How To Prepare a Kitchen for Professional Real Estate Photography

Every room in a house is important when it goes to market. Poor lighting, peeling paint, and clutter all detract from the appeal of a property, whether in the living room, bedrooms, or laundry. So, it is important to make sure each area is prepped properly for showing – and for the camera lens. For many agents, sitting atop the list of rooms that make for the most impact is the kitchen. 

Quality, visually-appealing photographs of the kitchen in any listing or other advertisement are essential when you want to sell a home quickly and at top dollar. Unfortunately, too many listings are filled with quick-and-dirty cell phone pics that do not do the home any justice.

Today more than ever, whether you choose to hire a professional real estate photography service to capture images of your listings or prefer to take photos yourself, you might want to consider a few important keys to preparing a kitchen for pictures.

Definition in the digital age

Face it, times have changed. Photography is not what it once was. There was a time when every shot was taken with a film camera and every picture developed in a darkroom. Some seasoned agents will remember that those photographs allowed for some wiggle room. The resolution on a really good camera might have been amazing, but once a picture was taken, what you saw was what you got.

In this digital age, where cameras capture images with incredible precision (the Matterport Pro2 3D camera boasts an astounding 134 megapixels) and every megapixel can be magnified many times, the subject – cupboards and countertops, sinks and stoves – is worth careful consideration. Requires consideration.

Advances in technology have brought the real estate market more than just amazing photo quality (and simplicity), but also the ability to view those images in a myriad of ways. Any picture you post online – to your website , in an email, through social media – can be, will be, viewed with scrutiny as potential buyers zoom in to see the details in every corner and on every shelf.

Those advances reach beyond the still photography you use. It also includes 3D tours where buyers can virtually walk through every room in a house, look around, take measurements, and observe fine details. There is no hiding clutter, cats, or dirty dishes. A virtual showcase acts as a round-the-clock open house where visitors can stay for hours. When that is the case, the kitchen needs to be carefully cleaned and prepped for photography.

The technology does not stop there. Companies like Matterport have taken digital photography to a new level, producing the digital twin of a property. Consumers are increasingly enamoured with virtual reality experiences; some real estate virtual tours are now VR compatible . The elevated ability inside a virtual world can give remote buyers a realistic sense of the space – and a closer look at the kitchen.

Redefined marketing in the era of social distancing

Studies show that ninety percent of real estate buyers begin their property search online. That means the pictures of the kitchen need to capture their imaginations and be capable of standing up to scrutiny when viewed up close and personal, zoomed in.

The need for high quality advertising materials – especially digital ones – has only grown as people have been prone to staying home and staying apart because of the coronavirus pandemic . Any agent who wants to stay at the top of their game at a time when in-person showings have decreased understands that every marketing effort needs to be top-notch to compete.

Fortunately, agents have been adapting among coronavirus concerns. Not surprisingly, marketing tools like 3D tours have helped to fill the void. After all, listings with 3D tours are said to sell faster and at a higher price than those without, a reason that they are loved by buyers, sellers, and agents alike.

Don’t forget the power of print advertising

Of course, the heightened interest and availability of digital marketing tools has not done away with tried and true print advertising strategies . In this hyper-digitized world, the printed page is often both a comforting relief and a trusted source.

Print products, like postcards or brochures , serve to separate your message from the digital crowd. They leave a lasting impression on your customers, and they provide a tactile experience that no tool – not even VR – can compare to. Print advertising also gives a pretty good bang for your buck, a solid return on investment.

But for print advertisements to be effective, truly effective, the photography should be first-rate. That only happens when the subject is sound. A picture is only as good as, well, you get it.

Preparing the kitchen for professional pictures

Getting a kitchen ready for a photo shoot, even one with your iPhone , is about getting the details right. Here are some thoughts about prepping the kitchen for your next shoot.

None of these ideas is meant to be an astounding revelation or secret to success. They are simple reminders in a hurried and hectic world. The details matter, so re-focusing on the details is worth the effort. The next time you set up a photo shoot of a kitchen, remember these suggestions and see if they do not net a professional result worthy of the front page of a magazine.

The post How To Prepare a Kitchen for Professional Real Estate Photography appeared first on Hometrack Real Estate Marketing .