Since I started in real estate photography, I have found that the most difficult part of my job is helping agents understand the importance of not only hiring a photographer to take photos of the listing, but a professional photographer.
These are the reasons that any agent, whether new or experienced, should hire professionals to take professional photos.
Using a professional photographer sells homes 50% faster than homes with standard photos and sells for an average of $11,000 more than the market value. Research has shown that 98% of homebuyers decide whether to visit a property after seeing its listing photos online.
Let’s now take a closer look at the reasons professional photography is so effective.
What are the benefits of hiring a professional photographer for real estate?
After photographing hundreds of homes, I have heard time and time again that it is difficult to go back to either a mobile phone or hire an amateur photographer to list photos. Here are some key points:
Your listing will stand out from the rest of the homes for sale in your area
People will be more engaged with your listing if you add drone photography and/or video because there’s more to see. Your listing will become the standard for all other properties if it is done correctly.
Both you and your seller will look great
After you negotiate a percentage of commission from your sellers, it’s time to show that you are worth the requested amount. You will be able to use professional photography to represent you as a realtor when you place your listing.
Your photos should be stunning. Your seller will be the same because there is no comparable listing. Especially if you include drone photography and video in your listing.
It saves you time
As a realtor, you already wear too many hats. It’s not uncommon to spend extra time creating amazing listing content. It can take anywhere from 2-10+ hours to create stunning listing photos. This includes taking photos, developing them, and creating videos, virtual tours, and social media ads.
You can outsource this task to someone who is trustworthy, local, and has experience in creating content for realtors.
It will save you a lot of time, and it will pay off in the future.
You will get more offers
Amazing photos won’t work if the home isn’t priced correctly, not photo-ready, or if there isn’t a strong marketing campaign.
Listings that are too expensive will not get offers. It will take longer to sell your home if it is not livable or people can’t imagine living there. You won’t get anyone to see your home if you don’t make it visible to a lot of people.
To ensure that your listings hit the ground running, you will need to conduct a thorough comparative market analysis (CMA). This will allow you to accurately price the home, assist the sellers in making the home photo-ready, as well as create a solid marketing plan for how and where to market the listing.
This means that you will need to heavily rely on the photos of your listing photos. It will take longer to sell your home if you don’t have professional photos. This could lead to price reductions and retaking photos.
Make sure the property is visible to the right people. If you have the marketing plan in place, priced right, and photo ready, your photos will be an asset that will attract more people to your listing.
Your home will sell faster
Attractive photography and media content will naturally encourage people to visit your property. Your home will sell faster if you get more foot traffic in a shorter time.
You can increase your property’s visibility online by using social media to make it more visible.
You have more to offer, so you can increase the listing exposure with paid advertising. This will make it stand out and drive more traffic to your home.
Your home will sell for more
Redfin has released a report that shows homes with professional photography are worth an average of $11,000 over the market value.
Drone photography can increase the value of a home for several reasons. It’s a more prestigious look for a home and is expected when a listing is more high-end. It’s also possible to show amenities in the area that will increase the perceived value of the home, making it less important when making a purchase decision.
Twilight shots are more common for luxury homes worth over a million dollars. This technique can be used even for homes in the $300k range. You can expect more showings and heads turning because these homes are more expensive.
It may not cost as much to add drone and twilight photos to your listing as you think when it comes to creating marketable content to promote your seller and your company.
The perceived value of the property will rise if it looks great. This makes it more desirable. Economics would say that a low supply will lead to a high demand, which in turn means a rise in price.
You will get more sellers
Listing content can attract more buyers, something that is often overlooked. Working with realtors, I have heard from many that professional marketing content can attract more sellers.
A professional photographer may be the best way to get more sales.
Use your listing photos beyond the listing
Many people think listing photos is a necessary expense in order to sell a house. I want to change that mindset not looking at the photos just to list a home, but as your own personal stock image and digital video content for marketing.
Once the property is sold, the MLS will delete any record of the listing you have made. You can also reuse your photos and videos online to get more leads if you hire someone or do it yourself.
Many successful real estate companies reuse their listings to generate leads from buyers and sellers.
You can use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube.
These can all host your listing content indefinitely, back to you as the agent. You are literally wasting your money to acquire quality content by not reusing it for perpetual marketing.
To maximize your photography budget, think beyond the list.
Why professional real estate photos are better
It comes down to this: Real estate photography is about making an impression and capturing potential first-time homebuyers’ attention. Professional photographers are able to outperform amateurs and DIYers in this area. Professional photography is what draws you in when you visit sites like Zillow. They are brighter and draw you in.
Professional photographers are able to capture real estate photos that are unique. Professional photographers are able to use their skills to pay attention to detail and focus on space, composition, and use the right equipment. This makes them stand out from the crowd when it comes to online listings.
Focus on Space & Composition
The number one priority for professionals is composition. This is crucial. This will give you an idea of the layout and how the rooms relate to one another. The buyer will not be able to see the layout of the house if the photos only show the bed, toilet, and countertops.
Agents focus on features. This is why you will see close-ups of countertops and cabinets. Professional photographers show the space. While you can still see the features, the buyer should know that the living area is located off the kitchen and the hallway leads to the foyer.
Use the right equipment & techniques
Real estate agents often take photos of properties using their smartphones. Even if they have the best equipment and a high-quality camera with a wide-angle lens and flash equipment, it is likely that they need to learn how to capture photos like a professional.
Professionals also know how to use equipment in a way that doesn’t make the home look better than it is. It is important to show the home as you would see it in person. People will be disappointed if a space appears larger than it actually is.
Attention to detail
Professional real estate photography also teaches you the importance of paying attention to details. Experts can show this by scheduling shoots around the weather.
Haley is a former meteorologist and says that his clients trust him to capture photos in ideal conditions. Haley also offers luxury services like drone photos for real estate. The shoot must be rescheduled for high wind, snow, or rain.
Professional attention to detail means that there are no silly mistakes that could ruin the impression of a house. Amateur photographers make the common mistake of taking photos of themselves in mirrors. Not all mistakes are so funny or obvious. They make a huge difference in the appearance of the home.
To illustrate, if the doors aren’t left open, potential buyers won’t be able to see the flow of the space. Likewise, if the blinds aren’t opened, buyers won’t be able to see how much light is available.
How do you choose a real estate photographer?
Professionalism
Before you hire your agent, be sure to take a look at their track record. Because it is a fast buck, I see many photographers entering the real estate market. You should be careful about photographers who specialize in weddings, family portraits, lifestyle photography, and engagement photos. The editing techniques are very different.
Ask If they have samples of their work. They’ll likely offer a discount if they’re just starting, so if they aren’t, ask them for samples of work.
I offered a substantial discount and teamed up with another photographer the agent was using. In case my photos did not turn out as I expected, this was a safe option for me and the agent.
Licensing
In case of any injuries due to their equipment or damage to property caused by them, you’ll want to ensure that your photographer has proper insurance and licensing.
Hire a drone pilot that has a Part 107 license. Or, you can hold a drone license and be the pilot in charge during the photoshoot.
Ask your photographer to obtain a license for high-end content or music for your listing. This will ensure that you are able to post your marketing content online with no penalty.
Facebook and Youtube may give you copyright strikes at times if you can’t prove that you have the right to use your music or any other media content.
Check with your photographer about licensing the listing content. Some photographers will charge extra if they are used in printed ads or social media.
You may have to pay an annual or monthly fee to use the content even if the home doesn’t sell.
Price
You don’t want to hire a photographer who is cheap or low-cost if you are considering the cost of their services.
This is due to a few factors. Professional photographers understand their value and price their services based on the quality of their work.
Another reason is that a photographer who specializes in real estate must be financially viable to make a living.
You should check to see if additional fees such as licensing fees apply to your photos. Are there additional charges to print your photos? Are there additional charges if you share the photos via social media? Is there a monthly or annual fee to continue using the listing photos? Is there a backup fee in case you require the photos a year later?
These are just a few questions you can ask your photographer about the costs.
Ask your photographer whether photography or creating media content is their main work. If so, you will know that what they are asking for is reasonable, and will stick around for future work.
If they don’t, you can be sure they won’t be committed because they have a safety margin for their income as they do it as a side job.
You can increase your business’s longevity by supporting photographers who are passionate about what they do.
Relationship
You need someone who isn’t only interested in your money. Your photographer will need to be as close as your lender.
It is important to make sure that your photographer can be relied upon for any last-minute jobs or emergency listing that a seller has agreed to.
Be attentive to the way your photographer interacts and communicates with clients. It is important to find someone who will support you and be able to vouch for your expertise when you leave the room.
This could be tied to the price, as cheap photographers won’t be motivated to build long-term relationships or push through difficult times when you most need them.
Photographers who are supportive of you and with you through your listings can be great business partners for you and your career.
How much does professional real estate photography cost?
Prices for real estate photography can vary by location. Professional photography can cost as little as $95 for 5-10 photos, or as high as $300 for advanced techniques and video.
You can think of the cost as this: you are not paying for amazing photos. Instead, you are paying for photos that will attract people’s attention to come to you to sell their homes. The photos and videos are just the tools to accomplish these goals.
Professional photography is the best way to brand yourself.
Conclusion
You will be able to attract customers and advocates by spending a little more money on amazing photos and marketing content.
Professional photos can help you sell your house faster, for more money, as well as make you look more impressive to attract more buyers and sellers to your business.
Photography is not a cost-cutting expense in real estate photography. It is just as important to have professional photos as it is to pay for a website, MLS dues, and marketing materials.