We know what you really want.
You want to be seen as the professional agent you are. You also want to get top dollar for your clients, and you want your listings to sell fast.
So, it’s tempting to grab your smartphone, take a few pictures of the listing, and get everything up and running in a few minutes. But here’s the cold hard truth.
You don’t look professional, or command top dollar when you take photos yourself. Here are five compelling reasons you should not photograph your own listings.
1. Homes Sell For Less
In a case study, 350 listings using professional real estate photography were compared with 350 similar listings in the same area code.
Listings using professional photography sold 50% faster and 39% closer to the original listing price than similar homes without professional photos. Not only that, but further studies showed that listings using professional photography were viewed 118% more than comparable listings.
2. Homes Sell Super Slowly
People buy emotions, not things. So, you need to get people to fall in love with your listings.
Of course, it also helps if more than one potential buyer falls in love with the property. When someone wants a property and they know there’s competition to buy it, they’re likely to move fast.
And the truth is that professional photography will make your listings look gorgeous, so they’ll move faster. In fact, listings with professional real estate photography sell faster than other listings.
3. Listings Get Less Attention
Smartphone cameras have come a long way in the past few years, but they still can’t compare to a professional camera setup, with proper lighting and equipment.
Professional real estate photographers know how to photograph a room so that it looks inviting and beautiful. Images that are taken on a smartphone just can’t compete. They look … less welcoming.
People check out listings online before they look at them, so they need to be professionally presented to get the attention they deserve. Professionally photographed houses will gain more attention online, generate more interest and capture the hearts of more buyers.
4. Competitors Look More Professional
When it comes to digital, Canadians are ahead of the game with 80% of the population online. They also spend over 17 hours a week (on average) online so it’s not surprising that many buyers find their agent online.
This means that it’s critical you look professional and stand out as being more polished than your competitors. The best way to do that is to ensure your listings look gorgeous.
5. Sales Are Lost
You have 20 seconds to get potential buyers to fall in love with your listings. Researchers have used eye-tracking software to determine that 95% of people view the first photograph of a listing for a total of 20 seconds.
The study found that when viewing an online real-estate listing, home buyers spend about 60% of their time on photos. They spent 20% on the property description and 20% on the real-estate agents’ remarks section.
Prof Michael Seiler, of Old Dominion University at Norfolk, VA says, “Without an eye-catching photo, the battle is lost before it begins.”
Make Your Competitors Green With Envy
We live in a competitive online market. You need not only to look better than the competition but BE better than the competition.
Professional photography can be the difference between success and failure. You can’t afford to look cheap when you need to be professional and do the best for your clients.
Give yourself and your homeowners an advantage by hiring a great photographer through Pixilink today. They’ll make you and your listings shine.
