What Professional Listing Photographers Brings to the Table
According to a Redfin study, homes that are professionally photographed sell for at least $934 and as much as $18,819 more than homes photographed by an amateur. The study also shows that homes photographed by a professional garner 61 percent more online views.
The key to getting these results is in creating inspiration, according to real estate photographer Jay Groccia. Effective marketing photos are inspirational. If homebuyers perusing the Internet get inspired by a photo, “they’ll click through to the agent’s website. If they don’t, they click “back” to view the next result in the search list,” Groccia explains.
“That was it – right there – that was your opportunity to grab that buyer’s attention, and if they clicked back, you’ve lost them forever,” he cautions.Jay Groccia
Many agents fancy themselves photographers merely because they bought a high-end camera and taught themselves how to use it. There is an art, however, to good photography. The skilled professional knows how to use composition, color and lighting to make a photo more appealing. Owning a great camera makes one no more a professional photographer than owning a Wolf range makes one a professional chef.
To illustrate this further, real estate photographer John Becker tells a story about a blues fan who attended a B.B. King concert and was able to meet him in person after the show.
Backstage, he thanked Mr. King and said, ‘I’ve always admired that particular guitar – it sounds so good!’ Mr. King’s response was to take the guitar off his shoulder, lay it on a table, and ask, ‘How does it sound now?said a Blues Fan to Mr. King
In a market where your clients will see you as the “same as all the rest” does it not make sense to at least go the extra mile to document one the most cherished possessions of your client in order to set yourself apart?
Take a look at some of the before and after pictures below and decide what version of the home would you better respond to instead of what is just good enough.
< Drag divider to view before and after >
Professional lit room with distortion removed and color cast corrected.
Twilight image with sky replacement, new grass, summer trees, and enhanced lighting.
Twilight image with sky replacement, retouched grass, and enhanced lighting.
Professional lit room with distortion removed.
Professional lit room with distortion removed and color cast corrected.
Professional lit room and color corrected.