Better real estate photography can make all the difference in selling a house. However, few neglect to realize the importance of quality real estate photography. On their own behalf, great pictures can sell a house faster and drive up offers. Photography is an essential part of any business that is looking to succeed. Having said that, how can real estate investors, agents and regular homeowners improve their photography? More importantly, how will good photography improve their current standing?
Real estate photography is far more important than most understand. It’s not just about making the property look its best. Yes, the better a home is portrayed, the higher the perceived value and faster it can sell. Furthermore, those selling houses for a living will find that quality images have a significant impact on their branding. What type of brand image do you want to convey? With photography’s power to make or break real estate marketing efforts, it can significantly impact both marketing and overall business ROI.
Anyone that has searched for homes to buy recently has undoubtedly found themselves filtering results by those with images, and more images. House listings and ads without images may rarely be looked at. It certainly makes a difference in the number of views and clicks, all of which increase the odds of a sale, and obtaining a better price for a home. So how can real estate photography be improved?
1. Hire a Pro
The easiest and most obviously solution is probably to hire a professional real estate photographer. This may not be as expensive as most think. If budget is really that tight, what about bringing on an intern or college student to do the work?
2. Get a Better Camera
A camera really can make a massive difference in the quality of pictures. A professional DSLR camera might cost thousands, but serious investors should make the investment. While the camera itself is not the only aspect that needs to be addressed, it can immediately make in impact. You will notice a drastic improvement over a standard point-and-shoot camera.
3. Take a Photography Class
Education is key for real estate professionals. But why not diversify your knowledge into other facets of the real estate industry and discover new networking opportunities at the same time. A local photography class might produce the opportunity to meet a buyer, an affordable photographer and other great contacts. Subsequently, the education you receive will further the results of your real estate photography. Again, a nice camera can make a huge difference, but a good camera in the right hands is worth it’s weight in gold.
4. Get Handy with Photoshop
For those continuously frustrated that their photos look nothing like the competition’s, no matter what techniques are applied, try Photoshop. The truth is that most photos out there today are touched up, if not dramatically digitally enhanced. So don’t feel bad, just level the playing field. Fortunately, Adobe’s suite of design tools are now available in subscription to make them affordable for even the new start-up or solo agent.
5. Watch What You Photograph
Be mindful of what you are actually taking pictures. Sometimes a good picture is not the result of the photograph itself, but of the contents of the picture. You want to make sure your subject area has been cleaned up to put its best foot forward. One of the most common blunders is the notorious toilet seat up scenario. Yet, many continue to publish pictures of all types of messes. Why? It could do more harm than good. Think before you click.
6. Staging
Building on the above, many may want to consider staging homes before shooting photography. This can be as basic as a few throw pillows and curtains to complete furnishings and new electronics and appliances. Today there are also increasing options for affordable virtual staging.
