It used to be that sellers’ agents could come over and take a few good shots with an instamatic camera before listing a house for sale. The photographs would be fodder for newspaper ads and printed brochures. Today, that will not do. Thanks to the internet, it is more important than ever that real estate pictures be pro-level images.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In the real estate game, pro-level pictures could be worth thousands of dollars in sale proceeds. In some cases, pictures mean the difference between selling a home and having it sit on the market with no interest for months.
Vargo Photography, a commercial photography studio in Salt Lake City, Utah, explains that professional photographers do more than just take pictures. They tell stories. Whether it’s brand photography designed to enhance a company’s latest marketing campaign or food photography intended to cause your mouth water, pictures have to sell stories that resonate with viewers.
Shopping for Houses Online
In the real estate game, the story agents want to present is one that tells potential buyers why a home is worth considering. Knowing that, it is important that pictures reach potential buyers where they are. That means reaching them online. And if you know anything about online marketing, amateur pictures just won’t do.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), just 29% of the people who purchased homes in 2019 found those homes through their agents. A staggering 52% found their homes online and then contacted a real estate agent to arrange a viewing. Even among those who do work directly through agents, they are routinely doing their own online searches before referring their finds to their agents for follow up.
This is why pro-level photography is so important to the modern real estate game. Websites show pictures a lot more clearly than printed brochures and grainy newspaper ads. HD digital screens show every little detail and every shade of color. A real estate agent not publishing pro-level photos is not taking advantage of all that the internet has to offer.
The Internet Is Highly Visual
It goes without saying that the internet is a highly visual world. Any SEO expert can tell you that, while written content is very good for improving search engine rankings and targeting specific keywords, it is often photographs and other types of graphics that close the sale. People simply respond better to photographs and videos.
Imagine shopping for a house with no pictures to go along with the description. You could read the description thoroughly and still walk away from that listing unsure about whether or not the house is worth a look. Written text just does not activate your imagination. On the other hand, a listing with a dozen or more high-quality pictures is like gold.
Imagine Yourself Living There
A listing with pictures gives you the opportunity to imagine yourself living there. The more attractive the pictures, the more active your imagination. Now you have something to work with. You have images to pair with a written description to determine whether or not you should schedule an in-person viewing.
With so many people now looking for houses online, it is more important than ever that real estate agents invest in pro-level photography. The days of snapping a few shots with a cheap instamatic are long gone. Pictures taken by real estate agents using their phones aren’t much better. If you want to win the real estate game in 2021, you have to compete visually. That means letting the pros take the pictures.
