Make your real estate listings stand out from the rest and catch the eyes of prospective buyers.
When you have a new listing going up, it’s easy to snap a few quick shots with the smartphone that’s always in your pocket. If you really wanted, you could get multiple shots of every nook and cranny of the house within minutes, but that doesn’t necessarily show its true potential. In fact, it could actively hurt your end sale. It’s been documented that agents who use professional real estate photography make twice as much as the average gross commissionable income compared to those that don’t.
Professional photos can capture the depth and texture that overly compressed cell phone images often miss. On top of that, professional photographers can add value through added media like video and interactive 360/3D tours.
What are five big benefits of using a professional service for your real estate listings?
It makes a good first impression
According to the National Association of Realtors 2017 study, 99% of Millennials search online compared to 89% for Older Boomers, meaning the vast majority of home buyers are doing a ton of their research online — and we can only assume those percentages have gone up in the last six years. Since most of your potential buyers are going to be seeing the house for the first time on a website, you want to make sure you tee yourself up for success. Professional photos give people the sleek and inviting first impression you’re looking for, closing the gap between a home’s reality and having to look at pictures on a phone or computer.
On top of that, using video provides even more context into the properties you have for sale. Simply looking at photos can make it hard to mentally navigate a home because you’re lacking that physical context, but video takes away the guessing and confusion. It can show how each space correlates into a single home.
2. You get years of expertise
Professional photographers have spent years mastering their skills. There are rules that you can find online, like using natural lighting, shooting photos from specific angles, and using specific kinds of cameras, but these tips and tricks are rendered useless if you don’t have someone who understands them.
Professionals know how to make a room shine. Most of them have been formally trained with years of experience under their belts. They bring so much knowledge and talent to this artform, achieving what you want in a fraction of the time it would take you, which
saves you both time and money when it comes to capturing the essence of a property. No guessing or checking required.
3. Reach anyone in the world
We know huge swaths of people use the internet to begin their house hunting venture, so why not take full advantage of that while you have their attention.
Technology like video and 360/3D tours provide future buyers — who might live states away — with the ability to virtually walk through a house they’re interested in. This feature allows these buyers to essentially take up a physical presence in the house and know its full layout. It can give both sellers and buyers the confidence they need to move forward with deals, even when they don’t live in the same area code.
4. Get more views and shares
In a world where the internet and social media connects us all, word-of-mouth marketing has become even more invaluable. It’s no secret that people tend to share what they find visually appealing on their social media platforms, so houses with show-stopper photography have a much bigger appeal when they’re making the rounds on Facebook or Instagram.
Additionally, neighbors in the area are more apt to share the standard “Come be my neighbor” post when the house for sale is looking its best. Houses that use professional photography get, on average, 61% more views compared to their peers across all price tiers.
5. Higher prices and faster sales
It’s been shown that when professional photography is implemented, houses sell for up to $19,000 more in premiums and spend far less time on the market. The National Association of Realtors found that houses with 20 or more photographs tend to sell twice as fast as houses with a single photo. Adding the eye-catching appeal of professional photographs on top of that, and you can be sure buyers will be contacting you in a mere portion of the time had you gone a different route.
When you look at these benefits it feels like a no-brainer to hire a professional photographer, and you’re lucky to be here. Red Hog Media not only has multiple talented photographers, but we also have top-of-the-line tech that helps give a home’s listing that extra punch of pazazz. In addition to professional photography, you can hire us for video, 360/3D tours, virtual staging, and floor plans for your listing. These flourishes provide the personal touch that catches a buyer’s eye and gives your house the spark it deserves.