What 14 Years Behind the Lens Taught Me About Selling Homes

After 14 years behind the lens, I have learned that nothing matters as much as how a home feels.

Why does a beautiful home sometimes look flat in photos?

I have walked into homes that were lived in, loved and welcoming. You could feel it the moment you stepped inside. Then I would raise the camera, and the photo did not say the same thing. A photo of a space is not the same as the feeling of being in it, and buyers only get the photo.

That is why, over the years, I stopped just photographing rooms and started trying to capture the feeling of the home.

How do you capture the feeling of a home, not just the space?

Sometimes taking regular pictures of the spaces does not reflect how a home feels. So I change the strategy:

• Detail shots that show what makes the home warm, not only how big it is.
• The right time of day, when the light makes the home feel its best.
• Moving things around to create space, which is one of the most important things we do.

Does clutter really hurt a sale?

Yes. Cluttered rooms and cluttered homes do not sell. Buyers see the mess instead of the home. Clearing surfaces and moving a few things before the shoot changes how a room looks and how it feels.

Why don't vacant homes sell?

An empty room is harder to read than a furnished one. Buyers cannot picture how it will look with furniture, and vacant rooms almost always look smaller than they really are.

Should I stage a vacant home, or virtually stage it?

Either one works. Staging a home, or virtually staging the photos, takes the imagination out of it. Suddenly a king bed fits. The living and dining areas are clearly big enough. That moment is a big factor in selling a house. You can see what it looks like in the virtual staging before and afters on our Our Work page.

Frequently asked questions

Should I stage a vacant home?

Yes, either with real furniture or virtually. It helps buyers understand the size of the space and what fits in it.

Does clutter matter if the home is clean?

Yes. Clean and cluttered are two different things. A clean home with too much in it still feels smaller.

What time of day is best for photos?

It depends on the home and how the light moves through it, which is why we plan each shoot around the property.

Want photos and video that capture how your listing feels? Book a shoot with Newlife Studio, or call or text me directly at (902) 809-4371.

Basem Awaad is the owner and president of Newlife Studio, a real estate media company serving agents across Nova Scotia, and a licensed Nova Scotia real estate agent since 2012.