Photography Tips For REALTORS®: Don’t Do it Yourself

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I’ve seen it many times as a REALTOR®; Listing agents take what they thought were great listing pictures and used them for their online MLS listing. I work with over 40 different buyers a week and everyday I’d hear, “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?” Obviously, the listing agent didn’t spend anything on real estate photography.

My buyers would also see some great listing photos and want to get in to see the home that afternoon. We’d step inside and they’d wonder if it was the same home they saw online. They felt cheated because the pictures were nothing like the real home. (But at least the listing agent got buyers walking through the house.)

It all came down to the listing pictures they saw online which are essential marketing for listings. Give buyers a great picture and they’ll jump inside the house that day. Give them a “do-it-yourself” picture and they will move onto the next home. The listing pictures make 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? It still got the buyers inside! That’s your goal as a listing agent; get as many showings as possible. Photograph RGV makes that happen.

With many buyers searching for homes online, the listing photos are the first thing they’re looking at and basing their initial impressions on. How much money in lost commissions do you think you’re missing because you won’t spend a couple hundred bucks for professional real estate photography?

If you did spend the well invested marketing dollars on professional real estate photography:

  • You could have more satisfied clients because the home sold faster.
  • You could have made more cash because you didn’t have to drop the sales price when the listing became stale on the market.
  • You could look like a top producer in the area because of the quicker sales, better looking listings and more satisfied clients. Your overall image is enhanced, big time!

Isn’t it funny how such a small aspect of your business can affect the whole thing? Anytime you realize how one issue affects your net profits, that will make you perk 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 and real estate photography is one of the best things you can spend your marketing dollars on. (View Photograph RGV’s Pricing & Packages)

Don’t skimp on your real estate photography. Look at the cost as an investment. If you spent $200 on professional real estate photography and got back another $20,000 in commissions that year from faster sales, more clients, and higher listing prices, wouldn’t that be worth it?