Since nearly 90% of buyers begin their home search online, first impressions are key to selling your home quickly and for the right price. I use a professional photographer for most of all listings, so I know that the home is being presented as perfectly as possible to potential buyers. We asked Jim Hobart of MacBeth Photo why you should use a professional photographer when selling your home, and how it can set your agent and your listing apart from the others.
1. Why should a professional photographer be used for listing pictures? Can’t my Realtor just use their point-and-shoot camera or camera phone?
The advantages of using a professional photographer, with the right gear and knowledge of how to use it properly, are multiple. A high-end Digital SLR camera, with a full-frame sensor and interchangeable lenses, is superior to most point-and-shoot cameras and camera-phones for several reasons:
– low light capability / shadow detail
– tripod mount / leveling / straightening
– wider angle of view
– software to maximize image quality (HDR, lens-correction and white-balancing)
– selection of most appealing angles of room, avoiding important features at edges
2. Would you suggest using a photographer for all home price ranges? Is there a price range that professional photography wouldn’t benefit?
It has been my experience (backed up by articles written by other real estate professionals) that lower priced homes – especially those at the sub-$100k price points, may actually take LONGER to sell when they have professional photos taken.
My guess is that people who are hunting for really good deals and fixer-uppers might be intimidated by pro photos, feeling that perhaps the seller is trying to bump up the price. So for the lower-priced homes, point-and-shoot photos might be a better option.
I find that the sweet spot for professional photography is $250k and up, as these buyers are expecting quality. For properties above half a million dollars, we recommend a full set of interior and exterior photos, some aerial photos, twilight shots if the exterior lighting is good, and a professionally shot and edited video as well.
3. Is aerial photography something you offer? How does that benefit a listing?
MacbethPhoto has been providing aerial photography from a light aircraft since 2005. We started our business doing aerials, and then expanded into other areas of photography as the years went on. We do a lot of commercial real estate photography (shopping centers, office buildings, car dealers, new construction progresss, vacant land, etc), and a little residential. Generally the homes that benefit from aerials have some land, as well as other features that warrant an aerial view, such as a lake front or second building on the property.
We’ve recently begun experimenting with drone photography and videography, and are in the process of obtaining an FAA waiver to allow commercial drone work. When that process is complete, we will begin offering that to our real estate clients as well.
Have more photgraphy questions? You can reach Jim Hobart of MacBeth Photo by visitingMacBethPhoto.com or calling 407-745-1359.