A blogger on Activerain recently offered “Top 10 Photographic Crimes Agents Commit” and Inman News reposted it twice.
I’m afraid the only real “crime” here is agents thinking they can still get by taking their own photos.
To put it bluntly, you can’t “get by” anymore. The DIY ship has sailed. With more than 90 percent of buyers now starting their search online, the quality of your listing photographs has never been more important.
Let me put it another way. You don’t DIY when your seller needs a new roof. Nor do you DIY carpet, kitchen countertops or bathtubs. Why DIY photos?
Take the pledge: “For the good of my clients, I promise no more DIY photographs.”
With the average cost as low as $100-$200 to hire a professional photographer, there’s no reason any real estate professional in any size market around the country should take their own photos. Take a moment to estimate the real cost of DIY photos and you’ll see it really adds up:
- the investment you make in a reasonably good DSLR camera and photo editing software;
- the round trip travel to and from the home;
- the time to take the pictures;
- the time to process them;
- the time to upload those images to various websites;
- the time it takes to master equipment, software and technique; and
- the cost of neglecting your business while you’re out taking, processing and uploading photos.
I’m guessing you’ll find it’s actually less expensive – far less expensive in time and money – to hire a professional photographer.
Despite what you read in “how to take good pictures” articles, excellent real estate photography is not about equipment or software or a whiz-bang app. Today’s real estate photographers are professionals who’ve spent countless hours perfecting their craft. They know how to get the shot every time.
Of course, by offering professional photography, you’ll impress your sellers. They’ll think you spent a lot more than you did. They’ll appreciate knowing you don’t “cheap it out.” They’re hiring a professional realtor for a reason, after all – because you’ve got the contacts, the tools, the knowledge they don’t have. If you didn’t, why wouldn’t they DIY their home sale?
I know you care about your sellers and want to do your very best for them. That’s why I’m asking you to take the pledge. No more DIY Photos. For the good of your sellers, for your business and for our industry.
My crew of Colorado photographers has photographed more than 80,000 listings over the past 12 years. Count on Mediamax, through its affiliation with Obeo, to deliver exceptional visual imagery with measurable online results.