Carlsbad Real Estate Agent Releases Home Photography Tutorials

Encinitas, CA (PRWEB) December 18, 2007 -- Recent declines in home values have forced some homeowners to sell "by owner" in order to minimize commissions and avoid losses. Because most homeowners rarely take real estate or architectural photographs, they discover that they need to improve their pictures to sell their homes quickly and for top dollar. To fill this need, Carlsbad real estate agent and professional photographer Margaret Hokkanen has released free on-line tutorials that share her years of experience and provide tips and secrets in taking home photographs for real estate marketing. See http://www.EncinitasCarlsbad.com/page.cfm?page=Photography to view the tutorials.

Developed by a lead real estate agent of the SurfTheTurf.com Team, these tutorials step the reader through the process of taking superior home photographs. They give practical tips about what to do, and include exercises to help sellers visualize what is right and wrong with a particular photograph. After studying these materials, homeowners can apply their knowledge to taking pictures of their homes. The tutorials encompass equipment (cameras, lenses, lighting), specialty topics like low altitude pole aerial photographs, and provide particular focus on family rooms, kitchens, and baths. (See http://www.EncinitasCarlsbad.com/page.cfm?page=Photography&Topic=Bath for an example.)

"As head of a leading real estate team, I know what homeowners are feeling," says Hokkanen, "and that some people are in a difficult position to avoid taking a loss. As a professional photographer and real estate agent, I felt that I had valuable insights that homeowners could apply today in creating their home marketing." Hokkanen explains "The tips and advice in these tutorials will help people take better pictures, and the resulting marketing will rival if not exceed most of the real estate marketing found in flyer boxes today." When asked why she is sharing her years of experience, Ms. Hokkanen states, "It is in difficult times like these when top real estate agents need to offer assistance; if these tutorials help homeowners whose homes have lost value, then sharing our expertise has served an important public interest."

Recognized for her photography, brochures and home tour DVDs, Hokkanen is known as one of San Diego County's top real estate marketers. With nearly ten years of experience as a full-time portrait and wedding photographer, Hokkanen is one of a very few real estate agents with formal photography training and work experience. She says, "Moving from portraiture to architectural photography came naturally to me. While the subject matter was different, the basic concepts of composition, color and lighting were the same." With ten agents on her team, they have worked to develop the next generation of marketing for homeowners.

About the Hokkanen Real Estate Team

The SurfTheTurf Team (web site: http://www.SurfTheTurf.com) is a group of Casa Bella Realty & Mortgage agents under the leadership of Margaret and John Hokkanen. Their business model is to provide extremely high-value assistance to both sellers and buyers. In the case of sellers, their services focus on superior marketing and advertising, and ensuring that transactions close on time. For buyers, the Team creates exclusive web-based tools for locating the best value and features among the homes on the market.

# # #