Today, people begin searching for homes online. If you’re not posting really impressive photos, you won’t get any bites from your internet ads. Here’s some professional advice.

1.  Most Important…You gotta have the right camera

To get the very best shots, especially for interior room shots, you need a camera with a wide angle lens.  And you need 5 mega pixels.  Don’t get caught up in the whole mega pixel thing!  Some cameras go to 10, 12 and even higher but you don’t need that.  Over 5 is great if you plan to do large blow ups of your photos, otherwise they are wasted.    

That’s it… wide angle and 5 mega pixels.  The best cameras for shooting interior and exterior real estate photos today are:

The Kodak V705 or the Kodak V570

To find the camera, check ebay and Craigslist.  To search all of Craigslist instead of city by city, I posted this listing of helpful websites: Search All of Craigslist

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You should also check Amazon.

You should also have a tripod, a 1 Gigabit Memory card and a back up battery.  Watch the battery indicator – if its running low and you don’t have a backup, turn off the flash.

2.  Always Use Your Flash

Non professionals simply do not use their flash often enough.  If you’re not sure whether you should use your flash or not, take 3 photos as follows:

  • No Flash  (Self Timer mode to remove shake, or long exposure (use with a tripod or     monopod) 
  • Forced Flash (Look for the lightening bolt, not Auto)
  • Fill Flash (Look for the man and a star or sun behind him)

3.  Turn On the Lights 

Not only in the room you are shooting but also in the adjoining rooms as that additional light will spill in.

4. Take More Pictures

Take at least 30 photos for a reasonably sized home… more for McMansions.  You think that’s a lot?  It’s not.  You can do it. Try more close ups – countertops, appliances, trim details, wood floors, etc.  Shoot the laundry room, the garage, the attic, down the street, a few neighborhood shots, nearby parks.  Get creative.  Hey… its digital!  Just snap away and choose the best ones to upload.

Here’s a few more tips are some more tips (all cameras)

  • Try holding the camera over your head when you can.  
  • Shoot either 3 shots at a time or 1 at a time, making adjustments as you go.
  • Try cutting off the photo at the beginning of the next wall
  • Move furniture!  Your photo needs room.  Try to to show the backside of a couch for instance.  If you don’t need it in the picture, get it out of the way.  Remember that clutter looks real bad in photos.
  • The best time of day is twilight, colors seem more vibrant.
  • Don’t use a flash if there is something in the foreground

That’s it… I hope that helped.  Now… what to do with all those nice photos?  Why not…

Create a Website for the Property

First, obtain a domain name.  This is the .com, .net., .info or other domain extension that people will enter in their browser to view your site.  I started a domain website for real estate professionals because too many agents overpay for their domains.  At MyRealtyDomains.com, you’ll find the lowest prices on the net – only $7.49 for a .com and right now, we are running a special – only $1.99 for any available ”.info”.  

A good idea is to use the address of the property as the domain name.  It will show up in Google real fast that way.  Get your cheap domain HERE

After you create your listing or property website, you’ll come back to your MyRealtyDomains.com account and you will then “point” or “forward” your domain to the new site.url which you will be given.  

Now… how do you create this “Property Website”?  

It’s so simple… just go here: http://www.SimplePropertySites.com

Create an account.  Upload your photos, enter the property description and all the features, the price, etc.  They will give you a URL.  Something like www.singlepropertysites.com/897hdkjh.  B Copy that domain.  Now, go back to your MyRealtyDomains.com account.  You will now forward your domain to the URL provided to you