Why is professional photography a must for Southern Maryland real estate listings?

Kimberly Bean
Kimberly Bean
Published on July 1, 2020

You’ve seen them – we know you have: Those home listing photos that look like they were taken by the homeowner’s 6-year-old. They’re the pictures of messy rooms, blurry or dark photos, and even exterior shots taken from Google Earth.

We’ve had clients who have refused to look at a Southern Maryland home based solely on the MLS photos – even when we’ve seen the home in person and know it’s not as bad as the photos make it look.

First, it’s not the homeowner’s job to take photographs of the home – it’s the listing agent’s. Sadly, many agents will snap these photos with their smart phones or a cheap camera they bought on sale at Amazon.

We’ve read the statistics, however, and we long ago adjusted our marketing plan to include professional photography. Here’s why:

  • Studies show that, by and large, homebuyers looking at online listings of homes for sale won’t look at a home in person if the listing lacks photos.
  • If the listing does include photos, homebuyers decide within 20 seconds whether or not they like the property.
  • Ocular studies (following eye movements of website viewers) have found that the photo of the home is almost always the first thing viewed in a listing.

If these statistics don’t prove that a home’s presentation is paramount in getting buyers through the door, nothing does.

Another big reason to insist on professional photography comes from another study we reviewed. This one found that listings with photos taken by a pro are viewed 61 percent more than those with photos taken by an amateur.

Better yet, these homes can sell for up to about $19,000 more than the homes photographed by a novice.

Ask yourself this: If all it takes is any old photo to sell something, why doesn’t Nike let its receptionist snap their advertising photos? Because they, like us, know better.

Professional photos speak

Professionally shot photos create inspiration, says Jay Groccia, a real estate photographer in Massachusetts. His interior photos, like those of our photographers’, show not only the room, but his eye-view of the lifestyle the home offers.

So, why don’t all real estate agents use professional photographers?

In all honesty, many real estate agents (no, not all, but a lot of them) don’t take the time to keep up with real estate industry studies and think that iPhone photos or other amateur tactics are “good enough.”

Also, marketing a home requires a robust marketing budget, something most agents lack. Yes, we could go into how they are short-changing their clients by not offering the service, but that one will wait for another day.

The bottom line is, we understand that to be effective in listing and selling Southern Maryland homes, we can’t possibly wear all the hats in our real estate practice. And, we want only the best for our clients, and we aren’t willing to compromise on quality when it comes to a home’s presentation.

A Southern Maryland home of their own is the dream of many, and we want yours to be perceived as the realization of that dream from the minute someone eyes it online. Reach out to us to learn more about our marketing services.

Fort Washington MD Homes for Sale and Real Estate Services in Southern Maryland. You now have a search engine to help you with your Southern Maryland home search! And I’m ready to provide you with a custom home valuation if you’re considering selling your home. Let’s connect to discuss how I can help you. Contact Kimberly Bean at 301-440-1309

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