How Much Do Bad Real Estate Photos Cost You?

Before the average buyer even considers visiting your property, they will look at your photos. With so much competition in the real estate market, you cannot afford what you lose when you just take a few pictures with your iPhone.

The gap in photo quality between the average smartphone and a professional photographer's equipment is substantial. But you also miss out on the great additional services a professional real estate photographer offers. (A couple of great examples are twilight and aerial photography, which capture your property at the perfect time of day and the most ideal angle.)

Below, you'll find what bad or even average real estate photos cost you with every listing.

You're Settling for a Lower Listing Price

Homes listed with professional photography sell faster and for thousands of dollars more, according to a study by Redfin. Real estate photographers equip themselves with industry-leading tools, so your property makes the perfect first impression. "The iPhone is the number one camera on the market right now," says Redfin's national photography manager, Drew Larrigan, "but we are still very far from it replacing a DSLR which offers a higher quality image with higher pixelation."

This increased quality allows your property to look more vibrant. For example, white walls often look grainy or discolored when photographed with a smartphone. Better equipment, combined with advanced techniques like multiple exposure, allow professionals to capture the brightness of every wall and room.

You're Jeopardizing Your Listing's Online Exposure

Your buyers will most likely find your listing online. This includes 99% of millennials, 90% of baby boomers, and even 70% of buyers from the Silent Generation. The vast majority of people see your property online alongside dozens of other local options. Making a great first impression in 2019 is more important than ever before.

Professional real estate photographers know this. They use their equipment and industry skills to ensure your online listing gets the most clicks possible. For example, a bad "hero shot," or front exterior photo, can cause many potential buyers to scroll past an otherwise quality listing. A professional will capture the perfect angle of your property's entrance. They will also consider what time of day gives your property the best lighting.

Online listings are no longer an afterthought in real estate. Traditional forms of advertising, such as open houses and yard signs, are not nearly as important as how your property looks online. A National Association of Realtors study found that only 46% of home buyers looked at yard signs in 2018. Only 53% attended an open house. No one can afford to have a web listing with below-average property photographs in today's real estate market.

Your Listing Will Sit on the Market for Longer

Houses presented with professional real estate photography sell 32% faster than those without it. "A property with professional photography has a higher perceived value," says the study, "minimizing prolonged negotiation and accelerating the sales process." Professional pictures give buyers a greater appreciation for your property and help them come to that conclusion quicker.

Your web listing has to make each buyer's shortlist before you even have a chance to pitch the home to them in-person. Professional real estate photography gets you on that shortlist more frequently. It also increases the value each potential buyer sees in your property and helps them choose it with more confidence. Finding the right buyer and quickly closing the deal is too important to cut corners. In today's market, professionally photographing your property is an essential part of any real estate marketing campaign.

To view the original article, visit the Planomatic blog.