The Feng Shui of Real Estate Listing Photo Order For The MLS

I’ve covered what you should be shooting before, but I’m even getting more specific on the very order you upload your photos to the MLS in Connecticut. (We get 10 photos in Connecticut.)

I got an email from a concerned seller about their listing photos. The photos are – for Realtor shot – above average, though room for improvement. We’re being hit with a week of snow and yucky days, and if no offers fall into their lap, I’ll be trekking down on Friday or so to work my voodoo to upgrade the photos to make it really pop.

The interesting complaint was “my agent doesn’t have any photos of the master bedroom or the den up on the Internet”.

Naturally I checked the MLS. Actually the two best photos were of the master bedroom and the den. Both look very nice rooms. So hmmmm….

Chatting on the phone setting the shoot up the story comes out. The seller is looking on Realtor.com at the enhanced listing of just six photos. Aha!

I’ll bypass the concern that Realtor.com is not “The Internet”. The photos on the MLS get uploaded to hundreds and thousands of websites, though I will hat tip that Realtor.com is a heavyweight on the web. Though to be honest it is slow, frequently out of date and it butchers the feed unless agents bend over and lube up. Seriously… dozens of sites offer free photo hosting, Realtor.com is extremely offensive on this count IMHO. (Just click on my search for homes link up top to search in Connecticut, Prudential doesn’t cut the feed.)

Anyway…

The master bedroom shot was in position #7 and the den shot was in position #8 on the MLS. Looks like even for its so called enhanced listings, Realtor.com just pulls the first six photos from the MLS. So the best features of the home were essentially non-existent. Way-to-sell-the-house Realtor.com!

So the “official Athol Kay photo order” is…

#1 Front Exterior

#2 Kitchen

#3 Dining Room

#4 Living Room

#5 and #6 the two very best features of the house.

#7 and #8 the next two very best features of the house (CTMLS has an 8–Photo print out lots of agent use often)

#9 and #10 the final best photos you have.  (Use all 10, or have buyers wondering what you’re hiding.)

Now go forth and sin no more.