Have you ever wondered why some home listings have more viewings and sell faster than others, despite being posted on the same property listing platforms with equal coverage and visibility to the same audience?
The secret lies in a six-letter word…
That’s right!
Photos make a big difference
The good news is you don’t need to be a professional photographer to capture outstanding photos for your property listing.
Here are some simple photography tricks on how to take photos for selling a house:
Ready to sell your home? We’re ready to help.
Schedule a consultation with one of Singapore’s top agents.
Ready to sell your home? We’re ready to help.
Schedule a consultation with one of Singapore’s top agents.
Ready to sell your home? We’re ready to help.
Schedule a consultation with one of Singapore’s top agents.
Ready to sell your home? We’re ready to help.
Schedule a consultation with one of Singapore’s top agents.
Ready to sell your home? We’re ready to help.
Schedule a consultation with one of Singapore’s top agents.
1. Schedule a Right Time: Day vs Night
Nothing beats having good natural light in photography: it can help make your home look crisp, bright, and welcoming. So as much as possible, take your listing photos on a sunny day — anytime before four in the afternoon when the sun isn’t too low.
Then, maximise existing natural light in your unit by opening all windows, pulling up the shades, and tying up the curtains. If you’re low on natural light, especially if you own a corridor unit, turn on all the lights in your home instead.
Try to avoid shooting on dark and cloudy days as it makes your interior photos look dull, gloomy, and unappealing.
Things to remember:
- Shoot with natural light
- Turn on all the lights if necessary
2. Know Your Orientation: Landscape vs Portrait
Social media channels may prefer a square or a portrait image, but that’s not the case for real estate photography. Your home may be too wide to fit into a portrait, so use a horizontal landscape instead of a vertical portrait display.
The idea is to capture your home for sale in the entire frame of the camera and to do it in a visually interesting way. That said, you can still take listing photos in portrait, especially if you’re trying to highlight ceiling height.
Things to remember:
- Use horizontal orientation
- Choose what to include and what to exclude from your photos
3. Find the Right Level & Position: High vs Low
Bend one knee when taking a snap of your space to take wider shots. Doing so will bring you to the right level, thus making your flat look more spacious. Standing tall while taking your shot may capture too much of either the ceiling or the flooring, which is not interesting or appealing to buyers.
Consider other creative angles, such as from the foot or from the side of the bed, like in a hotel-style photograph.
Frame your shots! DO NOT tilt your phone or camera while taking photos of your home, as this will distort photos and make them less attractive.
Things to remember:
- Kneel when taking photographs
- Do not focus too much on ceilings or flooring
4. Declutter & De-Personalise: Less Is More
Homes with less furniture show up better in photos or during open house viewings. Rearrange your bedroom closets and storage cabinets. Dispose of all unwanted furniture or consider putting it away in a temporary storage unit to showcase the purpose of each room and allow plenty of space to move around.
You want your buyers to imagine themselves living in your house; they can’t do that if all your personal items are there.
Things to remember:
- Keep just sufficient furniture in each area
- Clear out those personal photographs and family heirlooms
5. Feature Each Room
Remember that the photos on your home listing serve as a virtual tour for your buyers. During an open house viewing, buyers will get a glimpse of the room through the door, not through the windows or anywhere else. Similarly, when shooting a bedroom, photos should be taken from the doorway, pointing towards the room’s interior.
Our top house photography tip for bedrooms is to take a photo that emphasises each room’s selling point, whether it is the natural light in the room, the spaciousness, or the little nook in the corner that will make buyers curious to see more.
Things to remember:
- Take photos from the doorway
- Feature each room’s selling point
6. Feature the Kitchen
The kitchen can be the most challenging room to take photographs of. The key to a great photo of your kitchen is to declutter and make it sparkle. Clean off everything on the counters. Remove the little things that may distract viewers, such as fridge magnets and business cards. Add a bowl of fruits, a flower vase, or some essential condiments to add a pop of colour to your kitchen.
Things to remember:
- Leave your kitchen almost empty
- Add a pop of colour
7. Feature the Bathroom
Potential buyers or tenants are aware that your flat has a bathroom. Unless this area adds value to your listing, like if it is newly renovated with polished tiles and warm lighting, it is not necessary to include it. Ensure that the countertop, mirror, and any glass surfaces are spotless.
Hint: Newspapers work magic in making glass mirrors shine!
Things to remember:
- Put toilet lids down
- Hide all toiletries
8. Enhance Your Photos If Needed
Take a second or third look at your photographs and make some improvements, if needed, by cropping them or editing out any distracting things or glaring lights.
If you have a desktop computer or laptop, it is worth your time to do a little quick editing to make your photos better. One of the best, free, and beginner-friendly photo editors we have discovered is PhotoScape. While many photo editors have interfaces similar to Photoshop, PhotoScape is unique. Snapseed is another app with dozens of different attractive effects to choose from.
Things to remember:
- Crop to eliminate distractions
- Use free beginner-friendly photo enhancement tools
And before you go, here’s a checklist you can save to your phone and refer to for home or HDB photography:
Here are some more house photography tips you can follow:
Make Your Home Listing the Top Choice Through Photos
Shooting interiors is not as hard as you may think. And no one knows your home better than you do, so when you take listing photos of your home, remember to highlight any special features so buyers will see your home in the best light. Always put your best foot forward to get those enquiries and offers!
Once you are ready for your home viewing, schedule an Open House on the Ohmyhome app!
If you need further assistance in selling your home or have any questions about property valuation and the home-selling process, reach out to us via WhatsApp or the Live Chat below, and we’ll be in touch with you in just a minute. You can also book an appointment to speak with any of our Super Agents here.
+65 9755 9283 
hello@ohmyhome.com 
