MLS Photo Standards
SUBMISSION STANDARDS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Please provide a folder of hi-res (print quality) and low-res (MLS quality) for every photo shoot.
Photo Compression:
If a photo is over 125K in file size, the image will be compressed to 125K. Note: this could result in a reduction in quality. For users who upload photos larger than the 125K limit, it is recommended that the images do not exceed 10MB in file size.
Image Size:
Image size refers to the resolution of the photo. Paragon requires a resolution of 1280 x 960 or less. If a photo is under the 125K limit but has a resolution of image size larger than 1280 x 960 , compression will occur. If a photo resolution is less than 640 x 480 it will not upload. In MS Windows, the image size of a photo can be accessed by mousing over the image—details will display in a pop up.
Image Resizing Tools:
There are several free tools available for resizing images. For a list of recommended easy-to-use tools,
CLICK HERE.
Recommended Formats:
Only .jpeg, .gif and .png image formats are recommended to be uploaded into Paragon.
File Name Special Characters:
Special characters, such as /:*?"<>| etc., cannot be used in the photo file name
Social Media Photo Standards
GENERAL
Make sure a mobile user does not surpass your property because
it is not optimized for mobile devices. Make sure the website is
mobile-responsive. Mobile-responsive websites represent the property by
resizing images and restructuring a page when used on mobile. A website
that is not mobile-responsive can clip a photo or rearrange the page
structure in a way that confuses the viewer.
Making images for
mobile also means that images need to be optimized for social media.
Each social media has different image size requirements.
FACEBOOK
Profile photo size: More than or equal to 140px x 140px
Link/Update image size: 1200px x 628px
Story image size: 1,080px x 1,920px
Twitter
Shared image: 900px x 450px
In-stream photo size: 440px x 220px
Instagram
Square photo size: 1080px x 1080px
Portrait photo size: 1080px by 1350px with an aspect ratio of 4:5
Horizontal photo size: 1080px by 566px with an aspect ratio of 1.91:1
Stories and reels size: 1,080px x 1,920px
Pinterest
Pin size: 236px by an Adjustable Height; 2:3 ratio for vertical pins
REMIND Sellers to Prepare Their Home For a Professional Photoshoot
INTERIOR
▪ De-Clutter – Get rid of as much clutter as possible. Put away toys, clothing, towels, etc.
▪ De-Personalize – Remove any potentially offensive art, and other personal objects to make your home easier for buyers to visualize.
▪ Dust, vacuum, make the beds, fluff the pillows and smooth the carpet fibers with a broom or squeegee (it actually works!).
▪ Clear the Kitchen Counters – remove small appliances like toasters, toaster ovens and coffee makers, etc.
▪ Clean the sink and put away the dishes. Wipe down the counters. If you have natural stone
countertops, give them a good cleaning and make them shine!
▪ Clear Personal Items from the Bathrooms – Clean vanity tops of personal items, put away
shampoo, conditioner, and body washes, etc., from the shower. Put out the good guest towels and put all the toilet seats down (after cleaning the toilets of course!).
▪ Replace any burned out light bulbs with the same color/ type.
▪ Consider setting the dining room and kitchen tables or islands with your best place settings.
▪ Do you have pets? Hide the food and water bowls, pet beds and toys.
▪ Consider putting vases with fresh flowers in logical places.
▪ Hide all trash cans, close toilet seats, and shower doors
EXTERIOR
▪ Have lawns mowed and cleaned. Rake leaves, prune and shape trees and bushes and apply fresh mulch.
▪ Clean up after any pets.
▪ Put away garbage cans, hoses, sprinklers, garden tools, bikes, etc.
▪ Hide garden gnomes and other “cute” yard decorations.
▪ If the home has a pool or hot tub, open/remove your security gate or cover and make sure they are clean!
▪ If you’re planning on Twilight photos, replace all the broken lighting on the exterior; don’t forget landscape lights and the pool light.
▪ Open any patio umbrellas, uncover the grill and clean patio furniture.
▪ Consider adding pots of brightly colored flowers to your landscape.
▪ Take a final look around, if it’s dirty, clean it, if there’s something laying around, put it away out of sight!
Things to remember for the day of your Photoshoot
Professional real estate photography is shown to increase the number of people who request a showing. According to the National Association of Realtor’s Center for Realtor© Development, Homes with high quality photography sell 32 percent faster!
Before the photographer arrives, there is some last-minute preparation you can do to make the photographer’s job easier and make your photos more inviting. Start by turning on all of your interior lights, including under-cabinet lights in the kitchen, and interior lighting in any curio-cabinets or shelves. Turn off ceiling fans, open all blinds and curtains throughout your home. Natural light is great and makes the home look much larger. If you have lots of light, show it off!
If you have a fireplace, light it, light any decorative candles as well, this will create a cozy atmosphere. Clean up outside. Move vehicles out of the driveway and away from your home, and if possible, clear the street in front of the house.
If you have pets and they are potentially aggressive or like to escape, please put them in a safe location away from any rooms being photographed and let the photographer know where they are. Better still, take them for a walk or to the dog-park while your home is being photographed.
Keep valuables, prescriptions, and firearms in a secure location while the home is on the market. Real estate agents do their best to keep an eye on everything, but take those risks out of the equation. Keep your valuables safe and secure!
