If you are preparing to sell your home, do not underestimate the value of your listing photos. First impressions matter, and your listing photos can make or break your home’s selling potential. It’s no secret that almost every buyer in today’s market begins their search for a home online. Therefore, your listing photos (for better or worse) will provide a potential buyer with a glimpse of your home. Unfortunately, if a buyer isn’t impressed with your photos, they're likely not going to be stepping foot inside your home for a showing. If you want to attract buyers to your home, follow these tips for making the most of your listing photos.

1. Choose the Best Day and Time to Shoot

Believe it or not, the weather can significantly impact your ability to get great photographs. For example, photographing your home on a cloudy day isn’t nearly as effective as showcasing that bright blue sky in the background. Likewise, it is best to schedule photos for midday in order to capture your home’s natural light. Be mindful of the position of the sun in order to avoid shadows and get photos that best illuminate the property.

2. Let in the Light

Light and bright is the way to go when it comes to real estate photography. Highlight your home’s features by letting in plenty of natural light. Wash your windows, and leave curtains and blinds open so light can flow through. If you have dark curtains, replace them with sheer ones so more light comes in. Finally, turn on lights and lamps to illuminate the room even more.

3. Leave Doors Open Between Rooms

You want viewers to gain as much insight about your home’s layout as possible. By leaving the doors open between rooms, you allow viewers to see how all the rooms connect. It also makes the rooms appear larger and brighter.

4. Stage the Home for Photos

Unmade beds, messy kitchens, and cluttered playrooms don’t photograph well. To make your listing photos stand out, it’s important to make sure the home is well staged. Tidy up each room, rearrange furniture, reduce clutter, and remove personal photos and collectibles. Add fresh flowers, paint rooms a neutral color, and set the dining room table. All of these touches will make the space appear welcoming yet neutral to potential buyers.

5. Shoot from the Corner

It is impossible to capture an entire room in one shot, whether it is a small bathroom or a large family room. In order to get as much of the room as possible in the shot, it is recommended to take the photo from the corner of the room. Not only will this capture more of the space, but it will also make the room appear larger.

6. Take Photos from Chest Height

You want potential buyers to feel as though they are walking through the home when they view your listing photos. Therefore, take photos at chest height so you can give viewers the most accurate perspective.

7. Take Exterior Photos at an Angle

When photographing the exterior of a home, you want the photographer to be positioned at an angle, allowing you to showcase both the front of the home as well as the depth. An angled shot gives viewers a better feel for the size of the home.

8. Avoid Large Objects in the Foreground

A beautiful shot can be ruined with a giant coach, bookshelf, or chair in the way. You want to keep spaces wide open in order to capture the most appealing images. You don’t want viewers distracted by a large plant, piece of furniture, or other object in the middle of the photograph.