The upside to winter storms like Juno: all day pajama wearing, cozy movie marathons and extra indoor family time.  The downside: being buried inside your home until you muster the energy to dig your way out.  But luckily, the folks at BostInno have shared with us some services around the city that will do the work for you, so you can put your slippered fit up, pour yourself another mug of cocoa and watch your ninth straight episode Orange is the New Black.  Enjoy the snow!

This week's Tuesday Tip is inspired by Curbed Boston's "Listing Photo Fails" section.  Take a look at this week's photos and join us as we ask a collective "what the ...?"

Your home might have a stellar layout and be riddled with personality, but unless its photographed at its best and marketed in an effective and unique way - it's likely potential buyers won't even consider a showing.  To start, sellers must do their part to remove any items a potential buyer might not want to see in a photo - animals (and any toys, beds and food bowls that go with those animals), laundry, kitschy decorative items (your leg lamp replica from A Christmas Story might be a huge hit with your friends, but not all buyers will share their appreciation), bills and paperwork, personal pictures and magnets on refrigerators.  Also be sure to put the toilet seats down, close shower doors or curtains and fold towels and blankets.  Anything that will distract the viewer from what you want them to be looking at - spacious rooms, good lighting, interesting architecture - should be removed.

If you've already selected a seller's agent, ask them for examples of other property descriptions they've written.  If you're evaluating several different agents, make this a factor in your decision making process.  Keep in mind that buyers are more savvy than they used to be, and can see through disingenuous descriptions that use words like charming or cozy when what they really mean is small.  Also, with the prevalence of sites like Zillow, Trulia and Redfin, buyers have likely read many other property descriptions by the time they get to yours, so you want to make sure your agent finds words that make the description of your home stand out among the rest.  Some agents go above and beyond, and will invest in additional tools to market your property, so be sure to ask them about their marketing strategy.

Most agents have a photographer that they use for all of their listing photos.  Ask to see examples of their work, and if you don't think they've captured the property at it's best, don't be afraid to ask for a different photographer, or to find one on your own.  Marketing a set of bad listing photos is like wearing pajamas to a job interview, but it's a mistake that too many agents make, so be an active participant in the process to ensure your home is making it's best first impression.

For more information about how to make sure your listing photos and description generate excitement and intrigue among potential buyers, contact our experts at The Charles Realty, who work with a team of seasoned photographers and marketers to make sure that buyers are captivated by your home before they've even seen it in person!  617-236-0353.