So, conventional wisdom tells us that a million-dollar listing deserves better marketing than a $200K starter home, right?
Actually… that’s wrong.
It’s easy to fall into that ever so commonly backwards thinking that higher-priced listings deserve better marketing with a higher budget and actual professional real estate photography. Your clients (and you) deserve to have the best real estate listing images possible to market their homes, no matter the perceived property value. Additionally, with 96% of home buyers looking at houses online, the way you visually market your listings is critical to stand out from the crowd. As a result, the best way to differentiate yourself and get more showings and potential buyers is with top notch professional photos. When taken by a professional photographer, real estate photos can significantly help real estate agents sell listings faster and for far more money when negotiating with a prospective buyer.
Did you know that agents who use professional real estate photography make double the average gross commissionable income when compared to agents who don’t? So let me go over three benefits to hiring a professional photographer for your listing and while you read, ask yourself if you agree or disagree with the statements I am making.
- Stand OUT
You want your listing to stand out in a lineup of listings! No matter what you’re selling. Look at your favorite online retail store. Now, the first thing you’ll notice is that they’re using professional photography for every product. From a $5 pair of socks to a $300 pair of designer boots, the product photos they are using are high-quality and consistent.
This is by design. They know that professional photography is a powerful marketing tool that can lead more consumers to click on a product and make that purchase. Also, these companies understand that the images you see on their site directly represent their brand.
Note: Homebuyers are looking at dozens of real estate properties online. So, if your thumbnail photo doesn’t draw them in, you could be missing out on clicks, showings, and a fast close. In addition, if a seller sees that you’re only using professional real estate photography on higher-end houses, they may not trust that you’ll use the best tools to sell their home. As you know, great brands deliver a consistent message and product. Additionally, image quality, virtual tours, and floor plan visualizations can help with your real estate brand.
Build Your Brand
Using the same real estate photography company or real estate photographer for all of your listings will create brand consistency. Additionally, a consistent and professional brand image gives real estate agents, new and seasoned, the confidence to go to a listing presentation and demonstrate their worth to prospects. As a result, successful real estate agents tend to have a developed marketing strategy. You may be surprised by the vast difference that high-quality photos can have on your brand. Agents who began using professional real estate photography for their listings stated that they experienced an increase in referrals, they attracted better buyers, they won more listings and they really grew their brand.
A useless tool.
Your smartphone camera or DSLR may have all the bells and whistles, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to take a great real estate photo with it, much less any magazine-quality images. You need to understand the rule of thirds and how it applies to estate photography, using natural light or making sure you use the proper lens for each shot. Essentially, it takes more than having a means to take a high quality photo. A professional photography service saves you both time and money.
Additionally, a professional real estate photography service can provide quality content using real estate drone photography. Aerial drone photos can be excellent marketing materials for your brand. Nearly every property needs aerial images, drone photography could highlight those features for prospective buyers if the property has a unique layout or outdoor quality, and if there are mountain views, or potential mountain views pending the removal of a couple of trees. (I know a guy)
Great real estate photography begins with composition and a proper understanding of visual story-telling. Some real estate photography tips can get you a head start, but a professional photographer understands the following:
The time of day to shoot to get the best natural light
The angles to shoot from to highlight a room’s best features
Skipping rooms or features that will not help market a home
Which camera settings to use that bring out the best qualities of a photo
How to scan space to make on-the-fly changes, boosting the appeal
The order in which they shoot spaces to enhance the flow
Without professional training, it will be difficult for you to achieve successful results. Professionals use this bullet point list countless times a month to shoot real estate listings. Let them show you the difference their professional images make! Don’t settle for real estate stock photos or shoddy exterior photos; hire a photographer who understands how to use a light source and best market your listing.
Professional Real Estate Photography is for every agent and every listing. If you’re relying on the state of the market and catch yourself saying things like, “it’ll sell fast” then you’re not thinking of your brand. And that means everything when the market shifts. Realtors who have adequately built their brands, are the ones who find themselves successfully navigating a market that is down or in crisis.
