Selling a home can be one of the most stressful events in your life. You and your real estate agent have to evaluate the market, prepare your home for showings, sift through offers, and if you plan on doing it right, invest in professional photography for your home.
After all, how will you convince people to look at your property without a few dozen photos showing how wonderful your space is? When selling a home, real estate photography can be one of your most vital assets in completing a transaction.
The Importance of Real Estate Photography
Real estate photography is crucial to home selling because it can make your home stand out and create a solid first impression to potential buyers. Not only does it make your home stand out, but a good set of photos taken by a professional photographer, or even pictures taken by a drone, helps capture what’s unique about your home.
Investing in real estate photography can also help sell the home’s illusion or lifestyle the buyer will get upon moving into the property. The photos make it easier for the buyer to imagine what it would be like to be a part of your community and how wonderful their life at your old home would be without them even stepping inside. It saves you time and hooks purchasers.
Some people feel they can use their cell phones to take photos or find a digital camera and snap some shots themselves. However, these photos constantly make the space look smaller, don’t have as good of lighting, and can be why you don’t get many showings or offers.
Before you cheap out on real estate photography, consider that buyers may take this as a sign that you have taken the low-cost route for other aspects of the property maintenance or renovations — which can be off-putting.
How to Find a Professional Photographer
To find a professional photographer, you can do a simple Google search for photographers in your area. However, it’s best to go with a professional specializing in real estate photography.
If you want to save time and energy, you’ll be happy to know that many real estate companies have a photographer they typically work with or can make a recommendation. However, given that your home only gets one first impression, it’s best to go with a pro.
How Much Real Estate Photography Costs
Real estate photography can cost anywhere from $55 to $200 per hour. This is entirely dependent on the skill of your photographer. If your Realtor has already provided a photographer, this cost will usually be included in the agent’s commission.
What Photos You’ll Need
To attract first-time homebuyers, you’ll need:
- At least one photo of each of the spaces like the laundry room, garage, or closets.
- A couple of shots each of the bedroom, living room, and kitchen. These are the home’s most significant potential selling points.
- At least three photos of the backyard.
- A few shots of the home’s exterior give the buyer a good idea of how their potential home appears to the community.
Some photos are nice to have but not required:
- A photo of a perfectly manicured, grassy front lawn.
- Show off a pool or hot tub. Amenities the buyer doesn’t have to install are always good to share.
- Patio or deck, primarily if you use it for entertaining.
While you want to keep personal effects to a minimum in real estate photography, it’s good to leave things like a grill in the photo to show that the buyer will have the space for it.
How To Prepare Your House for a Photo Shoot
To prepare your house for a photo shoot, you’ll have to remember that you’re trying to sell a lifestyle and a dream to your potential homebuyer. With that said, it’s hard for the buyer to envision themselves in your house if it looks too personal to you.
It would help if you erased any idea that you live there. So, you’ll want to do these things to prepare your house for the photo shoot:
- Keep personal effects like clothing, shoes, posters, and books out of the photos.
- Make sure that the home is spotless. There’s nothing more unappealing than seeing a house online that hasn’t been cleaned properly.
- Keep pets out of the photos. Pets are a part of the family, and if you wouldn’t have your human family members in the image, you should also avoid having your furry family members in the photo. Additionally, you don’t want the buyer to picture pet hair everywhere.
Final Thoughts
We’ve reviewed a few key things to remember when hiring a real estate photographer. Hiring a real estate photographer is a powerful tool in your arsenal when trying to sell your home. Check with your Realtor for a photographer or find a local photographer in your area to help you finally sell your home!
