Back Away From the iPhone and Hire a Photographer

by Shannon O'Brien

Are you really taking photos of your listings with your iPhone? As Dr. Phil says, how’s that working for you?

You caution your sellers about the importance of curb appeal. You counsel them to clean up and maybe even stage the home’s interior. Then you come along, snap some quick photos on your smartphone and slap them on the MLS.

While curb appeal is your client’s responsibility, web appeal is yours.You have one chance to impress – a scant two seconds to grab a buyer’s attention without a photograph and 20 seconds with one. Do iPhone listing photos or those you take with a point-and-shoot camera make optimum use of those valuable seconds? 

What Professional Listing Photographers Brings to the Table

According to a 2010 Redfin study, homes that are professionally photographed sell for at least $934 and as much as $18,819 more than homes photographed by an amateur. The study also shows that homes photographed by a professional garner 61 percent more online views.

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Professionally-photographed homes sell for up to $19,000 more.

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The key to getting these results is in creating inspiration, according to real estate photographer Jay Groccia. Effective marketing photos are inspirational. If homebuyers perusing the Internet get inspired by a photo, “they’ll click through to the agent’s website. If they don’t, they click “back” to view the next result in the search list,” Groccia explains.

“That was it – right there – that was your opportunity to grab that buyer’s attention, and if they clicked back, you’ve lost them forever,” he cautions.

“But I Own a Really Good Camera … “

Many agents fancy themselves photographers merely because they bought a high-end camera and taught themselves how to use it. There is an art, however, to good photography. The skilled professional knows how to use composition, color and lighting to make a photo more appealing. Owning a great camera makes one no more a professional photographer than owning a Wolf range makes one a professional chef.

Be the Agent – Not the Photographer

Deep down inside agents understand that they can’t wear all the hats in their real estate practice and still adequately serve their clients – especially while simultaneously trying to grow their businesses. It’s the agents who delegate that typically move to the next level.

Even if you fancy yourself a budding photographer and have all the high-end equipment necessary, your time is better spent drumming up new listings and growing your business.

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Real estate agents are hired to sell homes, not take photos.

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“I used to believe that a good product sold itself,” admitted Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman of Nike, Inc.

Lots of real estate agents fall into the same trap. A good house will not sell itself without your assistance. Even in the best of markets, advertising your listings is essential. Your clients expect it and they’re paying you to do it right.

The next time you’re tempted to pull out your iPhone to snap listing photos, ask yourself this: Would Phil Knight whip out his point-and-shoot and snap random photos of a pile of athletic shoes to be used in Nike’s print advertising?

Your main objective is to “make them dream.” Jaw-dropping photos do that.

Anyone can take a photo, but not everyone can take the best photo to sell your home.

How good is your photographer?

Bell Real Estate Photography was Voted 1 of the top 10 photographers in Tampa Bay by linkedin.com

With competitive prices and top quality in both photography and design, Bell Real Estate Photography knows how to get your listing to stand out! If you are selling a home or renting a vacation condo, Bell Real Estate Photography knows what you need.

Hiring a Professional Photographer Versus Shooting Photos Yourself

Hiring a professional photographer versus shooting photos yourself. There are many things that real estate agents can agree upon, and one of these is that most people are finding their new homes via the Internet. It is absolutely essential for any real estate agent to advertise online if the agent wants to be successful. The online presence is probably the most important aspect of realty in the 21st century.

Once you have your website up and running, you need to provide as much information as you can to potential buyers. People are looking at homes and basing their opinions on the things that you write and the pictures they see. The pictures really do so much to make buyers want to see the property, so the best real estate agents hire professional photographers to take these pictures for the website and other forms of marketing.

The biggest difference between hiring a professional photographer and taking the pictures yourself is the fact that the professional knows how to make something ordinary look spectacular. They understand how the angle of the photo can make a space appear bigger than it really is. These professionals also have all of the equipment needed to create stunning, high-definition images. Photographers also understand how to make things look better than they appear. They understand how the sizes and colors of objects impact a photograph. Photographers have spent thousands of hours learning how to take the best possible pictures, while real estate agents likely have not done so.

Remember that every home you want to sell will probably be selected based upon your marketing skills. It has been said that, “A picture paints a thousand words.” With this in mind, you can simply see how imperative it is to have the best possible pictures available for the world to see. Potential buyers are not going to continue looking at any home that has less than stellar pictures. They simply will not spend time looking at your listing if you without high-quality pictures to catch their eye. These images are also a reflection of your ability to sell a home, so you it’s a good idea to put your best foot forward and hire a professional to take the home photographs for you.

One of the concerns of hiring a professional photographer is the fee that is involved. Some professional home photographers will actually do the work for you without any upfront fees. They will work on commission just like you do. Once the house sells, part of the commission that you earn will be paid to the photographer. If this option is not available, you may be able to work out other terms with your photographer.

The real estate game is not easy to win at all of the time. The world is focused on the use of technology, and as a realtor, you need to provide your current and potential customers with the best possible opportunity to sell their house. A professional photographer sees the world in a different way through a lens, and that amazing talent that the photographer has will make a tremendous difference with potential homebuyers. You cannot sell a house to someone who doesn’t contact you, and you will be contacted more often with professional photographs.

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words. You needed no more explanation because the photo said it all. It captured all the essential details you may have wanted and even surpassed your expectations. In a case whereby you need to sell your home online, you need to ensure that you take excellent photos of your house and the surrounding environment because those images will be your words. To get an exceptional photo, you need an excellent real estate photographer. You need high-quality professional photographers and with a just a click on BellRealEstatePhotography.com , you know that you've got the best.

Voted as one of the Bay’s top ten real estate photographers, Bell Real Estate Photography offers quality services to clients. When you hire their services, you know that you are hiring the best. They pride in taking photos that make some potential clients offer even more than the asking price and the most amazing thing is that through their services, you are able to sell your home faster than you could ever imagine. It is possible to do it overnight because Bell Real Estate Photography makes it possible.

Another reason why you will want Bell Real Estate Photography services is the fact that the photographer is knowledgeable in the field and with a great understanding of aerial photography. They are able to capture high-quality images no matter how difficult it may seem. You can check the website for some of the amazing photos.

If you ask in the in the Tampa Bay area, the residents will tell you that Bell Real Estate Photography is not just all about photography. The team has a strong background in graphic design to ensure that the finishing of your photos are the best. When you hire the services of a photographer who knows how to bring out the best in a photo, then you know that you have hired the best. Trust Bell Real Estate Photography to take photos of your home and you will be amazed with the results.

At a simple click on their website, you will be able to see photos of their past work as an attestation that we are the best real estate and architectural photographers. The moment you hire their service, they walk with you through the journey to ensure that you get the best offer for your property.

The great team of Bell Real Estate Photography is waiting to help you make a quick sale of your home. You can contact them through there website, you will be glad that you did!