In this day and age, your home’s first impression happens online. Images need to do more than show what your home looks like, they must sell the story of a lifestyle to today’s visually discerning buyers, or they will move on. That’s why hiring a professional real estate photographer provides an advantage when selling your home. Our agents know what sells. They have the expertise to stage, simplify and highlight the best parts of your home.
How important are real estate photographs?
A study on Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends in 2020 from the National Association of Realtors® reported that all generations of buyers started their search process online, whether on their cell phones through an application or on their desktops through a professional website. “As a result of an internet home search, buyers most often walked through the home that they viewed online,” highlights the report, securing the importance of a well thought out photography plan.
The report indicates that photos enticed the home buyers to tour the property and eventually extend an offer. A supplemental study from the Old Dominion University Experiential Real Estate Behavior Institute found that “homebuyers… focus primarily on the photo of the home and secondarily on the quantitative description of the property.” The study specifically utilized eye-tracking software to create connections between photography and following through to tour the home. Due to the technology, they were able to track the points of interest around the images and what draws the eye to the home.
The results of both articles emphasize the need for high-quality images in real estate sales. The same study also found the longer a buyer’s gaze “dwells” on the photo, the more interested they are in the property. Not only do you need photography, but an eye-catching photo is critical to capturing that crucial initial interest in the home.
Why professional photography?
It’s true that many of us now carry a camera on our person, but that doesn’t mean it is the right equipment or right user for the job. Though most camera phones have high quality images on your phone screen, that doesn’t always translate well to a larger monitor. Contemporary home buyers are highly engaged on social media. They have developed refined visual tastes about what they like and will likely skip over an image that is pixelated or has poor quality, not giving the concept of the home a chance.
High-quality photography is more apt to draw the discerning buyer’s eye and encourage them to engage, either as a prospective buyer or to share across their social networks.
Amanda Howard Sotheby’s International Realty exclusively uses professional real estate photographers for their skills and expertise. Capturing the right images of your property requires:
- Knowledge of appropriate angles, composition, editing
- The right equipment, like professional DSLR cameras, a variety of lenses, and lighting equipment
- Experience in photographing numerous homes
- Ability to highlight subtle features that make the home unique
- Allowing the buyer to envision the home as theirs through the camera lens
We are experiencing an increasing number of out-of-state buyers willing to make offers on homes, having interacted exclusively with them through online photos, videos, and interactive virtual tours. Convincing buyers your home is their dream home without ever stepping foot inside requires exceptional image capture best done by professionals with the backing of the knowledge of a professional real estate agent.
The professional advantage
The photography of your home is equally as crucial as its in-person presentation. These images create a perception of your home that buyers will carry with them as they work through their search process. Stop them from scrolling onto the next with the right photography.
Amanda Howard Sotheby’s International Realty employs experienced photographers committed to capturing the distinct features of your home. Our team is at the forefront of combining technology with exceptional photography. In addition to still photography, we use immersive virtual tours that showcase homes in 360 degrees. Contact us to learn more about how our photography gives your sale an edge.
