How important is professional photography for home marketing?

Do we really need professional photos and video to market a home?

When my colleague and I started our new brokerage, we made some early decisions on what would make us stand out. One of those decisions was that ALL properties would have professional photography and video. Our rationale was that nearly everyone else just let the agents do their thing. Some agents would take terrible photos. Others would do a great job. We wanted consistant quality. So, every listing has professional photos and video. Does it make a difference?

NO DATE OR TIMESTAMPS PLEASE

The agents who take photos with date stamps, dark photos, ridiculous angles that show nothing, etc are not helping their client or themselves. We all know that - not really an issue. However, anyone with a good eye and a decent camera (even some smartphones) can take a pretty good shot these days. So, is that good enough? If you're handy with a camera and took a class or read a book, is that good enough? More importantly, are there properties where "good enough" is in fact perfectly OK and professional photos just waste money? Perhaps.

RAISING CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS

Going back to the datastamped photos - many of us have rightly pointed out that the clients seem to miss bad photos. They don't seem to care or just don't pay attention. Certainly not all consumers are like that. This begs the question: Would having more professional photos and video raise the expections of consumers? My company is not the only one where all the photos are professionally taken. It's still rare though. I'd like to think that going "all pro" would raise the standard so consumers expect better quality. This would be good for the industry in my opinion. How do you feel about that?

COST OF DOING BUSINESS

Is the cost of a professional too high for some price points? Yes. Having seen some prices around the country, I can honestly say that on a sale where the agent is only making a few hundred dollars or even just a couple of thousand, the cost of a professional becomes a high burden. I may be wrong about that but that's my impression. If it's the case though, where do we draw the line on having a professional quality standard versus "close enough".
In the end, professional or not, it's about the quality of the photography. As long as truly great photos are taken, do we care who took the pictures?

Photo courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

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Posted by Bryan Robertson on 08/09/2013 06:06 AM

Comments (27)

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27 Comments on How important is professional photography for home marketing?

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AUG

I am amazed at some of the pictures I see online (toilet seats up, beds not made, dark rooms with shades closed vs. open) and I think to myself "gosh with all the competition in the market, why don't these people (realtors and/or agents) see that these pics add ZERO value...and the property may get more attention without any pictures!" As a stager, I also include it in a couple of my packages to sellers. So I too see the value in photos.

GREAT BLOG!! You seem to be very business-savy since you pay attention to small (even though they aren't) details.

Bryan photo are super important. So many buyers make decisions to view based on photos. If you do not take great photo then get them done by a pro

Bryan - oh my gosh! it is absolutely critical in this day and age! people expect it, seller's totally appreciate it, and it's a great way to get a listing! Our company has a wonderful guy that makes homes look truly amazing. I use the professional photographer whether it's an upscale listing or a little villa -

As much as we all agree that professional photos are a must there are many of us who just don't seem to get it. Even if a home is of low value, surely the commission will cover an inexpensive photo shoot. I realize that there are homes that are just awful inside and when faced with one I use only the photos that show something good about the house. Not one like this one:

Bryan, I believe a professional photographer will always take better photos than me or my client. However, it can then become the conundrum of staging-if all the on-MLS homes look artistically perfect, "regular" homes (tenant-occupied, trust, no budget for staging, etc.) can suffer, which then causes those home sellers to want to sell off-MLS because "we can't compete".

My brokerage has professional photos taken of all listings at all price points. They are always beautiful and our listings have a very professional and even look to them.
If I had to pay, I would. It is just so worth it.

Your market is a little different than mine. I would be inclined to say no - unless it was well staged. Even then I am more likely to offer a credit at close.

Many people don't care how we dress, but that doesn't mean we should go out dirty and looking like slobs. Same applies to photos, some may not be able to afford professional, but clean and quality go a long way to at least looking professional, and conveying quality.

Funny - my marketing gal and I just had this discussion today. I've hired expensive photographers and then have gone in and taken photos myself with my expensive camera and to tell you the truth, I quite often like my own photos better. Sometimes professionals go in and mock up the photos so much with photoshop that they look almost cartoonish. My marketing gal loves photos that were taken from a corner of a room while standing on a chair - i DO NOT. I was amazed today looking thru the MLS at how many horrible pictures there were - even phone cameras are better than what I saw! I would hate to be the sellers of those homes! Top quality is worth it.

You bring up some very good points Bryan. the presentation of the property is important, make it look good. Price point can also be a factor, but quality is always an issue.

Hi Bryan...I usually take my own photos but I take the time to do a bit of work on them. If they need to be straigtened, cropped, lightene, more contrast, or any number of other things I make sure to do them. It makes such a difference. When I see a photo that is crooked, I think how simple it would be to si mply straigten it and it would make such a difference.
Part of why I take my own is because we are out in the country and I know of only one company that services this area and the results are mixed.
Kate

Bryan - Research shows that home buyers spend a lot of time on the Internet and that what they focus on are the still photos and the description in looking at listings online. I believe that many buyers just look at the photos as people can scan hundreds of photos the time it takes to read a few descriptions. The photos that attract attention and make a home look appealing are the ones that likely get more showings, so it is a no-brainer to use the best photos possible. I hire a professional photographer for my high end listings, but do the rest myself as photography is one of my hobbies. It doesn't make economic sense to hire a professional photographer on handyman specials, short sales, foreclosures, or rentals, but I still try to take good photos even of these properties.

Listings with good pictures do get more showings. I have an expensive camera with wide angle lens and I take great pictures. For some high end listings, I agree higher a pro.

Bryan,
I just looked at the photos of a new $500K + listing here in Crofton, and I was appalled by the quality of the photos. I can't imagine how any agent would allow that.
Rich

AUG

No doubt: better picture- better first impression:)
I personally LOVE beautiful pictures on a a beautiful paper( fliers). Today, my seller asked me: why you even spend your money on this expensive printing?!( yep, in our hood, a realtor usually pay for all marketing including pro-photography) Well, a a beautiful flier is like a business card~ you want a client like it and hold on to it longer:)

Photos are the best selling tools we have in our toolbox. All listings deserve the best possible photos.

AUG

Such a relevant post. I cringe a lot when going through the MLS and see the photos that are on the listings. You are correct, toilet seats up, dark photos, messy rooms, cluttered counters, corner shots, shades closed I could go on and on. When you see the professional photos or photos where they are clear, good lighting, and rooms are cleaned it makes such a difference. Perhaps we cannot do that for all of the listings depending on the client, but it is surely worth a try. People pass over places they cannot see unless they just want the area only. Important it is.

AUG

I decided almost 15 years ago that all of my listings, regardless of price, would have professional photography. Not only do my sellers love that, but year after year I sell my listings way faster than the local mls average. I truly believe good photos on the internet are a big part of it. And it's a great selling point on listing presentations, as well.

I've tried to talk my brother into doing R/E Photography, but his words were "Real Estate Agents are tightwads"...and he's right. A FEW of us don't mind spending $$ to make $$, tho.