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Even though they say that a picture is worth 1000 words, your photos could be worth thousands of dollars in real estate when it comes to how much your home sells for. In the world of real estate, professionally taken real estate photos can help sell a home for top dollar. If you are thinking of selling your home, you want to make sure your real estate agent is prepared to invest in having professional photographs taken to market your home.
What Is Real Estate Photography?
Real estate photography is a way to capture the beauty and uniqueness of a property through imagery. In most cases, the images are used in marketing materials such as flyers and brochures, but they can also be used in virtual tours, websites, or even print ads. Using professional real estate photography will make your home stand out from the competition.
A professional real estate photographer will help you stage your home correctly, capture all of its features, and take pictures quickly so that you can get on with your life.
In addition to taking some beautiful photos, a professional real estate photographer has vast experience using top-of-the-line equipment to capture images throughout different seasons and times of the day. They are also adept at getting high-definition photos in and around existing landscaping or features in the home that give potential buyers a better idea of what they can do with space. A new listing can greatly benefit from real estate photography with the inclusion of virtual tours and drone photography.
Why Hire Professional Real Estate Photographers
Great Real Estate Photos
No matter how nice your home maybe, if the pictures are poor quality or outdated, you will not get top dollar for your property. High-quality photos and videos will contribute to a higher sale price as first impressions leave a lasting impression.
Better Experience
High-quality photos also create a better experience for the buyer resulting in more leads and exposure. With great photos, your listing will outshine other listings. In addition, it gives the buyer a sense of the property and can add a level of comfort knowing that the realtor put in the effort.
Save Time
When you take professional real estate photos, the process tends to be more streamlined. The buyer can see what the property looks like without waiting on a tour of the property. If real estate photos capture all the property features, then buyers can quickly decide if they want to tour the property or move on to something else. This saves time for both the realtor and the buyer.
Capture All Features
When the photos are professionally taken, they capture all of the essential features of a property. This means that a buyer can see all aspects of the property at once, rather than having to imagine what certain rooms look like or how the backyard might be laid out. Professional images will also capture any unique characteristics that may not show up in pictures taken by a phone or a smaller digital camera.
Get Photos Taken Quickly
Professional real estate photographers have the experience and gear to quickly get the job done, making it easier for both buyers and sellers. They know what needs to be included, and they can get the photos processed and edited quickly.
Staging Help
Preparation and staging are required for great photos. Professional real estate photographers know how to help you stage your home correctly for maximum exposure.
Marketing
Real estate photographers will also help with marketing the home so that your real estate listing will get the most exposure possible.
Avoid Surprises
If the photos are professionally taken, you are less likely to have surprises once a buyer arrives at your door. In addition, professional real estate photography often catches things that may be missed otherwise, like wear and tear or other details they can use in negotiations.
Professional Real Estate Photography Services
Professional real estate photography is an essential service for real estate agents representing a home or property. With the internet and other media competing for our attention, it’s more important than ever to have professional photos that show off your real estate listing in the best possible light. A professional service will get you top quality listing photos and great service.
There are many real estate photography services, which include:
Exterior Photography
Exterior photography is a type of professional real estate photography that captures the exterior of a property. Breaking it down even further, an exterior photo is an image that shows a property from the outside looking in. They are typically used to help prospective buyers get an idea of the layout and size of a property while not being able or wanting to go inside and tour it.
Exterior photos should show:
- Front, back, and side views
- The trees, landscaping, sidewalks, etc.
- All entrances to the home
- Any other features that may be important to know when considering buying this property
Interior photography
Interior photography is a type of real estate photography that captures the inside of a property. Breaking it down even further, an interior photo is an image that shows the inside of the property.
If you want to make the best impression on prospective buyers, you need to have your home or property professionally photographed. The photos should show all aspects of the property’s interior and be taken with a wide-angle lens that will capture as much of each room as possible. Interior photos should also include:
- Flooring
- Wall Coverings
- Lighting
- Ceiling height
- Entranceways and staircases
- Photos of exterior walls where flooring changes (like in big open spaces)
- Photo of any built-in features (like cabinets and countertops)
Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is a real estate photography service that can provide aerial views of properties. For example, an aerial photo is an image taken from above, specifically from an airborne device like a helicopter or drone.
With aerial photography, you can get incredible aerial photos of your property that will make it stand out from others in the area. Aerial photography can be used to show off the size and layout of properties. Aerial photos can also provide other helpful information like proximity of features such as shopping centers, parks, schools, or even trains.
Most photographers use drones to take aerial images, which are more cost-efficient and maneuverable than planes or helicopters. Drones are capable of taking HD-quality aerial shots. Drone photos can capture top quality aerial shots of the property.
Twilight Photography
One of the most popular photography specialties is twilight photography. Professional real estate photographers who specialize in this type of photography can capture light, magical, and beautiful photos. With their skills and equipment, they can take professional-grade photographs at dusk or night.
The advantage of these photographs is that they showcase the details of a sunset or provide a glimpse into the moonlit sky. The disadvantages are that there may be a lack of detail in some areas, and it’s more challenging to photograph homes in the dark. However, these photos are something that both buyers and sellers appreciate, so they’re worth considering for your listing.
Virtual Staging
Virtual staging is a type of real estate photography done to capture the possible final presentation of a property. Properties that have been staged are more likely to sell faster and for higher prices.
Virtual Tours
Virtual tours are an excellent way to showcase properties to potential buyers. They allow the potential buyer to tour a property without actually having to visit it in person. This eliminates the need for brokers, real estate agents, or tours and can reduce travel costs for the buyer on both sides of the transaction. Virtual tours will also increase exposure for a listing and show off all of its features, making it easier for buyers to choose a property without inconveniencing themselves with visits.
Potential buyers can get a virtual tour by going online and simply clicking through photos or watching videos of the home they are interested in viewing. As technology advances, this is becoming more common and allows the buyer access to your listings anytime they want. Virtual tours require unique cameras and use specialized software such as Matterport and Zillow.
How To Decide On A Real Estate Photographer?
There are many factors to consider when hiring a professional real estate photographer. Whether it’s a significant investment or not, you want to make sure your photos exceed your expectations and help sell your home quickly for top dollar. You should hire the best photographer you can find.
Some of the most important things to look for include:
Portfolio
Looking at the portfolio of the real estate photographer is the first thing you should do. You can do a web search for real estate photographers in your area, and visit their websites. The first impression you should get is these are beautiful pictures. Other things you should consider include:
Do you like the style of their work?
Is there a match for your home’s style, location, and story?
Experience
There are many real estate photography companies out there, some of which have been in the real estate photography business longer than others. In general, a real estate photographer can do a better job today than a year ago. However, if cost is a factor new real estate photographers may offer services at a great price.
Creativity
You want to hire a professional real estate photographer who is creative, so they can capture the best photos possible. Drone shots can be taken from different angles and by looking at the real estate photographer’s portfolio you will be able to judge their creativity. Great photos will help potential buyers have a wonderful experience when going through the property listing.
References
You’ll want references from other successful clients who can confirm their work is reliable. You can reach out to clients who have given testimonials on their website or ask for references. Positive feedback is vital and it is necessary to know how it was to work with the real estate photographer during the entire process. Some questions you could ask previous clients include:
- Did the real estate photographer do an amazing job?
- Did the real estate photographer offer outstanding service?
- Did the real estate photographer understand the requirements of the property listing?
- Are you extremely happy with the service provide?
- Would you hire the same real estate photographer for your next job?
Services Offered
As there are many services that real estate photographers offer, it is essential to ensure the service you seek. Virtual tour, video production, and drone photography are some of the new services to hit the real estate photography market. Aerial photography is a must and almost all real estate agents include them nowadays.
Professionalism
Look for a well-organized professional photographer, follows up on appointments, and work hard to meet deadlines.
Cost
Real estate photography isn’t cheap, so make sure you get quotes from several different photographers before settling on one. You should check the pricing of different available packages and choose the one you need. The website can be used to schedule online appointments.
Turn Around Time
The turnaround time for each photo is also essential. Some photographers are willing to take longer, but others work on deadlines or have long waitlists. Prompt service is necessary and a true professional can do an outstanding job with limited time.
Are You Looking For Professional Real Estate Photography?
Alchemy Digital Media is a full service real estate photography and videography company specializing in capturing the best images possible in and around Fort Myers FL. Our team of photographers will do a fantastic job whether it’s aerial photography or virtual tours. In addition, we have years of experience with virtual staging and editing photos to make them stand out from the rest.
As a real estate photography company, our photography services are popular with real estate agents around southwest Florida. We will do an excellent job of representing your property in the best light possible.
Contact us today for more information about our services!