It seems potential buyers are now expecting to see Floor Plans when they browse listings online and agents have well and truly discovered the marketing power of this product.

Towards the end of the year we also noticed an increase in enquires about our Interactive Floor Plans.  We love these plans – they bring together the photos with the floor plan to give the buyer a straight forward and accurate overview of the property room by room and frame by frame. 

 And for only an extra $75 we think they are a bargain. Have a look and click around for yourself below. 

We're really happy with how this latest one has turned out. It's a great property that photographs well and featuring it on a Property Website gives it the extra sparkle that a property of this calibre deserves.

Click on the image to go directly to the site.

Well done to the team at Gamble McKinnon Green for bagging the award!

Looks like we could be in for a slower season for Spring selling if this SMH article is anything to go by.

"Home prices are expected to fall further during the spring selling season as vendors are forced to cut the asking price while buyers hesitate to step into a falling property market, say experts"

We're chuffed and we hope that you like them too.

Here's an example;

For more information click here.

I think this single picture does more to advertise the need for professional photography than anything I could ever say!

Have a look at our Before and After gallery to see how the AKimages 'difference' can transform a property.

It’s a whopping 15 metres at full height, so it is capable of getting over just about anything. 

The picture here shows the unit extended out to 8 metres so you can get an idea of its size and scale.

Check out our services page for full details and pricing.

We believe this to be a truly unique product.

For the first time all marketing tools - photos, enhanced slide show, property description, floor plan, interactive floor plan, google map, agent profile etc - can be presented together on a single website for easy viewing by potential buyers.

Head over to our services page here to see how the whole thing works and check out an example of what the finished product looks like here.

We believe this sort of integrated approach to be the future for online property marketing and we’re excited to be launching our own original product and having the opportunity to work together with our clients to help them to sell their listings.

FOR OWNERS

•  Light bulbs in the same colour temperature 

All sources of light have different colour temperatures and while our eyes are very accepting and will see them all as white, the camera is more discriminatory and the differences are very noticeable. Bathrooms are fine if they have 'daylight' bulbs, but kitchens in an open plan area photograph better if they have 'warm' bulbs that match the living areas.

 •  All light bulbs work It’s always a good idea before the shoot to turn on all lights to ensure colour temperature consistency and to check that all lights are working (including lamps). This is especially important for twilight shoots.

•  Fridges

Ensure that everything is taken off your fridge prior to shooting. Covered fridges can be very distracting in a photo.

•  Pool cleaners

Be sure to have  pool cleaners taken out of your pool and hidden from sight prior to the shoot. This enables the area around the pool to dry before the shoot.

•  General

Photos create the first impression, so, it’s important to grab prospective buyers’ attention immediately. Ensure that lawns have been mowed and windows have been cleaned. The less cluttered your property, the better the photographic result will be.

Click here for a detailed information sheet and checklist (PDF).

FOR AGENTS

It is vital for agents to comumicate to renters exactly what is required of them in terms of property preparation so as to cause minimal disruption to their person and property and to get the best possible photograph. Let tenants know that the more they clear away in preparation the less of their personal belongings you will have to shift for them.

Explain to tenants that:

•  the property should be made as clean and tidy as possible

•  there should be very little clutter (laundries are very rarely photographed so it is a good place to temporarily store items)

•  dishes should be cleaned and put away

•  benches should be cleared

•  all clothes and other items should be put away

•  beds should be made

•  bathrooms should be cleaned with minimal items around the basin

The easiest way to ensure that the whole process goes smoothly is to print out our PDF instruction sheet and present it to tenants (perferably together with the entry notice) prior to the photography shoot appointment. The instruction sheet articulates very clearly what is required of tenants and has accompanying photographs.

Following these few minimal guidelines and conducting some basic preparation will ensure your property comes out shining in the photographs.

“Everyone goes online to find a home and if you’re home doesn’t look good online, then they are just not even going to bother to come and see it.”

She goes on to recommend putting 'phenomenal pictures' online by making use of a professional photographer.

Corcoran’s other 4 top ways to sell a property are:

1.     Market timing

2.     Correct pricing

3.     Having the property inspected before listing

4.     Putting all financial incentives upfront instead of waiting for negotiations

Finally, still in the States, a Wall Street Journal article points to research findings that show that "Real-estate listings that use photographs taken by the higher-end SLR cameras favored by photographers and photography enthusiasts, tend to do better than those that use photos from cheaper point-and-shoot cameras..."

Read the full article here.