Now that so much of the home buying process is done online, photos are an even more crucial piece of the selling puzzle than ever before. Not only do photos need to be high quality images, taken from the best angles, edited, and the list goes on ... there is one serious difference between the internet and in-person home shopping: The internet has no seasons. 

The bad news: Unlike when potential buyers are coming into the house, online listings are evergreen - they stay up as long as your house stays on the market. Viewing photos of a house that are overly decorated, clearly from a past season, or “outdated” looking, are harmful to the listing. 

The good news? We’ve compiled a list of just a few things to think about when taking listing photos. By thinking through the shots, you’ll be ahead of the game for online buyers.  

Exterior Shots:

No matter what season you’re selling in, it’s always worth waiting for sunny skies to shoot the exterior. Sunny skies gives a welcoming tone to the house!

If you have a choice, take photos when the leaves are still on trees. If leaves are in the process of falling, make sure the yard is well groomed. Remember - piles of leaves might be appealing this month, but not when someone is looking at the photos later on in the year. 

Best case scenario? Depending on how early clients are planning ahead, taking an exterior shot in each season covers all the bases!

Interior shots: 

Even if shooting on a dark day, be sure to set up extra lighting so that the interior is to it’s full light potential. A bright home is something appreciated in every season. 

Avoid decorations for the holidays. If your client absolutely wants decorations (it can be a hard trade off since this is likely the clients “last holiday season” in the house) give them these tips: 

Playing up the season is much better than playing up a single holiday. You don’t want to potentially turn someone off with holiday decor that someone may not celebrate. For example, try silver, gold and white instead of red and green. 

For any decorations that do make it up, depersonalize as much as possible - no names on stockings, holiday cards, “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments or anything else of that sort. 

Be careful with holiday lights in photos! Only white holiday lights ... and even then, be careful with the effects they have in photos. 

Skip the tree. As hard as it may be, opt for a less intrusive holiday decor. Christmas trees are always tricky because no matter the size, people will have opinions on the look and how it makes the space feel. 

For any decorations that do make it up, make sure they match the style of the house. This helps the decor from distracting the potential buyer. 

Greenery is your friend! Greenery is a great, natural option for being festive without the traditional decor.