Did you know that there are about 2 million active real estate licenses in the U.S.?
This statistic alone proves realtors' need to stand out in a competitive industry.
Luckily, agents and firms have access to a variety of tools to do exactly this. Digital marketing techniques like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), social media campaigns, and blogging can help agents develop a consistent client base.
One of the most powerful means of clinching a real estate sale, however, is photography.
Humans are visual creatures. The more effectively you can represent a property on your website, the greater your odds are of getting a call!
In this post, we discuss the necessity of high-quality real estate pictures. Find out why you need these as part of your marketing plan today!
1. Online Photos Are That First Impression
85% of customers turn to the internet to find local businesses, including real estate agents and firms. It's very likely that your prospective homebuyers are resorting to Google to find potential properties.
This points to the great value of digital marketing. But it also emphasizes how important online content is when it comes to first-time clients.
Your website is often the first impression clients get of your services. For real estate agents, a website or home selling platform like Hommati gives homebuyers the first impression of properties themselves.
In other words, those online photos are that first impression, and first impressions are powerful things.
Poor-quality photos can quickly dissuade prospective homebuyers, especially if they look amateur (or DIY). If there are only a handful of images of the property, clients will also search elsewhere.
High-quality photos make every property look dazzling. Plus, they represent all aspects of that property, giving prospective buyers an opportunity to view every room and every detail before getting in the car.
When you represent your listings with high-quality real estate pictures, you also demonstrate that you care. You are invested in showing off the best, which can deepen homebuyers' trust in your services.
2. Professional Photos Can Guarantee a Faster Sale
Are you ready for a shocking statistic?
Homes represented by high-quality real estate photos sell 32% faster than homes lacking stellar visuals!
The logic of this is simple. Professional real estate pictures display your properties in their best possible light. Online browsers are far more likely to click on an ad or listing if it is attached to attractive, high-quality property images.
Professional pics can also give prospective homebuyers a sense of higher value and quality. Potential clients are going to be far more serious about high-quality, high-value homes.
When this is the case, you may find that you have to negotiate less. Fewer negotiations mean a faster sale.
When your homes sell faster, you also get to spend less time at showings. Even if you enjoy the showing process, freeing up your schedule gives you more time for seeking out other clients and expanding your local reach.
On average, homes with high-quality photos are on the market for around 89 days, as opposed to 120+ days for other homes.
If you're tired of waiting for your listings to sell, it's time to invest in some professional photos of your properties!
3. Cater to Busy Buyers
Purchasing a home is no light task. Homebuyers recognize how time-intensive and emotionally taxing a home purchase can be, especially when it comes to navigating lenders and securing mortgages.
Most of us don't have access to a lot of spare time for house-shopping, especially if full-time jobs and families are part of this equation.
For this reason, prospective homebuyers will do anything they can to simplify the home buying process.
Competitive agents and firms should have the same aim: to market high-quality homes in a streamlined, personable fashion.
If a homebuyer can be convinced of a home's value and potential simply by navigating to a website, their decision process becomes a whole lot easier! They can quickly narrow down their list of candidates by assessing listings alone.
This can help them maximize their time allotted for showings and open houses. It can also enable them to coordinate the pre-approval process with local lenders.
If you leave homebuyers guessing about any of your properties, they may look elsewhere. If they stick around, there will be questions, longer showings, and a potentially extended negotiations process.
Cater to busy buyers by displaying high-quality images of all of your properties online. Their time is as valuable as yours.
4. Homes with High-Quality Photos Sell for More
Here's another mind-blowing statistic. Homes that sell above $200,000 are likely to sell for $3,000 - $11,000 more if they have professional property photos.
Once again, this has to do with perceived value. Professional photos can boost the apparent value of a home, which can compel homebuyers to visit the property sooner.
This is why homes with high-quality photos are on the market for a shorter period of time. When this market window shortens, homebuyers aren't going to wait around to negotiate.
They may feel that sense of competition and make an offer at asking price--or even above asking price if the competition is fierce.
Now, it's important to note that very specific kinds of professional photos can compel higher selling prices. The same study that discovered this statistic found that homes with DSLR photography and extra-crisp images took the cake.
Digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) are more advanced than standard digital cameras. They can use many different types of lenses and capture more precise images.
Sharp images don't incorporate any fuzzy or vague elements. You can generally get a sharper image by using a DSLR camera, appropriate lighting, and a solid lens. Some light photo editing can also boost image sharpness.
5. Supplement Other Marketing Endeavors
Do you have other digital marketing efforts in place? Professional real estate pictures can help these soar.
Most online marketing is image-driven. However, when it comes to real estate, pictures are everything. If your current online campaigns are making use of mediocre images, they may not be paying off as high as they could be with professional pics.
The beauty of high-quality real estate pictures is that they can be used across platforms. Upload a sneak preview of a new listing to Instagram, for example, or run social ads on Facebook that display current homes in your area.
Because professional real estate photos can be so impactful, it's vital to use them across multiple channels. This can boost the visibility of existing properties and cycle those sales through faster.
Tips for Getting High-Quality Real Estate Pictures
Now that you understand the value of high-quality real estate pictures, how do you get started?
Here are some tips for ensuring your visuals are meeting market standards.
1. DIY vs. Professional
You may be tempted to take photos of listings yourself, especially if you are new to the real estate scene. While this can definitely be a cost-effective way of getting images, it can be time-consuming.
It can also result in amateur photos, particularly if you aren't well-versed in cameras, lighting, and staging.
We strongly recommend hiring a professional real estate photographer to handle your listings. Professionals will be able to employ those magic tricks that make rooms look bigger, windows glossier, and living rooms extra appealing.
They will also have their own equipment--no need for you to go out and invest in tripods, lighting mechanisms, and expensive lenses!
Plus, professional real estate photographers will be able to stage rooms effectively, arranging decor and furniture to present everything in its best light.
Yes, professional photography does constitute an investment. However, given that high-quality photos can deliver up to $11,000 more on a sale, that's a pretty good investment!
2. Choose an Appropriate Platform
As a real estate agent, you're familiar with reach. It's important to market your properties to as many people as possible, across as many channels as possible.
If you've just invested in professional photography, choose an appropriate platform for displaying these images. This may be your website itself. Most realtors, however, supplement website listings with ones on other platforms like Hommati.
These can have even greater reach than a singular website. Plus, platforms like Hommati provide 3D tours and aerial videos of select properties, giving homebuyers an immersive experience of listings.
Take your time to research viable platforms before you start uploading those high-quality images.
3. Capture All Aspects of a Property
You may be tempted to secure a handful of high-quality images of a specific listing. But more is actually better here.
It's vital to give all prospective homebuyers the full impression of a listing. This can give them the best possible understanding of a property before they set foot in it.
Capture all aspects of a property, including all rooms, landscaping, and floors. Don't leave those homebuyers guessing in any way!
Final Thoughts
It's vital to attract prospective homebuyers through cutting-edge visuals. High-quality real estate pictures can give homebuyers that valuable first impression that can lead to a phone call--or even a sale.
Properties represented by high-quality photos are also likely to sell faster and for more. If you're ready to sell properties like hot cakes, invest in some professional real estate photography.
You can also use photos to supplement your other marketing endeavors, including social media campaigns, brochures and pamphlets, and your web design.
Are you looking to take your real estate pics to the next level? 3D property tours can give your clients the experience of a home without setting foot inside it. Experience one of these now!