Quality and real estate photography don’t always go hand-in-hand. Some agents in hot markets can move houses quickly even while doing very little marketing. Other agents don’t grasp the benefit of investing in excellent photography of a property to help it sell faster and for more money. The most interesting tidbit I’ve learned along the way though is that the bad photography often seen on agent’s listings is a reflection of themselves for future clients. It’s not just an opportunity to sell a house, it’s an opportunity to sell yourself to the next seller who may see these stellar photos on the MLS and seek that agent out.
My biggest competition in the real estate photography market are the agents themselves, or the sub-$200 “speed shooters”. These speed shooters blow throw a property fast because they have to hit several houses in one day. They often don’t use tripods, and any lighting beyond an on-camera flash is non-existent. I recently had a client that had previously hired another photographer to shoot the home’s interior. In this hot Colorado real estate market, that MLS listing netted them three (3!) showings in over a month on the market. The seller hired a new agent, who immediately hired me to reshoot the property. The photo comparison below between my photos and the previous photographer says it all. Which would you want representing your property?
(Disclaimer: This particular property was not a showstopper, so you won’t find it in my portfolio. Despite it not representing the most beautiful photos, even at this level I found the comparison too strong to not share.)
