Here's the truth about selling a home today: buyers tour your photos before they ever tour your house. If the photos don't grab them, they scroll past — and you never get the showing. After years of listing homes around Baton Rouge, these are the photo mistakes I see costing sellers real traffic.
1. Dark, grainy phone photos
The number one killer. A dark living room shot taken at 8 p.m. makes even a beautiful home look dreary. Every room needs bright, natural light — shoot during the day with all the lights on and blinds open.
2. Cluttered rooms
Photos magnify clutter. The stack of mail on the counter, the kids' toys, the packed bookshelf — buyers can't see past it in a photo. Declutter ruthlessly before the camera comes out. Less stuff makes rooms look bigger, every time.
3. Toilet lids up (and other bathroom blunders)
Put the lids down. Clear the counters. Hang fresh towels. Bathrooms photograph small anyway — don't give buyers reasons to cringe.
4. Crooked or tilted shots
A tilted horizon line makes buyers seasick and makes the house feel off. Keep the camera level, shoot from chest height, and stand in the doorway or corner to capture the most of each room.
5. Too few photos — or the wrong ones
Ten photos of the living room from slightly different angles tells buyers nothing. Cover every room, the exterior, the yard, and the neighborhood feel. And lead with your best shot — the photo that makes someone stop scrolling.
6. Seasonal mismatch
Listing in October with a spring photo of the yard in full bloom? Buyers notice, and it raises questions about what else is outdated. Refresh exterior shots to match the season.
7. Skipping professional photography
On most listings, professional photos pay for themselves many times over. The difference between phone snapshots and a pro shoot is the difference between 5 showings and 25. If your agent doesn't offer professional photography, ask why.
The bottom line
Your photos are your first showing. Make them count.
Selling in Baton Rouge? Professional photography is standard on my listings — along with pricing and marketing that get homes sold. Reach me at (225) 570-1234.
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