Since early 2020 and into early 2022, the United States real estate market has been on fire. Inventory has been at historic lows as well as the interest rates. These two factors, combined with the Great Pandemic affecting the supply chain, meant that homes were flying off the market in days. Even now, with the interest rate hike, homes are still selling faster than historical norms. One may ask themselves if professional real estate photos are even needed. In one short answer, YES!

“A house can sell itself without pictures, but an agent can’t sell themselves without quality pictures.” This was said by Nathan Cool on his YouTube channel and it is true. He is a very successful California real estate photographer. There are thousands more realtors in the United States than there are listings. Competition is fierce! When potential sellers are researching which realtor they want to sell their home, (if they want to get the most money for their listing) they will always choose a realtor with professional photos. If a seller doesn’t, there are other factors at play.

“I’m getting multiple offers over asking prices with my cell phone photos.” This is a common phrase seen online. However, those low-quality photos are limiting the marketing base of that listing! As other agents and buyers are combing through MLS, Zillow and Realtor.com, they may skip over a home with terrible images. The home is likely perfectly fine, but because the images didn’t help on the marketing side, potential clients are lost. Those clients may have been willing to offer even more money had the listing had better photos to spark their interest.

Florida is seeing a dramatic increase in out-of-state residents moving in due to its low cost of living. Many companies nationwide have adopted a permanent work-from-home policy and that has enabled these people to live anywhere they want. These individuals or families need the best possible imagery to make the best choice for them since they know they’ll need to make an offer without seeing the home in person. By offering your sellers quality photography, you’re not only appealing to buyers in your immediate area, but buyers from all over the country.

The real estate market won’t always be on fire like it is now. It’s best for realtors to build or maintain a professional image during the good times. At some point, the housing market will flip and there will be many more sellers left and right with many more agents ready to assist. The houses will be on the market longer and the sellers will want the home to sell as fast as possible. You’ll need to stand-out from the competition then too in order to demonstrate you’re the realtor to get their house sold quickly and for the most money.

In summary, professional real estate photos are a reflection of the agent. It shows the agent cares about getting the most money for their clients by appealing to the largest customer base as possible. It not only helps market the listing, but the agent representing that listing. If you’re on the fence about professional real estate photography, contact Adam today so he can demonstrate how much power are behind those images.