Should I update my house photos for sale?

Yes, immediately. Photos with holiday decorations tell buyers that your home has been sitting on the market since December. It makes the listing look stale and desperate, which is practically inviting lowball offers. Get fresh photos taken to show the house is current and ready to sell.

It is actually a good idea to update season photos or as needed -- especially if your property has been on the market for a little while. Real estate agents many times pay for professional photography (which can be expensive) and may not want to pay to have a full photography package done again just because the Christmas tree is down. I usually try to not take photos of listings with holiday decor in them (easter, halloween, summer patriotic, thanksgiving & christmas). Swapping out a few of the exterior seasonal (with or without leaves) and updated the main advertised image is a good way to get a refresh on your listing.

I love a home decorated for Christmas. That said, you should get new photos. Holiday decor in photos will only highlight that your home has been on the market a while. New photos, and some new marketing to do a little listing refresh is a great idea.

Absolutely! You want photos to reflect the time of year that you are selling. For example in WI if you have snow in the photos online, people immediately know that you have been on the market for a while and they wonder what is wrong with your place that it has not sold. They may blow right past your photos and on to the next, are are most certainly not going to offer full price. Kim Batterman

It may seem like an added expense, but I think new photos are a great idea. For the same reason that stores change out their merchandise the day after Christmas, your photos tell a story. Best of luck!