Real Estate Photography Tips for Realtors: Don’t Do It Yourself, You’ll Lose Your Commission Check
I have done it myself; I took what I thought were great listing photos and used them for my online MLS listing. My clients thought they were fine and I thought they were fine, until I started working as a purchasing agent in Seattle a few years ago.
I worked with over 40 different buyers a week and every day I was hearing, “Did you see those listing pictures? There’s no way we want to see that house, it’s a dump! Does the listing agent know how bad they are?” are?” Obviously, the real estate agent did not spend anything on real estate photography.
My buyers would also see some great listing photos and want to come in to see the house that afternoon. We would walk in and they would wonder if it was the same house they saw online. They felt cheated because the pictures looked nothing like the real home. (but at least the real estate agent got buyers to tour the house).
It all boiled down to the listing pictures they saw online. That’s essential marketing for listings! Give buyers a great picture and they’ll jump into the house that day. Give them a do-it-yourself image and they’ll move on to the next house. Listing images make all the difference, especially when you spend a few bucks on professional real estate photography!
Even when the listing pictures were better than the actual house, guess what? You still have the buyers inside! That is your goal as a listing agent; get as many shows as possible. Professional real estate photography makes that happen.
With over 80%+ of buyers searching online now, listing photos are the first thing they look at and base their initial impressions on.
How much money in lost commissions do you think you’re missing out on because you won’t spend a couple of hundred dollars on professional real estate photography?
If you spent your well-invested marketing dollars on some professional real estate photography…
- You could have more satisfied customers because the house sold faster.
- You could have earned more cash because you didn’t have to drop the selling price when the listing became obsolete on the market.
- It could seem like one of the top growers in the area due to faster sales, more attractive listings, and more satisfied customers. Your overall image is improved, big time!
Isn’t it funny how such a small aspect of your business can affect the whole thing? Every time you realize how an issue affects your bottom line, that cheers you up, right?
Now don’t give me the excuse that it’s too expensive because it’s not. Look at it as a marketing and advertising expense because that’s exactly what it is. And real estate photography is one of the best things you can spend your marketing money on.
You have a couple of options……..
You could hire a real estate photography professional in your local area and offer him $50-$200 to come to your listing and take some fabulous photos. Make sure they are top notch, have all the right gear, and understand the point of these photos. You do not want to pay for real estate photographs that are not better than yours.
Your other option is to go with a company like Vicaso.com that is dedicated exclusively to real estate photography. His business is posting photos for real estate agents!
You can schedule your photo shoot on their website, pay around $200, and get the most captivating ad photos you’ve ever seen. Even if you have a crack house for sale, your real estate photography will make it look like a palace.
I’m telling you; do not skimp on your real estate photography. Look at the cost as an investment. If you spent $200 on professional real estate photography and earned another $20,000 in commissions that year from faster sales, more clients, and higher listing prices, wouldn’t it be worth it? You can bet!