Professional Photography & Selling Your Home

Question:  When listing your home do you feel it is important to use a professional photographer?  What are they keys to getting the best indoor and outdoor photos? 

Answer:  Since a little more than 99% of buyers now find their new home online, I would not say it is important to hire a photographer.  I would say it is critical!

Professional photographers know their business and for a couple hundred dollars, (most often paid for by the agent), it is arguably the best money spent when selling a home.  Not only do they have the talent to take great pictures, they also have the equipment, including sophisticated software, to take stunning photos.

The Multiple Listing Service, (MLS), used by agents to post new listings, allows up to 25 photos for each home.  A good photographer will showcase the home begin with the exterior, views and landscaping.  Then moving inside, beginning with the entry, they will take you on a tour of the interior of the home,   highlighting selling features and upgrades.  Often the photographer will need to make a couple trips to the home as good lighting is imperative.  

Once the listing and photos are entered into the MLS, then the numerous third party real estate web sites, i.e. Zillow, Trulia, Windermere.com, etc…”sweep” the MLS and take all the photos and post them on their web sites.  This way a new listing is within an hour or so in front of literally millions of potential buyers.  I do believe the internet is the best thing invented since moveable type. 

That is why if I have an attractive home to list, I always hire a pro.  Just as a marginal home can be made more appealing with great pics; a stunning home can look average when an agent uses their smart phone to take pictures.  And one more thing; if there are no interior pics posted, it is because the home is a distressed sale and you DO NOT want to see the inside!