Less IS More!!

A recent article in Inman News reminded me of something I regularly say when teaching fiction writing: Less is more! In that instance, I mean that “fewer words” accomplishing the same goal is usually more effective than “more words,” but the point is the same: evoking something rather than mimicking it!

The Inman article focused its minimalism on the number of photos we show on our Board’s listing service as well as our own website, Facebook, or other portals. The writer made the excellent point that, just because your MLS allows 24—or 36, or a million—photos, don’t put in poor shots or ugly rooms just to fill up all those slots! Given that so many folks these days search for homes online and do a good bit of decision making on what to go out and see based on those lovely pictures, the writer made the point that we have to put our best foot—or, in this case, maybe a bathroom or family room—forward to keep our listing on the “let’s go see this one” list.

Her point focused on only including photos of the home’s best features and rooms and specifically NOT including that basement bathroom that looks like something from a Steven King movie. Makes sense, since our goal is to attract buyers to come out and see the home. So, remember to evoke the best about your listing and don’t dilute those great features with unneeded shots of boring—or worse—elements. Remember, the writer tells us, our goal is to market the house, not create a detailed Wikipedia entry showing every possible room and/or angle.

And speaking of marketing, I always encourage agents to use a professional photographer or service so your listings will look the very best they can. While it may not make financial sense in some cases, I suggest for any listing at or above the market average in your area, to offer professional photography as part of your listing presentation. If your competition isn’t offering it, maybe it will win you the listing—not bad for around a hundred bucks! And the results are startling—everyone can tell the difference, and those great photos of the great features should help bring more buyers out to the house, all else being equal of course.

Finally, in order to not only enhance the photos of the home, but to really optimize that emotional appeal to grab the buyers when they walk in the door, don’t forget the value of a professional stager! Yep, another hundred bucks out of your pocket, so it won’t be appropriate at certain price ranges and in certain circumstances, but a pro will frankly have a better eye for this than 99% of us, and they can also say things more directly than we can! Again, in your listing presentation, if you offer this and the competition doesn’t, then boom, maybe that and the pro photographer nets you the listing. Even using the new math, I think COMMISSION CHECK minus $200 still equals more than NO COMMISSION CHECK! Remember, the goal of a stager—and those wonderful photos—is to evoke a certain feeling of the home, and that always mean fewer décor items and clutter!

Less can indeed mean more: more commission income and more happy clients!

David M. Hassler

Director of Business Development