MLS Photos - The Importance of Hiring a Professional
When it comes to everything that goes into selling someone’s home, the photos can feel so … trivial with all the other efforts that are put in. As much as it may pain you to think about spending time and money on professional photos - they are so incredibly important. Below is our pep talk on exactly why that is:
It is almost guaranteed that your photos are seen before your house.
According to realtor.org, 92% of homebuyers are using the Internet for their home search. That is ALMOST everyone in the market, and you certainly don’t want your photos to turn away people that would otherwise be interested in your home. Just like they say with people, first impressions are everything!
Who doesn’t want to sell their home faster, and at a higher price?
According to a Redfin Study, listings with professional photography receive 61% more views - since someone viewing the listing is the first needed step, you are already at an advantage at that point!
No matter the price point, studies show that homes not only sell faster (one study says on average 3 weeks faster!), but at higher prices. It makes sense, if your online listing is filtering who is deciding to come through the door, and you are getting 61% more clicks (and WAY less turned off potential buyers from bad photos), the visits to your home are going to be much higher than with non-professional photos. This all goes back to the bottom line(s) of faster and higher selling!
With faster and higher priced selling, not only are your clients happier, but your investment is paying off double for your own good. Your clients are happier (referrals!) and the money you put into the photos is easily paid back with a return on the investment.
You want the photos to really look like your home.
Emotion is known to play on average 80% of the buying decision, which makes sense since the feel of a home is emotional (as well as the process of buying something). But how do you exhibit the emotion that your home truly is? Certainly not from a point and shoot camera!
In order for a home to really look like it is, a photographer needs to know how to stage and correctly exhibit the angles and look of a room. In order for this to happen, there also typically need to be some color correction, cropping and editing - not to have a photoshopped look, but to look like your property really looks!
You want the photos to show the light you love.
Have you ever seen photos of residences where you’re not actually sure if they even have windows or not by the dark, dreary lighting? In order to show the light you love, a professional needs to be involved with photos and editing. Trust us!
Decisions. Decisions.
On top of the actual photos taken, professional home photographers will also do the difficult work of culling through the many photos taken to exhibit the ones that will go over the best and exhibit your home the best. Between the staging, lighting, editing, and cropping - you will be more than relieved for the professional help.