If you have ever had any conversation about selling your home, you have probably already heard the term "curb appeal".
Put simply, this term describes how attractive a property looks from the outside, especially to those who are just passing by.
It is all about first impressions, which are often the most important impressions when it comes to selling a house fast and for the right price.
As we come to the end of the U.S. real estate boom and prices begin to deflate, it is becoming more important to market your home in a way that sets you apart from the competition. The key to this is using the photography in your listing in a way that emphasizes curb appeal.
Keep reading to find out why this matters, and how you can get it right.
The Psychology of Curb Appeal
First, it's worth breaking down why curb appeal is accepted as such a truism in real estate. A lot of it comes down to psychology. Repeated studies over the years have shown the existence of a so-called "halo effect”, or the power of a good first impression.
While the science is somewhat complicated and up for debate, there is a wide agreement that first impressions matter, and will dictate a person's perception of everything that comes after.
This also applies to real estate. The first thing a person usually sees when looking at a house is, of course, the exterior. For example, the trimmings, the architecture, the front yard, and the driveway.
All of these are what form a person's gut reaction to a house and help them decide if they want to see what's inside. This means that, if we believe the psychologists, it is essential to make sure that your home makes the best possible first impression.
First impressions are the best way to convince those who stumble upon your listing photos to keep on scrolling through them.
The Rise of Digital Curb Appeal
Curb appeal has been an established concept for decades now. However, what is still less discussed is the rising importance of digital curb appeal. After all, the vast majority of homebuyers find out about listings via online platforms.
They will often have push notifications informing them whenever a home matching their requirements pops up on a particular realtor's website.
From here, they will scroll through photos to see if the house appeals to them. Oftentimes, if the buyer is not captivated after viewing the first three or four photos, they will simply close the tab and move on.
These first few photos are essential to converting visitors to your listing page into genuine leads. This is what digital curb appeal is all about.
It is the art of using photography and photography placement online to pull a viewer in and tell a captivating story about a home that helps the viewer imagine themself living there. We'll get into the essentials of good digital curb appeal later.
The Essentials of Curb Appeal
First, let's get into the basics of curb appeal. By this, we mean the features that you should focus on that will dramatically boost the curb appeal of your home and attract serious buyers. These are:
Exterior Conditions
This simply means the condition of the outside of your home. It means clean gutters, freshly painted exterior walls, gleaming windows, and chimneys that are not about to crumble.
These are often the most obvious starting points for sellers and the easiest to address.
Driveway and Landscaping
This encompasses both practical and emotional curb appeal. On the practical side, potential buyers might want to see a driveway with enough space for their cars, or one that is safe enough for children to play near.
For landscaping, people want to see pristine lawns, thoughtful plant features, and any touches that add a hint of luxury.
Trimmings and Fixtures
Did you know that adding the right doors and window frames to your home can increase the "perceived value" of the property by thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars?
These are the eyes of the property, which have a powerful impact on the overall aesthetic vibe, and thus the curb appeal.
Architecture
Speaking of aesthetics, the architecture of a property is often the most powerful indicator of curb appeal. There is sometimes little you can do to influence this. Architecture preferences are subject to ever-changing fashions and trends.
This means that someone selling a Victorian or a Cape Cod will be at a disadvantage if Mid-Century Modern is all the rage. However, you can try to write your listing in a way that emphasizes architectural uniqueness or highlights.
Your Bottom Line Depends On Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is not just about selling your house quickly. It has a direct and powerful impact on your bottom line. Academic studies on curb appeal have shown that even minor investments can increase the sale price by 7% or more.
Let's say you have a home valued at $500,000. By investing, say, $5000 in upgrading your curb appeal, you could add an additional $35,000 to your sale price.
In a world where first impressions matter more than anything, focusing on curb appeal is often an investment priority for serious sellers.
Preparing Your Home
We've already discussed what you can do to enhance curb appeal in general. But what about curb appeal for your real estate photography?
As discussed, this is what we mean by digital curb appeal. It means preparing your home and getting photos that make the best first impression online.
This means preparing your home inside and out. If you have stunning interiors, these could be the first photos to show up on your listing.
In this way, digital curb appeal can often be about what is inside your home, rather than outside. It's about finding the very best features and photos of your home and using these as your top asset.
Some of the most important ways to prepare your home for effective real estate photography include:
- Hire an experienced real estate photographer.
- Hire a professional home stager.
- Consider hiring an interior designer.
- Hire professional cleaning for your entire home.
- Arrange for exterior cleaning.
- Fix any faults in your home.
- Consult with a realtor to identify your best assets.
- Hire a landscaper.
If this all sounds expensive, there are plenty of things you can do yourself if you have the time. You can power wash your exteriors, deep clean your kitchen, and try your hand at interior decorating to make your listing photos truly pop.
Of course, it's also worth remembering that all of these are investments that could increase the resale price of your home substantially.
Real Estate Photography Tips
Whether you hire a professional or want to take your real estate photography into your own hands, there are some essential tips and tricks that you should follow to enhance digital curb appeal. These are:
- Always use natural light.
- Use a high-quality digital camera.
- Always balance the camera on a tripod.
- Compile a full "shot list" of everywhere to be photographed.
- Clear out all the mess and obstructions from the scene.
- Take as many photos as possible.
- Take photos at different times of the day.
- Use aerial photography for 360° images of your home.
While your photos should be as extensive as possible, you do not need to photograph every single corner of your home.
We highly recommend consulting with a realtor to find out which parts of your home best deserve to be photographed and published on your listing.
This will allow you to get more bang for your buck and ensure that your photography aids your digital curb appeal.
Prepare Your Digital Listing
Once you have all of the photos that you think will tell a great story about your home, it's time to compile your digital listing.
Again, this is a job best left to professional realtors, who will know where to publish and how best to curate your real estate photography. When they do this, these are the important tasks they will usually focus on:
- Use good SEO (search engine optimization) to boost your reach.
- Write a compelling house description.
- Curate the photos in an attention-grabbing way.
- List the most appealing details at the top of the listing.
Creating a compelling real estate listing requires a lot of effort, but it is nearly always worth it.
Boost Your Curb Appeal with Hommati
Real estate photography is just one key ingredient for perfect curb appeal. By trusting the experts, you can make sure your listing attracts the perfect buyers for your home.
Most importantly, investing in your curb appeal boosts your chances of getting the price that you deserve. For all of this, we are here to help.
At Hommati, we have extensive experience in preparing homes and putting together pitch-perfect online listings. Our agents offer aerial drone photography, 3D digital tours, floorplans, virtual enhancements, and more.
To find out how we can help you boost digital curb appeal and sell your home, do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly and professional team today.