Professional real estate photography builds your brand and boosts your GCI.
According to our 2023 Real Estate Marketing Trends survey, over 95% of real estate agents have adopted real estate photography to sell their listings.
And to top it off, 51% of all buyers found the home they ultimately purchased on the internet, according to the 2022 NAR Home Buyers and Sellers study. So, it’s safe to say, if you aren’t utilizing real estate photos for your listings, you’re likely losing a large percentage of clientele and your peers have a competitive edge.
How important are real estate photos?
When taken by a professional photographer, real estate photos can significantly help real estate agents sell listings faster and for more money. As a majority of agents state their business goals for 2023 are to generate more leads, increase referrals, and sell listings faster and for more money, professional real estate photos can help you reach your business goals faster!
Do realtors pay for real estate photography?
Yes. Realtors and brokerages who want to enhance their brand and marketing strategy use and pay for professional real estate photography to help sell their listings.
However, real estate photography pricing depends on the type of photography and company.
Types of professional real estate photography
Real estate drone photography
A professional real estate photography service can provide quality content using real estate drone photography. Aerial drone photos can be excellent marketing materials for your brand.
Not every property needs aerial images, but drone photography could highlight those features for prospective buyers if the property has a unique layout or outdoor quality.
3D virtual tours
A 3D virtual tour provides potential buyers with an immersive experience—giving them the ability to walk through the home without leaving their desk!
Additionally, virtual tours are available 24/7, making it easy for clients to view homes on their own time.
As more than half of home buyers find their home online, offering virtual tours can help you generate qualified leads and sell your listings faster.
Floor plans
Similar to 3D tours, floor plans can give buyers an idea of what the home actually looks like. While pictures are vital, depending on the quality and angle at which they’re taken, potential buyers may not have a complete picture.
Virtual staging
While you don’t want a listing to appear overly personal, it’s essential that buyers can imagine themselves in the space—and an empty room doesn’t always make that happen.
With virtual staging, you can gives you an affordable way to showcase the space. Even better, listings that feature virtual staging can sell 75% faster than listings without!
3 benefits of hiring professional real estate photographer
Did you know that agents who use professional real estate photography make double the average gross commissionable income compared to agents who don’t?
Great real estate photography begins with composition and a proper understanding of visual story-telling. Some real estate photography tips can get you a head start, but a professional photographer understands the following:
- The time of day to shoot to get the best natural light
- The angles to shoot from to highlight a room’s best features
- Skipping rooms or features that will not help market a home
- Which camera settings to use that bring out the best qualities of a photo
- How to scan space to make on-the-fly changes, boosting the appeal
- The order in which they shoot spaces to enhance the flow
Without professional training, it will be difficult for you to achieve successful results. Professionals use this bullet point list countless times a month to shoot real estate listings.
Let them show you the difference their professional images make! Don’t settle for real estate stock photos or shoddy exterior photos; hire a photographer who understands how to use a light source and best market your listing. So, before you start snapping real estate photos with your smartphone, here are the top reasons to hire a pro for a real estate photo shoot.
1. Stand out online
Look at your favorite online retail store. Now, the first thing you’ll notice is that they’re using professional photography for every product. From a $5 pair of socks to a $300 pair of designer boots, the product photos they are using are high-quality and consistent.
This is by design. They know that professional photography is a powerful marketing tool that can lead more consumers to click on a product and make that purchase. Also, these companies understand that the images you see on their site directly represent their brand.
2. Professional real estate photos build your brand
As discussed above, using the same real estate photography company or real estate photographer for all of your listings will create brand consistency. Additionally, a consistent and professional brand image gives real estate agents, new and seasoned, the confidence to go to a listing presentation and demonstrate their worth to prospects. As a result, successful real estate agents tend to have a developed marketing strategy. You may be surprised by the vast difference that high-quality photos can have on your brand.
Agents who began using professional real estate photography for their listings stated that they experienced an increase in referrals, they attracted better buyers, they won more listings and they elevated their brand.
3. A great camera doesn’t equal great real estate photos
Your smartphone camera or DSLR may have all the bells and whistles, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to take a great real estate photo with it, much less any magazine-quality images. So, while you may understand a rule of thumb for real estate photography, such as using natural light or making sure to use a wide-angle lens for exterior shots, a professional photography service saves you both time and money.
Professional real estate photographers near you
Providing professional real estate photography for your listings is one of the simplest ways you can shape your brand and real estate business. High-quality photography can help generate leads, market your brand, and deliver a memorable client experience. Start making more today by investing in professional photography.
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Yes. Realtors and brokerages who want to enhance their brand and marketing strategy use professional real estate photography to help sell their listings.
When taken by a professional photographer, real estate photos can significantly help real estate agents sell listings faster and for more money to a prospective buyer.
There are key factors to focus on for capturing a high-quality real estate image. These factors include lighting, exposure, composition, and clarity. Ultimately, professional photographers are trained to take listing images that help the best market the property.
