The Importance of Creating a Good First Impression Online

Curb appeal traditionally refers to how a home appears from the street. Today, with more than 90 percent of buyers shopping online, the curb is most often a virtual one. Online, McAllen area real estate has only seconds to grab attention before a viewer moves on to the next home; there are no do-over’s for first impressions.

“Buyers are looking for homes to eliminate. Online photos are the one thing you can’t afford to do wrong,” says Thomas Holmes, owner of Staging Homes in Wayland, Mass.

First impressions online can launch a home to thousands of potential buyers or turn off an equal number. It may be the best house in town and everyone who sees it will fall in love with it, but that’s all irrelevant if the consumer never makes it to the front door because they are discouraged by the photos.

Grainy images, rooms that are not camera-ready, limited information about the property won’t do the job. To create high-quality photos of Rio Grande Valley listings, hire Photograph RGV. With thousands of dollars in equipment, our wide-angle lenses can not only capture more of the room, but also convey the proportion of the space.

Be selective about what is shown online. Although most experts suggest using a lot of images, they also caution that rooms such as additional bathrooms don’t add to the overall impact unless they are exceptional. Make sure images are oriented so the focal point and the best aspects of the space are highlighted.

Most important, hold off on photos until the house is ready for its market debut. Real-estate agents tend to take exterior pictures when they first visit the house. Often these images end up as part of the listing online and are the first thing potential buyers see. Owners need to ensure exterior shots reflect the home at its best after the front entry has been staged. Also, pay attention to cars, trash cans and toys that might end up in the shot.

Whether you use still photos, videos or virtual tours, how a property is presented is as critical as the quality of the images. Towels slung over a shower curtain, dishes in the sink, toys crammed into the corner of a room are as unappealing as poor quality images. Small details like a bed skirt tucked into a mattress are easy to glance over but jump out in photos and distract from the overall impression.

Sellers: When getting ready to list a house, be sure to ask potential agents about the online presence they create for their listings and where they appear. Savvy owners work with their agent to ensure their property creates a strong first impression.