The Right Angle on Selling Bahamas Real Estate

If a picture's worth a thousand words, in real estate it's potentially worth thousands of dollars.

Most Bahamas real estate agents aren't professional photographers, but they understand that better photos grab more attention, and ultimately, a higher selling price.

Many agents know how to take good pictures. They know the best photos are taken with SLR (single-lens-reflex) cameras - not with "point and click" cameras.

Your Bahamas real estate agent should have an SLR camera. While it costs more than your average point-and-click shooter, a recent U.S. study found that listings with high quality photos sold for anywhere between $934 and $116,076 more than their average listing photo counterparts.

If your agent doesn't have an SLR camera, consider hiring a professional photographer who specialises in real estate pictures. There are a number of outstanding photographers in the Bahamas and your Bahamas Real Estate Association agent will be able to recommend one.

Professionals will avoid objects or clutter in their photographs, such as chain link fencing and cars, that will detract from the listing.

They'll subtlety frame homes with a green or flowering branch and stage interior shots by de-cluttering, letting in as much natural light as possible and adding a few special touches, such as a bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers.

They know the tricks of the trade – after all, it's their business.

Even though better photos attract more online attention, only a minority of listings make use of the superior technology. Obviously, high-end listings stand to reap the greatest benefits, so if you've got an upscale home, why would you skimp on such an important facet of marketing it?

However, there is a caveat: the U.S. study found that homes listed under $300,000 didn't see any real difference in sales price with the finer photos, so realistic and competitive pricing is the most effective marketing tool in those cases.