A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Yes, it’s a cliche, but when you are looking for a new place to live or share, “a picture is worth a thousand words” could not be more true. Case in point, a couple of weeks ago, a member of our sister Facebook page, Hello, Home-Mate, told the group of her home and she was advised to post photographs. That advice leads to this post–a primer on how to take gorgeous photos of your home that will entice potential home-mates to contact you.

First steps

Don’t despair if you’re not tech savvy. If you have a smart phone or a digital camera, there are a number of websites that provide step-by-step instructions to download your images from your camera to your computer. For instance, Lifehacker has a good tutorial. But there are several other tutorials. Simply Google.

I’ll be showing some photos I took of the house I lived in the Adirondacks when I was thinking of hosting writing retreats after my partner died.

The first step is to make your home as attractive as possible. That means tidying up. Make sure you have no dirty dishes in the sink or on the counters. Get rid of all the clutter. I tend to use my dining room table as a mail and book drop so if you tend to use it as a desk, clear the decks, so to speak. Tidying up doesn’t mean void of character or like a House Beautiful magazine cover, but it should look neat.

Angles

Using your digital camera or smartphone, find the best angles to show the room. If you have a sunny room find the best spot to photograph. Don’t take a photo directly into the sun or you’ll get a glare. If the room is not very light, turn on a couple of lamps so that your viewers can get a good idea of what the room looks like. Below is a good example of a room that is light, but that particular area tended to be dark.

If you have big windows with gorgeous views, showcase them! Natural light, windows with views are a huge selling point. For example:

Make sure all common areas are neat, clean and that any special areas are showcased. If the kitchen is light, it could be the perfect spot to grow fresh herbs.

Show the bedroom you want to rent out to its best advantage. If it comes with a bed and mattress, make sure the bed is made.

The Great Outdoors

Gorgeous landscaping is always a big seller. Have a picture of the outside. Give your potential home-mates a virtual tour of what your property looks like.

Make sure that all debris is thrown out, the grass is mowed, and highlight the natural beauty of your property.

If you live in an area where the weather changes, you might want to include what it looks like in the winter.

One Final Thought

The idea of taking good quality photos is to show you live in a comfortable and welcoming environment. Don’t turn it into Versailles. That will intimidate potential home-mates, but if you can make it homey for a fussy Jack Russell terrier and laid back beagle then you know you’re on the right track.