How Professional Real Estate Photography Does More Than Sell A Home
As a Naples real estate agent, by now you know that professional real estate photography can help you move property.
In fact, a National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 2015 study: Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, found that 92% of prospective homebuyers use the Internet to search for homes, 42% of whom start their search online. In that same study, 87% of homebuyers said that photos were a major part of their search, rating above detailed property information.
And that study is already three years old, which is ages in Internet terms. It’s safe to say the numbers have only grown.
So yes, professional real estate photography helps you to sell your listings. But have you considered the value of professional imagery beyond that?
The reality is that professional real estate photography does much more than just help you sell a home here in Naples. In this post, we’re going to talk about what it can do for your brand.
What Professional Real Estate Photography Does For Your Brand
Whether you’re just starting out as a real estate agent here in Southwest Florida or have been around for years, homebuyers will typically first get to know you through your online presence. Usually, this means the photos you have attached to your listings on sites like Zillow, Realtor.com or Trulia.
Yes, you’ll have the signs with your face on them and be there to greet your potential buyers and show them home, but for your online presence, nothing will pull more weight for you than quality, professional imagery. That’s why when you build your marketing budget, you should factor in what professional photography is going to cost for each property.
But let’s say you hire a professional photographer, use the images for your property, and sell the house — that’s it, right?
Well, not exactly. Professional photography can keep working for you even after your home has sold. Here’s how.
Investing In Your Brand
You probably have heard professional photographers like me talk about why you need to invest in photography, but that’s really what it is — an investment. And like most investments, professional photography can keep working for you if you allow your investment to grow.
By continually using professional photography, you will begin to build a brand reputation online and increase your digital footprint. Homebuyers who are scrolling through listings in areas like Naples, Marco Island and Bonita Springs may begin to notice images with your photographer’s signature style. The thing is — they only associate that style with you.
This allows you to grow your online presence in the real estate market and open yourself up to new listings, because homebuyers aren’t the only ones searching online for a real estate agent — those looking to sell are too. And when they find an agent like yourself who has great, professional images that match how they would like to portray their home, they might just want you to sell their home too. All because of your images.
Justify Your Rates
Sometimes real estate agents are hesitant to hire a professional photographer because of the initial cost. And yes, hiring a photographer does cost more, but while it can be tempting to pull out your smartphone and paste some images online, we need to dig back into how professional photography is an investment, and in your best interest for the long run.
The benefits are twofold: you’ll increase the chances of selling your current listing, and also open the door to new opportunities.
But wait…there is more — your professional imagery will make you appear more valuable to your clients, which allows you to earn a higher commission. Professional photography gives sellers confidence that you know what you are doing, and will make their home look as good as possible, allowing for it to sell at a higher price. A higher sale price means happier clients and a bigger commission for you, the agent! It’s a real win, win.
Overall, professional real estate photography does certainly have its benefits for your individual listing, but when questioning its value, consider the future of your career and what it can do for your brand.
If you’re looking for a professional real estate photographer in Southwest Florida, Jon Kreider at Sun Services SW has served the area since 2013. A commercial photographer serving the Naples, Marco Island, and Bonita Springs communities, Jon specializes in real estate photography and video, bringing homes to life online before they are viewed in person. Visit Jon’s website or shoot him an email today to discuss your real estate photography needs.