and a dirty toilet and grungy bathroom. Obviously this guy won't be my agent
Oh no! Bathroom photos are tough but it is easy to do them well. Rule number one is to always close the toilet seat! It makes a HUGE difference! Rule two is to clean up clutter!! Thanks for watching!
You can and that's what "virtual" furniture is, it's basically photoshopped. The downside is when people show up, the house is now totally different than what the saw. Using photo editing to wipe out stains and brighten colors is even worse.
Most pics on real estate listings are terrible. Bad framing. Convey no information. Or worse, illustrate a problem. Too many repetitive photos. Is that the seller's problem? No, it's cheapskate reators who refuse to pay a pro photographer.
No matter what the price of my listing is, I ALWAYS use a professional photographer. They are the experts and have taken thousands of photos. Thanks for watching!
Fake it sounds like hide it, sweep under the rug. Lipstick on a pig. So many times the photos make the house way more beautiful than it is. It ticks me off to waste time going by/viewing properties where obvious detractors are glossed over or hidden. How about truth and honesty for a change. You realtors make way too much for what you do.
Great video, I have been watching your videos recently and I have a question for you. We just recently painted the inside of the house and I was wondering if it is ok to hang some pictures on the wall? I am hesitant because I don’t want to put new holes in the walls just to hang a few pictures. What do you think?
![Before & After Pictures of a Home After It Was Staged [How to Stage Your Home]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/G9yJmsaza_c/mqdefault.jpg)
*Need an Agent Anywhere in the Country?* ⭐ I will help find you the perfect agent to sell your home, For Free! Fill out this form and I’ll get researching! ⭐ bit.ly/FindAnAgentCM
The flip side is when the pics are fantastic but when you see it in person.....It a big let down. I prefer honesty in photos
Right, and what else are they dishonest about.
@@CBBC435 Exactly.
If I don’t see a lot of photos of the interior online it’s a red flag!
When we were buyers in 2012, we were Sooo thankful that the pics of the house we ended up buying were so bad. I think we benefitted from less competition between buyers. 😊 Pics were terrible, house is a GEM! Sad for the sellers though.
Who would've thought bad pics could be a blessing in disguise!
Years ago, I saw a home that was beautiful - but dirty. Smudged windows, greasy kitchen, dust on every surface, clouds of dog hair, piles of news papers, dead bugs on the floor, grungy bathrooms.... it was gross. I threw a low ball offer and got the house for $75k under the ask. That's a lot of money to leave on the table just for not cleaning your house. Great video!
Thank you!
Waiting for my third realtor to arrive, the last two gave me a listing price 120K apart from each other, so she will be the tie breaker! She also just sold the house around the corner for WAY more than I would have imagined, so she has the inside knowledge of who is looking in my neighborhood! Cannot wait to hear what she has to say!
Good luck!
@@KatiSpaniak keep us posted
Great! Let us know how it goes!
@@Miz-Newsy The third realtor was slightly over the first realtor, and I think the low ball realtor was trying to "steal" my house for a quick sale or she had a family member interested, but needless to say she will never be trusted or used by me!! In the end I chose to stay put, with interest rates being so high, my payment was going to go up significantly.
I began browsing photos of homes for sale in my area just for fun. Surprisingly, 90% of them don't look good.
Yep! It is crazy! Thanks for watching
When i sold my last house I had decluttered, fresh paint, good lighting, etc. It was looking fabulous. My realtor said it was staged really well. I was excited to see the listing when it went live. Oh my gosh. The puctures were so horrible i literally cried. I immediately called my realtor who said he would talk to the photographer and see if anything could be done. Then i never heard back. Luckily, i had multiple offers in 3 days even with the aweful photos.
Wow! That agent should have known they were bad!
When my husband and I were shopping I said no one house and my husband was exhausted looking and made me explain everything I disliked. I gave a laundry list of things about that one in particular. Unfortunately the market was bad and everything else was off the market so our agent encouraged us to go look at it. We fell in love with it and bought it immediately. It was the pictures that did it in, but it was beautiful in person. If we hadn’t been pushed because it was the last thing on the market we never would have found it.
I agree with you 100%. Most owners have pics (and even at the showings) that show way too much of their crap. Get a U-Haul and edit, edit, edit! Counters cleared, please!
I hate that the pictures misrepresent the size of spaces
Some of them are absolutely hilarious
Yeah we looked at a model home where we loved the pictures but inside it was clearly smaller than we were expecting.
Yes, I agree. Some photos you can tell it was a wide angle lens because it makes the rooms look really distorted.
Your channel is so much fun to watch. I know it annoys you when potential buyers comment, but I LOVE that first house with the brick entryway. So unique! Definitely poorly photographed and could have been staged. On that last photo, I think the house looks beautiful and I would definitely want to see it live. I'm not getting your critique of it. The kitchen looks clean, large, and beautiful with lovely white cabinets.
The house we bought 11 years ago on the west coast was sooooo poorly marketed that it sat on the market for a very long time, and the photos were so bad, they were laughable. It is a custom made home that did need some work and we've made in gorgeous! I am so grateful that we got a real bargain because we have had a $900,000 gain on it in 11 years.
Thanks for the comments!! I did like that home also! But the photos just were bad
One thing I learned when moving to a new community and looking at 40+ houses is that if you have ONE unique thing that stands out, it can be a really good thing. With mine, I noticed the family room with a custom carved cieling fan and built-in bar. And then when I went to sell my home, the buyer told me that it was the unique iron address sculpture that made her remember my house and she loved the aesthetic. Now putting in something unique can certainly work for or against you but at least it gets them to remember it! Maybe another video on this? :) Thanks for your expertise.
I assume it's a fixer-upper if there are no interior pictures.
Great examples of homes. They all would look so much better with good staging. It is unbelievable how much stuff people have in their homes, declutter!!
Isn’t it crazy?! I didn’t even look that hard!
I am in process of decluttering because I am thinking of going on the market, and it has opened my eyes to how much junk I buy and never use!!🤦♀
My parent’s realtor was absolutely terrible. She took the worst, incredibly dark photos of their home with her cell phone. She then told my parents that there wasn’t many showings because their home wasn’t modern enough. My parent’s home was immaculate and traditional but every square inch of it was updated. I told them you need to fire her if she doesn’t have professional photos taken. She also told them they needed to paint all of their trim and doors white. They were light oak but all brand new.
7:09 if you zoom in on the reflection you can see that they did, in fact, take the pictures with their cell phone. So you called it accurately.
Thank you! I appreciate you watching!
I have a new hobby: looking at home listings near me and "grading" the quality of the photos on the listing. Downgrades I have seen: Exterior photo that is out of season, a spare room office with 2 desks and for some reason 3 chairs (2 of which seemed to be randomly placed in the room), any pic where the camera person is shown in the reflection of a mirror, series of photos with dramatically different and poor lighting.
It’s fun. Right?
Your videos are so informative! I am not planning on selling or buying anytime soon but I find myself watching every minute...
Thank you so much! Hopefully when you are ready to move in the future, you are ready!
@@KatiSpaniak we just completely gutted and renovated our kitchen... so we've decided we are never moving. (knock on wood!) lol
My home sold the first day on the market and I made a 101% profit on it. I cleaned my home thoroughly and I staged it. I even got a storage unit and took everything off the walls and removed some of the furniture that was cluttering up the house. My realtor hired a very good photographer who took beautiful photos. Did I also mention I had a 5 way biddng war also?
As an occupied-home stager, I LOVE your videos! I too cringe when I look at the horrible photos online that agents post, as well as rooms that could have looked SO good had they had a staging consultation or staging day to get them ready for the photos. Sellers need to better understand that they need to see the house from the buyers' point of view, and your videos and a good stager can do that!
I go onto Google maps and look around the neighborhood. Ive seen the house that looked alright in the listing looking totally trashed on Google maps and the neighborhood looking run down.
Five years ago my realtor took pictures of our home that were do bad, I hired a professional photographer and my home photographed like a model home. Within a week it was sold. When we closed she never even reimbursed me and she made a commission on the home we sold and the one we bought. Talk about greedy.
Wow! Thats terrible!
Great video and info...wonderful that your daughter is working with you 🎉❤
I love these videos! Great information.
Glad you like them!
I hate those stretched out looking pictures, when the refrigerator looks all wide and squatty!
Me too! Thanks for commenting!
Great video! What I notice in a lot of photos is it looks as though the belongings are for sale rather than the house.
That’s a great point!
An agent is only as good as their good sense, people skills, experience, contacts, negotiation skills, and follow through.
YOU are one of the GREATS.
BTW a good set of quality photos posted digitally is *only* about $800.
My Realtor rolled it into HER costs.
We were ready to buy a house, the online photos were great! It looked clean, it looked like an HGTV house from pictures.
We went to the house, it was grimy, dusty, but more importantly from the time we walked through the door until we left- it felt like we were being watched, there was an oppressive feeling throughout, creepy vibes, the realtor was saying its not going to be on the markwt long, i have 4 more viewings scheduled.
I barely commented about anything, after we left i told my husband NO. It stayed on the market for months- turns out there was a home invasion with 3 murders!! I will never buy a house without walking through it!
Such great advice & insights Katie.
Thank you so much!
Great real estate photographers will move items to present the best photos. They will close toilet lids, move shampoo bottles and make sure trash cans are out of the shot. But they cannot move a bunch of stuff. You have to declutter first. You will be moving anyways, so get rid of stuff in advance or store it.
Think of model homes. People will fall in love with a model home because of the staging and the lack of clutter. A new home may be smaller and lack the lot size or finished landscape but the model the buyer looked at causes an emotion based purchase.
Decluttering is key to presenting your home in the best light for potential buyers.
I’d rather see an empty house than one with crappy furniture and clutter
Stunning videos! Loved it!
Thank you!
As an investor I love homes like the pink house. These sellers end up desperate and as a buyer, you can get the best price.
As a RE photographer, just wanted to point out the owners should work with their realtor to stage and prep the home to be ready for the photographer. Homeowner should remove the hooks, spot clean the carpet, add some area rugs, etc. And-invest in a professional photographer (which this listing did NOT do). A pro photographer will have level photos with squared verticals, same color lighting, and close up, in focus, well-lit photos of counter tops, etc. In kitchens and baths.
Yep! Thx!!!
It’s not just the sheets. Wash your comforter.
Clean the floor.
Air the room.
Also, move the furniture back from the doorways and windows. IRL it might be fine but, in photos (because of the angles), it looks like the furniture is hanging into the woodwork and goes out into the path.
Years ago when online listings were just getting popular we sold a house. I'm not sure if my husband let the realtor in or what but in the online pics she had my laundry basket sitting there. Fortunately it was clean laundry. I was not amused. But the house sold quickly despite her terrible pictures.
I have seen this SO many times. A member of my time always accompanies the photographer and arrives early to avoid anything like this from happening. Not only for the clean and neatness in the buyers eyes, but for the seller. Glad you sold!
Thank you for your advice. Made me think and came with a beautiful new kitchen. Would have never happened without your input
Oh! I love to hear that!!
As a buyer, I won’t even ask about a house if all they have is one picture. It makes me feel like they’re hiding something.
I also look at the price history and it makes me sick when I see that it sold for half the price 2 years ago. Or a tenth of the price 10 years ago. I want to go back in time and buy it for “cheap.”
You are not alone! I completely understand and it is very important to be skeptical. Buying a home is one of the largest purchases in your life and it is important to look closely. Thanks for watching!
This was really well done. Great advice
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, I have been watching your videos recently and I have a question for you. We just recently painted the inside of the house and I was wondering if it is ok to hang some pictures on the wall? I am hesitant because I don’t want to put new holes in the walls just to hang a few pictures. What do you think?
Thank you so much for explaining what the bad pictures can do. As a professional real estate photographer I am tired to see and explain to agents that they are hurting not only sellers but themselves too. I would never pick the agent if she has pictures like that. (Looking for buyer side and maybe recommendations on agents in Denver for myself). Thanks again. Your video are awesome!!! Lena
Hi Lena! Thank you so much for commenting! I am so glad my videos are helpful for you and your work. If you are looking for an agent, feel free to use this link to find an agent! bit.ly/FindAnAgentCM
sorry , but brick tile is great for dirty & muddy feet - you should see the listings I see in Wyoming (so many have pool tables in the basements that the sellers are leaving w/ house ....or filled w/ over whelming decor - when the house is crammed full of stuff especially w/ messy teenage boy room , I have to wonder if they are really wanting to sell the house ) - leaves on the ground make me think the yard hasn't been maintained ....most houses I see will have a listing period of less than 3 months but I 've seen the same houses listed for the 3 + years I've been looking for houses in that area (just something I've noticed online)
This was excellent video.
Thanks!!
What do you think about digital staging? I've been noticing more and more online listings have digital staging.
Looks so fake and then the potential buyers feel duped when they see it in person
I rarely use digital/virtual staging on my listings. The only time I really use it is when a client asks. I prefer to do staging with a company in the area. Mostly to have the photos reflect what appears in the home. Thanks for commenting!
Yes, Kati, This video was really informative! Thanks for your advice! I LOL’d when you were talking about the smell of dorm rooms with dirty sheets!
Is it the listing realtor who takes the pictures with their digital camera? What if the pictures are bad? Or do some agents get a professional photographer to take them? In that case, is that cost usually paid by the listing agent as a marketing expense?
Most agents will hire a photographer
@@KatiSpaniak Thank you
Let's see if we are gumshoes. Its 100K+ shy of a million dollar house in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Warren County's median cost of homes is about a third of that. It looks like it was purchased the year before the pandemic, and then sold about a year ago. It looks like someone intended to flip the house while living in it (or someone was living there while doing high-paying remote work, and had to return to work) and so that is why you just have the beds and kitchen table.
Hopefully experienced buyers look beyond peoples furniture and furnishings. And see the size of rooms or the potential. I know though when we were looking at very similar houses by daughters favored the house that had nicer furniture so pretty sure inexperienced buyers may get stuck on furnishings rather than what they can do with the home.
A lot of people want the instant gratification of moving into the dream home, not making the dream home. Many who are willing to put in the elbow grease can't afford to in this economy with the cost of materials through the roof. Not even getting into the home prices being ridiculous. 20 years ago, you could get into a starter home for under $100k. 7 years ago, you could get into a starter home for $150. Right now, a starter home is going for $300+. Paychecks haven't caught up with inflation (they won't) and with a mortgage now costing 40%+ of someone's income, and their bills, gas, and groceries taking up the other 50-60%, there's just no room left in the budget to see a home's "potential." The house that's closest to selling the ideal image wins.
@@allalala9916I thought what she saying was that a lot of buyers can't see past the couch, beds, pictures on the wall, etc. They can't look past that stuff to look at the house itself. I think that's very true. If the couch is a $15,000 couch and the other furniture is equal quality, the house is going to give a much different impression than if it's a $1,000 couch and salvaged stuff from Goodwill. A lot of people just don't have any imagination at all. That's why realtors advise putting new white towels in the bathroom; they give the impression of clean and the white doesn't bring the viewer's brain to a screeching halt.
@@terriblejustawful2825She said "furniture." She wasn't talking about the flooring or repair projects.
I hate when I see pictures that I’ve obviously been manipulated. A toilet is never that wide, for example. The doorways are not that wide. Or everything is so light and bright. When my dad sold his house, I went online and looked at the photos and I did not even recognize parts of the house from the way the photos were taken.
Good video I know what not to do as a agent once I get my first listing. I like seeing examples.
Perfect! Love to hear this!
@21:21 Hate those cheap builder grade light fixtures with the ball bulbs. Seeing those in a $600,000+ house is ridiculous. Our realtor from 10 yrs ago pointed that out in a new build and never forgot. A simple replacement.
Yeah, those basic light fixtures need to go! It's time for an upgrade that matches the value of the house.
I've bought and sold several homes and I must be the only person who prefers to view a place that is completely empty. I can inspect the condition of the floors and walls and cupboards much easier. I do not like the distraction of stuff that I am not bidding on. If I see a mat or rug, I always lift or roll it up because they are almost always hiding damage. Same with pictures on the walls. Give me an empty viewing any day. I am not stupid. I do not need staging to visual 'potential'.
Wow, I really liked the floor!!!! 😂
Yeah whats perplexing the most is when people obviously spent A LOT of money for a wonderfull house in the past and then they take SOOOO crappy photos :O
Wow, gorgeous home. I'm in Seattle, that home would sell at that price point over asking in one day. 😂
What are your thoughts about virtual staging?
I don’t love it
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Some of these houses with old furniture and old bedspreads remind me of my grandparents. In these moments I feel like I can smell the photo. Today is another day when looking at such photos makes me sad. The photos smell of death and I feel like I would be clearing out my deceased grandparents' house again if I bought a house like that.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
Estate sales are sad too
The other day, my daughter showed me pictures of a house in the small town that I’m going to list mine. The pictures were terrible! Paint colors were terrible! There was ugly shag carpet almost entirely throughout ( orange and yellow, even in the kitchen. The house was dirty. Dishes in the sink, dirty clothes everywhere. I wish you could see it! Positivity the worst I’ve ever seen! It included a second house on the property, that was a single wide, sitting in the weeds. Needed to be torched! 2 bedrooms, one bath, asking about $400, 000 more than I’ll be asking for a 3 bedroom, one and a half bath, tri-level. Mine is freshly painted, new flooring, new lighting, new hardware, new roof, etc. gosh I’d be sick if that one sold before mine. What are people thinking!!
Wow, that sounds like a wild real estate story! Good luck with your listing, you've definitely put in the work to make it shine.
We are in the process of buying a house under construction in another city. We’re not planning to put our current home on the market until I retire next year. We need to replace carpeting although it doesn’t have stains so that wouldn’t show up in pictures. Should we replace it before listing it or give a carpet allowance? We have carpet in the bedrooms only.
My biggest recommendation is to consult your agent. They know your market and what people are looking for. If you have the time and money, replacing the carpet will not hurt. If you would rather just give some money at closing, it would likely be okay as well. Thanks for watching!
When I look online, if I see carpet I tend to move on to the next listing.
We have hardwood and tile throughout our home. Zero carpet.
We have new carpets in just the bedrooms but once they need replacing will go for hardwood - we never want carpet again
@@pennystonks2838Two years ago we had all of the carpet removed from the upstairs bedrooms, we decided to refinish the downstairs at the same time.
It was stressful during the process, but we’re so glad that we did it.
I understand what you mean especially for certain markets, but you can upgrade unless you are referring to solid hardwood and tile, which the former can be hard or at least very expensive to add to an existing home.
@@misterogers9423 It is solid hardwood. We saved up for at least five years (we don’t like debt). Having good quality hardwood instead of carpet is worth it to me.
I understand that some people prefer carpet, and that’s fine for them. We all have different tastes.
Wow, there is a monogram on the window shade. No one wants to see a fixture bearing a previous owner’s monogram. Also, they forgot to sweep the
leaves off the back patio before taking pics. That’s a high maintenance pool area! One other issue - this is a colonial house and the picture in the front hallway is southwest decor - looks very odd in this home.
Funny that in my neighborhood there are several pink houses and I even have two on my street.
If a beige color has a red undertone, the paint can fade and look kind of pink.
@@kbaz6658 yes I have seen it happen.
My sister just sold a home in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The realtor took her own photos because she didn't want to hire a professional photographer. As you can imagine, not the best photos. And it took almost a week after the listing went live before the photos were uploaded. In spite of this, due to low inventory, they had an offer in a week $10k over asking. And the interior wasn't painted and had lots of spackled holes. Plus the house was empty of furniture because they had already moved. Probably a good thing the photos went up late. The buyers had already viewed the house by that time. Clearly, low inventory trumps. Hate wide angle photos. Really distorts room size. Also hate the photos that don't show the flow of the house. That third kitchen was definitely older. The exposed cabinet hinges and arched detail on the doors are dead giveaways.
It's amazing how sometimes the market conditions can overshadow other aspects of a home sale!
Good location. Thats hilarious. If its bad what are you supposed to do exactly????????
They are called "LANDSCAPE" (horizontal) and "PORTRAIT" (vertical) pictures.
I’m not moving anytime soon. Just moved to Albuquerque from Hoffman Estates IL 6 years ago. Like to keep up with real estate trends and find out who I can trust for future transactions. Would like names of agents with your vetting and expertise. Thank you!
Thanks for commenting! I have MANY connections I'd be happy to connect you with. Feel free to fill out this form and I will personally find an agent for you bit.ly/FindAnAgentCM
Have you ever painted over all that red? It takes 3-4 coats of Kills and then possibly a darker color….. i have done it - never again! Paint your house a nice neutral warmish white
I am willing to buy a bargain schitt hole but I am not paying for the DIY lux install with mismatching grout lines or a flip of what should have been refurbed... if it says refurb it a had better be refurb to OG not flipped
What is refurb to OG?
@@edennis8578 og original or historically accurate
I love that brick flooring but I get it. I also kind of like an empty house when looking as long as I can tell what the room is for. But I’m a weirdo and looking through a house that looks occupied feels creepy to me.
What I hate is when there’s a close up photo of someone’s flower arrangement. Why? I think people need to be careful that the photos make the rooms look as spacious as possible. I’m sure there’s a good TH-cam video on how to take these photos.
I love that brick floor, too. And looking at it empty is absolutely not a problem for me. If I were looking for a house in that price range, I would be so excited.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! It's always interesting to hear different perspectives on what makes a house feel inviting.
I also love that brick floor. Such character. It goes with the house. Not everything has to be the same tired “luxury vinyl plank”. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But I also resent it that HGTV has set the standard for homes now that all look alike with white white white, or grey grey grey everywhere, with no evidence of good design or even anything unique, handmade or with character.
I don't understand the "the location has to be good" - huh?????? How can you fix your location?
Don't even get me started. I can't believe the pictures some realtors put on their listing. It's horrible. There's a house sitting in the market in our area for over 90 days. It's a nice house, priced well but the photos are a huge turn off. That realtor needs to be fired!
Unpolished potential vs upgrading. If you have access to subcontractors in your family, it seems like it might be better to upgrade. If you have to pay someone for labor, it's a different story. The trick is being as neutral as possible without being too trendy.
Last house has gray walls and brown wood floors. Wrong paint choice for sure!
Haha, I guess not everyone is a fan of the gray and brown combo!
That first house looked to have way more than a house; seemed like a lot of land came with it. That didn't show in the photographs.
When the main picture is of an interior room or an outside feature I already know there is no curbside appeal!
Yep! Curb appeal does matter. Thanks for watching!
Why on earth do people & agents think it’s okay to list poor quality photos, bad lighting, no staging, dirt carpets etc?? Especially in expensive homes? Do they not care about getting top dollar? Are they desperate/ delusional? I honestly don’t get it!
Right? It's mind-boggling how some listings don't put in the effort for top dollar. Gotta step up the game!
I think some agents are either lazy or afraid to be honest and tell the seller to clean out their crap.
Value established by recent sale - why pay more
You know, when you show all those photos side by side, what REALLY leaps out at me is clutter, fussy patterns and lack of clear surfaces or any sense of flow from one space to another. Sorry, but if I'm looking at your house, I don't want to see it stuffed with YOUR life. It's like I'm fighting to see thru everything to picture my own furniture there. I think ppl should enact your decluttering video BEFORE they get pictures done. Great vid as always. Love your clarity.
I get the not needed photos😂
katie your so smart I think you should get 20 0/0 commission plus you make rymes
Oh. You’re back. 🙄
When we sold our house we used a family friend as our realtor.
Mistake. He did not even specialize in my area.
All he did was list the house, he took the pics and did not give us any notice or instructions, we had dishes piled in the dish drainer, no chance to declutter or depersonalize. Now that I have done lots of research helping my sons buy and sell a home, I know that realtor took advantage of the family friendship and gave us nothing of value for his commission. Next time we move we will be downsizing and we will prepare our home many months in advance and use a local realtor.
Never use family or friends, will not end up well unless they are an excellent realtor. Just tell them you don’t mix business with family/friendships
Thank you for commenting! Seems like you have prepared and want to be ready to sell! One of the most important things is to have a good relationship with your Realtor. They are there to help you and support you.
I laughed out loud at the mattress on the floor. That’s a really cool house that could be staged well.also all the random throw rugs are not looking good
LOL, I know right?
Taking some pictures of my home today lol
I was looking for a house last year and found one that sounded good, until I saw the pictures. The people were very into pets and every room showed it. There was a litter box in every room. There were tanks with turtles, tanks with fish, an area in the basement for guinea pigs. There was also a lot of clutter. I could smell the stink just looking at the pictures. It was a great house, great price, great location. It had everything I was looking for. But no, just no.
Gross! 🤢
What about the popcorn ceilings in the pink house?
Yeah. Bad
What's the most unique or hard to find features that buyers actually want, but they are largely missing from the market? Or is the answer is that don't want unique or hard to find features for the most part? Assume top 1/3 of the market - maybe 30% over the median price for metroplex.
It is not necessarily a common desire, but when we were looking for a house 10 yrs ago, we needed a 3-car garage and double side gate for a flat trailer. Many garages are too small for large pickup trucks, and people end up parking cars outside, and junk is stored in the garages (Phoenix).☹️ For 2-story, there should always have a full bathroom and 1 bedroom downstairs imo. We compromised with a tandem garage (double and a single). The single was the minimum size and isn't long enough for many vehicles. Many double garages are way too small to accommodate 2 cars and also storage cabinets, which is a common design flaw.
P.S. Many listing's omit the garage from pictures. I guess not everyone thinks it is important.
Great question! To be completely honest, it varies by the area but the biggest commonality is space. People want more and more space either at a price outside their range or in a location that does not offer it. But there are more niche things depending on the area!
@@KatiSpaniak Makes sense. Bigger lots/double lots, more finished square footage, larger garages, larger porches, larger covered patios, higher ceilings, larger basements, etc.
Or just a good price per square footage for the area.
Everything else is niche to a certain extent because space is flexible.
Who pays the photographer for the listing?
I think the realtor usually does it, unless the owner is selling it themselves. Probably in really high end, they hire a pro photographer. Probably the seller pays.
@@alyross2850zwhen my sister sold her house, the realtor took terrible photos, so she took her own. She has the eye. After she had her own photos put up, the house sold in two weeks for more than the asking price.
Typically, the listing agent pays for the photographer. For my team, we have strong relationships with a handful of photographers. We know who we like and what we like so we use our preferred photographers, pay for them, and have consistent, professional photos on all of our listings. Thanks for watching!
46 of 91 looks like a homeless flop house room lol
a local agent posted pics in a bathroom with a roll of toilet paper on the vanity and a dirty toilet and grungy bathroom. Obviously this guy won't be my agent
Oh no! Bathroom photos are tough but it is easy to do them well. Rule number one is to always close the toilet seat! It makes a HUGE difference! Rule two is to clean up clutter!! Thanks for watching!
How about the bugs in the fan globe at about 21:14!! Gross!!
Show something good!!!!!!
FAKING IT?
Are YOU KIDDING?
Didn’t anyone teach you that “FAKING IT” means lying and being DISHONEST?
Why can't you use AI to stage houses?
Because it looks fake.
You can and that's what "virtual" furniture is, it's basically photoshopped. The downside is when people show up, the house is now totally different than what the saw. Using photo editing to wipe out stains and brighten colors is even worse.
Most pics on real estate listings are terrible. Bad framing. Convey no information. Or worse, illustrate a problem. Too many repetitive photos. Is that the seller's problem? No, it's cheapskate reators who refuse to pay a pro photographer.
No matter what the price of my listing is, I ALWAYS use a professional photographer. They are the experts and have taken thousands of photos. Thanks for watching!
Fake it sounds like hide it, sweep under the rug. Lipstick on a pig. So many times the photos make the house way more beautiful than it is. It ticks me off to waste time going by/viewing properties where obvious detractors are glossed over or hidden. How about truth and honesty for a change. You realtors make way too much for what you do.
Stick the junk in your trunk
Great video, I have been watching your videos recently and I have a question for you. We just recently painted the inside of the house and I was wondering if it is ok to hang some pictures on the wall? I am hesitant because I don’t want to put new holes in the walls just to hang a few pictures. What do you think?
Yes you can!