Tips to Make Your Home Listing Stand Out Among the Crowd

A recent article from msn.com offers six home-photo tips to attract buyers to your on-line listings.

Here is a summary:

1. Lighten up. For exterior shots, shoot in the middle of the day when the sun is shining and the sky is blue. For interior shots, turn on all the lights and use a flash.
2. More is better. Home buyers want to see more than just the front of the house. Buyers also want to get a look at the living room, kitchen, dining room, family room, master bedroom/bathroom and the backyard.
   Note: Products such as UniqueHomeSites single property websites allow you to upload an unlimited number of photos.
3. Get a clear shot. Remove clutter from an area before photographing it. Clear counter space and remove fridge magnets, children’s toys, dirty dishes and other distractions.
4. Go pro. If you’re planning to use a real-estate agent, ask to see his or her photography first, and find out whether the agency uses a professional photographer.
5. Give it your best shot. Quality counts when taking photos i.e. cell-phone cameras don’t cut it.
6. Edit. Improve a shot using basic photo-editing software. Some free Web sites make editing a snap, such as Snipshot.com, Picnik.com and Pixenate.com

For additional information the Better Homes and Gardens website has numerous resources for anyone buying or selling a home, including an article entitled – ’14 Ways to Add Curb Appeal’

You can also check out another article on the Real Estate section of msn.com, entitled ‘How to make your home stand out’.