Why You Should Hire a Professional for MLS Photos

Years ago, before online real estate listings were a thing, a drive-by was the main way a potential buyer could assess a home that was on sale. Back then, even if a buyer was just looking, they probably had to attend an open house to get a glimpse of the listing.

Those were the days when curb appeal was so important that a buyer might lose interest in a home just because there were weeds or dead grass on the driveway - regardless of how great the home was on the inside. Conversely, a listing with a great curb appeal often performed very well on the market.

These days, however, technology has changed the game completely. The vast majority of buyers now search for their homes online. Consequently, photos might be not just your best, but in many cases your only shot at impressing potential buyers.

Professional Shots Are Taken to Impress - and Sell

Most buyers have limited time to review the photos in an MLS listing. At most, you have about 20-30 seconds to impress a buyer with your property photos. If your photos reflect poorly on your property, buyers will quickly skim over your listing and move on to the next one.

So, while it might seem easier to take listing photos yourself using your smartphone, you should know that your shots are unlikely to measure up to the quality of professional real estate photography done by an experienced, well-equipped photographer. An experienced real estate photographer will draw buyers in through exceptional presentation of your property.

Professional Skill, Experience, nd Equipment Gives Your Listing An Upper Hand

The current real estate market is a competitive one. Listings that stand out or “pop” have a significant advantage over other properties. You can make your MLS listing “pop” by posting the type of pictures that show your property at its very best.

A professional photographer does his or her best to make your property look as beautiful as possible - sometimes even more beautiful than it does in real life. Unlike professional photos, amatuer pictures can be grainy, with tilted floors and walls, and colors that are simply off.

Professional photographers also know a lot about staging a room before taking photos. This is incredibly important, because most your rooms will not be camera-ready if you shoot them yourself.

We understand that there are some incredibly talented shutterbugs in our midst. However, real estate photography requires special equipment and tools that you might not have. The cameras you use may, for instance, have numerous shortcomings. These shortcomings could, for example, make your window with the amazing view look like a wall of white light. Or cause impressive architectural designs to warp into strange, unappealing shapes.

That’s not the kind of first impressions that attracts buyers.

The Numbers Get Better With Professional Photos

Statistically speaking, professional photos generate about 60% more online views than point-and-click photos. Moreover, listings with professional photos generally command higher prices than those with amateur photos. Finally, homes priced at over $200,000 sell faster when the listing features professional photography.

So, what are you waiting for? Turn off the camera function and use your phone as a -- you know -- phone! The sooner you give us a call, the faster we can help you get your property sold.

Preparing the Home for a Real Estate Photo Shoot

Eye-catching photos of a home can make a big difference in the number of interested buyers. In fact, high-quality images help homes sell 32% faster and command a 47% higher asking price per square foot.

At DMD Real Estate Photography, we have you covered when it comes to getting excellent visuals to showcase a property. Our dedicated and talented photographers will capture a home’s best angles, regardless of geographical, structural, or seasonal challenges.

You (and the sellers) can also help by preparing the home properly for the real estate photo shoot.

What can you do?

Clear the Clutter

Remember, it doesn’t need to be clean. It just needs to appear clean. You can sweep all that mess into a drawer or cabinet and deal with it later.

But don’t get rid of absolutely everything. That can make a room appear too cold and barren. Instead, each surface should have only two or three deliberately chosen items. Think of them as props that help showcase the features of your home.

If the seller has trouble selecting those items, our photographers can help point them in the right direction.

Also, be sure to clean all surfaces, mirrors, and floors. We may be able to edit out or photograph around small smudges or marks, but it’s hard to hide dirty floors or scummy mirrors even with the best tricks.

Don’t Forget the Outside

Call a lawn service. Trim the bushes. Park the car in the garage (or across the street). And definitely put those garbage cans away. You want the home’s exterior to look as good as the interior — if not better!

The garage is a great place to “hide away” outdoor mess — unless it has features that you’d like to highlight in the shoot.

Like the interior, you should consider leaving a few outdoor “props” that highlight the features of the property.  For example, you could place an attractive shovel up against a tool shed.

Give the House a Facelift by Painting

The photos we take are meant to appeal to potential buyers. If the walls of a home can be described as unflattering, the seller should consider repainting. Fresh paint also signals a well-maintained house that attracts buyers.

Generally, it’s best to go with neutral paints or whites and grays. Vivid colors may only appeal to certain buyers. They do not always have a broad appeal.

Make Small Renovations

Great photos may be wasted on a house that screams 1970. While there are many antique lovers out there, most buyers will generally stay away from a home that looks or feels too old, so it can help to renovate or upgrade some of the outdated aspects of the home before you call in the photo shoot crew.

However, sellers should know that most major renovations may not always recoup all of the costs. A $60,000 kitchen upgrade may, for instance, increase the home value by about $40,000.

Instead, consider smaller renovations. All that matters is the first impression that buyers get when they look at the property photos. The goal should be to make things look good on camera, so buyers will give the home a chance.

For example, you don’t have to replace the kitchen cabinets entirely. It’s enough to simply repaint them or replace their doors. Similarly, instead of buying a new tub for the bathroom, just reglaze the one that’s already there, and it’ll look as good as new.

Let Natural Light Brighten Up the Home

Some of the most beautiful real estate photos come from homes that are lit by natural light, and photos taken in natural light tend to grab the attention of the typical house hunter.

So, open those curtains, raise those shades, and let natural light flood your house! In fact, you’ll find that’s one of the first things our photographers do when setting up a room for a shoot. But we always appreciate a hand — particularly from sellers. After all, they know all the potential sources of natural lighting best.

That natural lighting will go a long way into helping our photographers capture the natural beauty of a home.

Give Us a Call for Your Next Real Estate Photo Shoot

We’re excited to help you with your next photo shoot. Feel free to call us with any questions you have about best preparing the home. And our photographers can offer suggestions on-site for staging and other easy changes that can be made just before the shoot. We’ll make sure the final images make an impact with potential buyers!

DMD Client Highlight: Hall Quality Homes

High Quality Homes is an award-winning new home construction firm providing Wasilla and Palmer real estate agencies with leading-edge, energy-efficient homes. Quite simply, they are some of the best to work with in these communities.

Owner and President Jess Hall comes with over 40 years of industry experience and an established reputation for quality building behind him. Not surprisingly, his firm takes pride in providing high-end new construction homes at an affordable price point. These guys construct each of their 40 modern floor plans from the ground up, following stringent material requirements and five-star energy standards.

We also like them because the design elements they incorporate into these homes make them easy to photograph. Partnering with their team as a real estate photographer has been nothing short of a dream.

Check out a few of DMD’s favorite images from a recent shoot for one Hall Quality Homes build in Palmer.

An open-concept floorplan, outfitted with on-trend options like…

A gorgeous herringbone patterned backsplash,

Mix of modern rustic and farmhouse chic light fixtures throughout,

And that modern-rustic minimalist mantle.

From treating clients like kings to showing them step-by-step how to solidify dreams into reality to weathering snowstorms and standing firm amidst a 7.2 earthquake because of the quality, the recommendations from those who’ve had the chance to work with (and live in) Hall Quality Homes speak for themselves.