You wait years, maybe decades to list your home whether to upgrade or downsize. You hire an agent and they blast through your house in five minutes taking cell phone photos. That's OK! You figure that they MUST know what they're doing, right? You check out your house on Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, etc. The photos are dark and crooked. Criteria for good photography is nonexistent on your listing. What happened? You are the victim of a drive-by real estate shooting. Your agent did a shoot and run!
It is fantastic if your real estate agent also happens to be a seasoned, experienced real estate photographer with proper technique and equipment. While not impossible, this scenario is the exception rather than the rule.
WEB APPEAL IS THE NEW CURB APPEAL! This is not a unique phrase that I made up. Google it! It is used throughout the industry for marketing, yet many realtors fall back on their belief that the traditional concept of curb appeal still matters. According to Realtor.com, 92 percent of home buyers use the Internet as part of their home search That means that listing photos are a critical factor. It should not matter whether your house is less than 1000 square feet or more than 5000. If your home is worth listing, it should be worth representing with photos that do it justice.
From a real estate agent's perspective, photos define their brand more than anything else. It defines their dedication and professionalism. Some realtors will say they are doing fine without professional photos so why fix it if it ain't broke? Others will do whatever it takes to deliver professional services because they know that potential listing customers check out other listings on the Internet. They know that a knowledgable consumer is not going to hire someone who displays homes with photos that are dark with crooked or even up-side-down images? Those lost customers won't be counted because they are not going to bother to call the agent or broker and tell them why they are selecting another agent/agency.
Do your homework before listing! There are great agents out there who will do their best. Agents who will present your home in the best light regardless of the listing price. You want someone who will treat your home with respect whether it's listed for $100,000 or $5,000,000. It shouldn't matter!
by: Debra Resch, Better Home Photos, 2017
