Everyone loves to see a good before and after shot. Regardless of whether it's a personal weight loss journey or a newly painted piece of furniture, it's all about the dramatic reveal and being able to see change happen right before your very eyes.
So, why hasn't the real estate industry jumped on the #transformationtuesday bandwagon? It's the perfect opportunity for agents to showcase their real-life or virtual staging skills. On Instagram alone, the hashtag has appeared in 12.5 million posts. The best part? This specific hashtag makes the rounds on all major social media platforms. Agents can market their listing transformations on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and more.
And for buyers who have trouble envisioning the home as their own, being able to see a bare version of the space compared to a nicely staged room can help them reimagine other layout possibilities and how their own furniture might fit in.
According to a Forbes article, two brokers in New York City are at the cusp of this trend with a time-lapse video of their home staging. While the Instagram world rarely shows the work that goes into these pristine, stylized photos, there's something to be said for making the story more realistic and relatable with a middle-of-the-action shot that shows social media users how hard work and a creative eye can go a long way.
The end result doesn't mean as much if the audience can't see what the space looked like to begin with. Forget boring, run-of-the-mill staged photos. Agents can better engage homebuyers by allowing them to feel like participants in the home makeover process.
Why stop at vacant homes? Many homeowners try to clean up their homes before putting them on the market. Small things, such as adding a fresh coat of paint and taking care of the curb appeal by planting some colorful flowers in the back and front yard, can have a powerful impact on photographs (as well as showings). Even something as simple as decluttering can command attention if showcased with before and after shots.
There are other hashtags that agents and homeowners can take advantage of when marketing their home reveals on social media; however, none are as popular as #transformationtuesday. Here are a few trending terms on Instagram:
- #homestaging – 670,118 posts
- #decluttering – 125, 050 posts
- #houseflipping – 78,987 posts
- #houseflip – 38,878 posts
- #homestagingworks – 24,676 posts
From a series of photos that show the evolution of a space to a collage or time-lapse video, these depictions show buyers that a property has the true potential to transform into their home.
Agents, show us your #transformationtuesday listings!