Professional Photography
The value of quality listing photos cannot be understated. I use professional photographers for every residential listing, regardless of the price point. It’s an investment in my business that elevates the marketing of your property. Simply put, photos are not just an inventory of your house; they’re a key first impression we make on your future buyer.
Homebuyers spend 60% of their time viewing a listing’s photos, compared to only 20% on the property description.
And the photo shoot is the last step to getting your house on the market. We’ll let you know a few days in advance when the appointment is taking place. The appointment itself will take approximately 1 – 2 hours, depending on the size. We advise you not to be home for the appointment so that the photographer can work efficiently and stay on schedule. I will arrive 15-30 minutes before the appointment to make last-minute adjustments, and make sure all lights are on and window blinds/curtains are open. I am an additional set of eyeballs for the photographer helping direct shots and optimizing angles.
Here are a few pro tips for ensuring great photos:
- Remove any cats or dogs from the home or put them in a crate during the photography appointment
- Hide any pet beds, bowls, toys, etc
- Make the humans’ beds
- Put all dishes away
- Turn on all lights and make sure all light bulbs, especially those in lamps, are working and are equal wattage and color
- The day before the professional photo shoot, take your own camera or smartphone and snap pics of your home. If a room looks too cluttered in your photos, declutter it even more.
- During the photo shoot, we will likely move things in your home. We do our very best to put things back where they were, but don’t be surprised if you come home to find a few things out of place. We apologize in advance, but we want your photos to look their absolute best, and this often involves moving items to get the best shots.
Mistakes many agents make (and that we avoid!)
- Capturing cluttered spaces
- Not using the HDR bracketing technique
- Not professionally editing the photos
- Not using a wide-angle lens
- Taking too few photos
We often photograph nearby amenities in the neighborhood, such as parks or playgrounds. If there is anything in particular you want to make sure we photograph, please let me know!
It usually takes 24 hours to get the photos back. As soon as I receive them, I select the 36 best shots and make any necessary edits before activating your listing in the multiple listing service. Very quickly it is syndicated to many other sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, and your property is live on the market!
