How Important Is Photography When Selling Your Home
If you are planning on buying or selling a house, the chances are extremely high that you will start your process online. According to the National Association of Realtors® Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends, 43% of home buyers reported the first step of their home buying process was looking online for properties for sale. 97% of home buyers reported using a website for their home search info.
With all these eyes looking at properties online, photography is more important than ever. Images of homes presented online are what most savvy REALTORS® and consumers consider a true first impression. If a home does not photograph well, or worse, is lacking pictures altogether, the majority of potential buyers will pass over the home without making the initial contact with the listing agent. What this means to today’s buyers and sellers, is that it is 100% essential to represent for sale homes with impressive photos right off the bat. This means sellers are at a distinct advantage if they sign with a real estate agent who utilizes a professional real estate photographer.
Obviously, in the world of real estate not all homes are created equal and the same can be said about photographers as well. Taking outstanding listing pictures comes with experience and requires a certain kind of attention to detail. While shopping around for a REALTOR®, one of the first things you should ask is if your listing will be represented with professional images. If the realtor says no, this would be a good indication of the level of quality you can expect. If they say yes and go on to rave about their relationship with their highly sought after photographer, this might be a good indication that you are in capable and intuitive hands.
Professional photographers don’t just take the pictures – they use various photography techniques with lighting, color tones, and angles in order to get the perfect real estate photo for a real estate ad campaign. Each professional photographer has their own style and method in order for their photos stand out among all the competition out there. Some will aslo take drone footage or the property and surrounding neighborhood, or 360° interior virtual tours. This is why your REALTOR® willl have suggestions for staging, or bring someone in to stage the home before photographs are taken.
Another topic to discuss with your REALTOR® is what areas of the house are off-limits for photography. You might have an antique guitar collection or a gun safe in a room that you do not wish to be photographed. Let your REALTOR® know these details, or better yet, have those things put away in storage. Keep in mind that while your home is open to showings, prospective buyers may decide to take photos or videos of your home while viewing it. Your REALTOR® can add remarks in the showing instructions as to which parts of the home are to never be photographed or videoed.
When working with a professional real estate photographer here is what you should expect:
1. Your Realtor should provide some guidance on how the home should be properly staged before the photography session.
2. Depending on the size of the home, a skilled photographer will need anywhere from 2-4 hours to shoot it.
3. The photographer will probably do some on-the-fly staging as they move through the home to capture the best image.
4. The photographer will likely take images of every room in the house, including the laundry room, garage, bathrooms, walk-in closets, and mudroom, especially if it is a highlighted feature.
5. Photographers need to shoot during the best hours of light for the subject. This means that convenience may have to come second to perfect lighting situations.
6. Real estate photographers often use different angles to show depth in their photography. This is why even some images particularly in small spaces may be reflected through a mirror or be shot with a door open.
7. The main purpose of quality images are to represent the home in an honest manner which reflects the genuine character of the home, not to hide imperfections or visually trick the buyer.
8. The photographer will take lots of pictures of your home and neighborhood, but may only end up using the best ten to twenty shots.
9. The images the photographer takes are usually the property of the brokerage and/or the photographer, and may be used in additional materials not pertaining to the sale of your home.
10. Most professional real estate photographers, and/or agents who use them, can create interactive virtual tours using the images which help to elevate your listing’s media presence.
Source: Realtor.com