Updated: October 13th, 2020
Everyone’s trying to make money in a real estate deal. The seller wants to maximize the price, the buyer wants to get value from the purchase, and the agent is focused on earning the largest commission possible. As they say, it takes money to make money. While it may seem counter-intuitive, investing in the sale of a home is one of the best ways for an agent to earn the largest commission possible. What type of investment should this be? Start with a professional real estate photographer!
Amateur Real Estate Photography Gets Middling Results
It’s so tempting: you carry a smartphone in your pocket, one that includes a camera. Why not use it to take photos for your listing? It’s fast, easy, and free. What’s not to like?
Here’s what’s not to like: real estate is a fierce, competitive business, and amateur photos can undermine the perceived value of the home you’re trying to sell. Every agent should have a dependable real estate photographer — someone who can get outstanding results.
If your listing fails to stand out from the crowd as prospective buyers browse the MLS online, that listing will linger on the market — and you’ll quickly find yourself replaced by a new agent who understands the importance and power of professional real estate photography in the Maryland and D.C. area.
According to
a Redfin study
of 22 markets, professionally photographed homes priced between $200,000 and $1 million sold for between $3,400 and $11,200 more than asking. Professionally photographed homes sold faster, too, 21 days faster on average for homes in the $400,000 price range.
It makes sense when you think about it. A professional photographer knows how to scout a property before a shoot, achieve the right angles, perfect the lighting, and create the ideal composition for each shot. A quality real estate photographer in Maryland or D.C. can do more than just shoot photos for your listing — they can help create the sense of lifestyle that you’re trying to sell.
- Time:
Use the time you would have spent shooting, editing and posting photos to focus on other aspects of the listing or other clients.
- Team:
When you have a relationship with a quality real estate photographer, you can pitch the professional team you have to your prospective clients that will help sell their homes.
- Professionalism:
When meeting with prospective clients, you can demonstrate your professionalism by showing them sample listings that include high-quality photography.
- Speed:
Your listings will sell faster when accompanied by professional photos, which makes your clients happy and frees you up to take on more clients or to spend time away from work.
- Return:
Better photography means greater ROI – what could be better than that?
In the 21
st
century, it’s not enough just to shoot professional-quality still photographs for your listings. Consider good still photography a baseline – a starting point as you push toward a fast sale at a strong price.
Today, prospective buyers want to learn a great deal of information from online listings before they invest time, effort, and energy into a physical showing. That’s why
3D tours of real estate
,
aerial drone photography
and other advanced visuals can make the difference between exceeding your clients’ expectations and watching your listing wither on the MLS week after week, month after month.
When you want the quality photography your audience demands, take the time to find a real estate marketing service with a demonstrated track record of success in working with agents like you.
Go beyond amateur photography for real estate by learning about new, advanced, and effective ways to create your online listings.