About 85 percent of online listings include photos, but the type of photo really can make a big difference, says Ken H. Johnson, an associate professor of finance at Florida International University’s Hollo School of Real Estate, who has studied the importance of photos in selling real estate. 

“When people first look at a home, they look at five or six scenes, and that will make the determination if they want to look at more,” adds Brian Balduf, chairman of VHT Inc., a visual marketing services company for the real estate industry. 

Here are five tips for improving your photos, according to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal:

1. Shoot from the corner of a room with a wide-angle zoom lens if you want to make the room look its largest. 
2. Remove large pieces of furniture to make rooms feel more spacious. 
3. Consider a fresh coat of paint to neutralize walls in beiges and browns and cover up any potentially off-putting colors such as oranges and purples.
4. Tidy up the outside by planting some flowers and paying careful attention to the condition and look of the front door. 
5. Eye details for a focal point in your photograph, such as intricate design work in the home or the quality of the fireplace. 

Source: “How to Make a Home Picture-Perfect,” The Wall Street Journal (Jan. 14, 2013)