Why should you hire a professional photographer, compared to taking the the photos yourself
As a professional photographer, I get this question from time to time from potential clients and I'm sure its something that all listing agents ask themselves at some point... Should I save the time, money, and effort of hiring a professional and do the media myself? I usually answer that question by telling them to follow their own advice. That you as agents tell your potential seller clients regularly, to trust a professional and hire a realtor. That its the agents job to know the market and get the best possible deal. That they have years of experience and are trained to negotiate well. Its the same for photographers... You know real estate, we know photography. It can take years to master real estate photography and that's years you don't have as a busy agent. Sometimes agents do get lucky and take a decent photo with their cell phone or point-and-shoot camera. But the conditions really have to be perfect and occasionally getting it right just isn't good enough for your clients. We all know that we rarely get the perfect conditions needed. Professionals do have the right knowledge, equipment, and post processing experience to overcome any challenges and give you consistent results, no matter the conditions. And that is what your clients deserve and have come to expect
I also hear from agents, that in seller's markets; why should I bother with a professional. Homes usually sell very quickly. Well its a pretty simple answer; it's all about doing what is best for your clients. That is generating the highest amount of interest in the property and to get the best possible deal. If you get one offer with bad photos, just imagine how many offers you would get if you had professional quality photos. It's been proven that professional photos can help sell a property over 30% faster (according to the NAR) and in turn often for above asking price.
Make a Smart Investment
Most of us know, you often have to spend money to make money. Investing in good marketing is absolutely crucial for businesses big and small. And professional photography can be one of the smartest investments you can make for your next real estate listing. And If you look at it like a smart investment (that will certainly pay dividends) when the property sells, its a lot easier to make that decision. I can assure you will definitely be pleased on the ROI.
Choosing the Right Photographer
It can often be hard to find the right real estate photographer to help grow your business and become a trusted team member. There is much more to it, than just having expensive cameras and equipment. You really need to find a professional that has not only has the right equipment, but has mastered the craft, and is a good communicator. Someone that runs and qualified business and is able to put your clients at ease, during this stressful time of selling.
Its always a good idea to hire a pro that specializes in real estate and architectural photography. Every photography discipline (real estate, weddings, portraits, sports, etc...) are very different and each discipline comes with its own unique challenges, skills, and equipment. If I as a real estate photographer tried to go out and shoot a wedding, I may get lucky, but most likely would fail pretty hard. Its a totally different skill set, with different procedures, and even totally different camera equipment. We as real estate photographers know all the tricks of the trade to showcase the property in its best light. The right angles, positions, and lighting. To simply put it, make the property look bright, yet warm and inviting. To walk that tight-rope of taking a well composed and exposed image that also gives the viewer the right information about the property.