Can Professional Real Estate Photography Really Help Sell Your Properties?

Are You Thinking It’s Time to Add a Professional Photographer to Your Team?

You know the market of real estate is in forward motion. The hustle and grind are real. You’ve been working long hours and are seeing some sales. But some of your properties are not selling as quickly as you expected, and it’s frustrating.

You’re now contemplating the tools you need to add to your realty toolbox that could help you speed up your sales. How can you make your listings stand out in the crowd? What would make them more captivating and engaging? In the busy real estate world, how can your brand be different?

Are you including photos in your listings? There is nothing more frustrating for a potential buyer than to click on a listing in the area they are moving to, to find only one or two photos. Or even worse, just a floor plan. Oh, the disappointment.

People want details, especially visual details. They want to envision living in that house, making it their home, raising a family there, and making fresh memories with loved ones.

Maybe you’re taking photos yourself and including them in the listings. You know how to snap a few photos with your smartphone and add some quick edits or filters. Or maybe you have an actual digital camera, but you’ve had the nagging feeling that your photos are just not up to par. 

You’re thinking, “Enough already! It’s time to hire a pro!”.

Check out these compelling reasons for making professional real estate photography a part of your personal brand...

A Good First Impression

Whether or not we consider ourselves visual learners, there is no denying photos are absolutely crucial in the world of sales. We connect with what we see. If there are no photos, we have a hard time trusting our imagination to accurately portray the product, or in this instance, the home.

The number of home-buyers who used the internet in their search for a new home reached an all-time high of 97% in 2020, according to The National Association of Realtors. Let’s face it, the whole entire world is online, thanks to the events of 2020. Subpar photos just won’t cut it anymore.

If ever there was a time to make sure your listings are professional, polished, and captivating, it’s right now. The first impression potential buyers get is what you’ve shared in the MLS. Show them your absolute best!

Hiring a professional is in your best interest because not only do you want the house to make a good first impression, but also you want to be known for your professionalism, quality, and authority as a realtor. High-quality photos advertise this first and foremost.

Professional photos help sellers and buyers see you as a serious and qualified business expert. This builds trust and drastically increases the possibilities of gaining referrals for your business. Which means even more business for you.

“In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is being invisible.”

— Seth Godin

Your Time Is Valuable

As a busy realtor, you have so much on your plate. You have numerous clients to give attention to, listings that need writing, contracts that need drawing up, and more properties to visit. 

You really don’t have time to take your own photos. Because it’s not just driving to the property and quickly snapping 10-15 pictures. It takes many shots to get the best 30+ photos that are needed for a quality listing.

Plus, who has time to drive out to the house, then back to the office, upload the photos to your laptop, make sure you included all the rooms and views, and then discover that some pictures are blurry or that the lighting stinks?

A professional real estate photographer has the equipment, the time, the training, the experience, and the editing tools to create the best shots. She knows the superior lighting, angles, perspective, and time of day. She knows to look for the unique and alluring architectural features of the home. 

She knows the first photo in your listing - usually the front exterior of the house - is the hook for a buyer. Therefore, she takes extra care to get the perfect photo of this view. One that you will proudly display in your listing.

Not to mention the video walkthrough, the virtual staging, the twilight photos, and the drone photography—which are all tools that require special skills and training. They add great value to the viewer’s experience. The video walkthrough alone is being credited with selling some homes today.

The Proof is in Pudding

Studies have shown that you’re losing out if you don’t use a professional photographer for your real estate photos. Home listings that use professional photography sell 32% faster! 

And home listings that showcase professional photos make between $3,000 and $11,000 more than those with amateur photos. That’s thousands more than the snap and shoot! 

Wouldn’t it be amazing to make more money for your clients more quickly with the simple solution of a professional photographer? 

Other crucial stats include a shorter time on the market, more offers made on the property (do you like a fast-paced bidding war?!), and ultimately—you will attract more clients. It’s a win-win-win for you!

In addition to these significant house-selling reasons and statistics for hiring a photographer, you always need other professionals in your corner. Hiring a photographer to be on retainer for all your listings is the next best step in your business. The team effort makes you as an individual and your business as a whole thrive and prosper. 

Life is just better and more enjoyable with a community. 

Now is the perfect time to add a professional real estate photographer to your realty brand. You won’t regret it!

Sources:

https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers#homebuyers

https://rismedia.com/2018/12/12/shocking-stats-importance-photography-real-estate/

http://www.realestate-photography.ca/blog/professional-real-estate-photos-increase-value-property/