Today over 90% of buyers start their home search online. That means the photographs of your home will most likely be their true first impression. Hiring a Realtor that is committed to getting your photos right is paramount. Photos should be completed before your home is listed in the MLS so that they can be included with the listing. If they are not included you will miss that first wave of potential buyers that get daily updates about new homes on the market. If there are not photos, they won’t even bother clicking through to learn about your home. So what is the difference between your Realtor taking photos with their phone and a professional photographer?
Angles and Perspective
It can be extremely difficult to show a room from the right angle, especially smaller rooms like bathrooms. Photographers know the best way to get the largest possible photo while not distorting how the room is actually set up in your home. Fish eye lenses can be used sparingly, but you don’t want to portray a room as something it is not. Shooting a room from above, eye level, or crouching down can present different viewpoints. A professional photographer will attempt many different shots in order to get the right perspective.
Lighting
Natural lighting is the best, but most homes don’t have enough to create great photos, and waiting for a bright sunny day isn’t always an option. Photographers bring in lighting systems, which is especially important in vacant homes where they may be minimal lights available.
Staging
While not specifically a part of the photography, working with a Realtor who understands what staging can do for a home will only help the photographer. There are many Realtors that do not believe picking up a home is part of their job, but they also don’t want to tell their client to do it. Finding a Realtor that will communicate what is needed is important. Finding one that is willing to move a doll because it doesn’t look right in the photo, is priceless.