Professional Pics vs Quick Snaps
Cell Phone Pics vs Professional Photos
Everybody is different in their needs, and in their perceived values in photographic services. Some are just used to doing things a certain way and either are intimidated by the idea of working with a professional, or simply feel their images are sufficient to do the job and don’t warrant the investment of time and money in professional photographic services. You will have to make your own decisions as to what is right for you. We have some agents that literally have us photograph ever listing they get no matter how cheap the listing is. And we have others that won’t invest unless the listing price exceeds a certain amount. But what I can do is give you a little perspective and let you make your own decisions.
The first thing to remember is that value is not always in the form of dollars. You have actual value and perceived value. The second thing to remember is that it’s not just your own perceived value of professional pictures that you should be thinking of, but instead what is the perceived value difference of you in the eyes of your client. Granted that are times that services are backup and you can’t get pictures timely. Or you know a listing will sell super fast anyways so no point in spending the money because it’ll likely be sold anyways before you can get the pictures back. But apart from these circumstances, you have to remember that the decision you make as to whether or not to be an agent that makes that investment will have an effect on your perceived value to your clients. We know this first hand because we have heard it from homeowners hundreds of times. Having an agent that makes that investment makes them seem like a more serious agent that truly is trying to get the job done and not just someone taking a listing and being cheap and sitting on it while waiting for a buyer to just show up. An investor is someone that seeks a return on their investment, whereas a low investor has less to loose and less incentive to get the job done.
The next thing to keep in mind is that we live in a digital error of extreme stimulation. Because of reality shows and such, expectations are dramatically higher to produce a showcase of images that make a property look like the goldmine the seller thinks it is. Not only this, but if you do any amount of asking buyers about their online searching experiences, you’ll hear constant complaining about horrible photos only, or others that won’t even look at listing unless they have professional pictures. When you have the option of doo-doo or flowers, what will you go to every time. That’s why buyers will look past listing with bad photos more quickly, while naturally gravitating to listings that visually appear to them. We want to please our eyes, so that’s what we go for.
Can you get away without professional pictures? Of course you can. And there’s plenty of times it’s perfectly understandable to not have them done. But if you want to show sellers that you’re serious and worth trusting in as someone that really wants to sell their house, then you may want to consider investing in professional photographic services. Whether it be standard inside/outside photos, aerial drone stills and video, interior videography, or interactive virtual tours.
