Photography Plays an Important Role in Real Estate Marketing
Good, strong images play a huge role in marketing homes today. Increased exposure to multimedia in the forms of television, magazines, and the internet has raised our visual expectations and shortened attention spans. These days nearly all potential home buyers start their search online, and usually at one of the big syndicated sites such as Trulia, Realtor.com, and Zillow. In fact, the average user spends 26 minutes on Realtor.com, and most of that time is spent looking through listing photos. Buyers look through dozens, if not hundreds, of listing photos on every visit to a real estate site. It should come as no surprise that homes with strong, professional photos command more online viewership which translates into more showings than listings that do not incorporate professional photography.
Good quality real estate photographs are difficult to achieve and it should be clear that a real estate agent can’t be expected to have professional photographic skills. Agents should, however be able to recognize the difference between good and poor photos and refrain from posting poor photos where perspective buyers will see them. With that in mind, it is amazing to find all the substandard photos, which agents and sellers seem to be willing to accept when it comes to posting photos of your property to the MLS and other online advertising.
Benefits of Pro Photography to the Agent:
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- The seller is pleased with the level of professionalism in marketing and how the property is presented.
- Great photos and great marketing lead to more and better listings.
- When competing for a listing, the promise of professional photography and marketing materials can help win a listing.
- Pro photos lead to more showings. More showings translate to a faster sale at a higher price.
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Don’t just take my word for it. Here is a list of articles on the subject of real estate photography:
- “In Real Estate, a Pictures is Worth a $1,000 or More.” Wall Street Journal real estate blog, October 2010: http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/10/04/in-real-estate-a-picture-is-worth-1000-or-more/
- “Proof that Great Photography Sells Homes.” PFRE, August 2010. One realtor tells the story of how his listings with pro photos gets 145% more traffic than comparable homes in his MLS area. http://photographyforrealestate.net/2010/08/18/proof-that-great-photography-sells-homes/
- “Photography Tip for Realtors – Do It Yourself and You’ll Lose Your Commission Check.” Josh Sanders, ezinearticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Real-Estate-Photography-Tips-For-Realtors—Dont-Do-it-Yourself,-Youll-Lose-Your-Commission-Check&id=4161471