One of the largest real estate photography firms, VHT Studios analyzed the homes that sold in the greater Chicago area in 2013 and compared it to each home’s days on market (DOM), regardless of price point, and discovered that real estate sold marketed with professional photography sold 32% faster than those that did not.
They also discovered that listings featuring professional photography sat for an average of 85 days on the market compared to 123 days a listing sat on the market with normal photos. That’s 5 weeks faster on average! Which is enough time for the market to move…. interest rates, demand etc.
Since the analysis did not factor in price point and included all properties is demonstrates using professional photos are not just for “mansions and estates”.
The study also noted that the highly experienced and successful realtors were the ones using professional photography the most. “They get it”, said Brian Balduf, CEO of VHT Studios in one statement.
All Realtors Are Not Equal
All Realtors have a license, they complete the same fill-in the blank contracts mandated by the States Real Estate Commission but what the consumer really needs to evaluate when hiring a Realtor isn’t just what they charge, but their ability to successfully market your property! They are supposed to be experts so how they go about it can mean the difference of thousands of dollars in your pocket, knowledge that comes from years of experience.
The findings are not surprising, given consumers’ behavior when searching for homes online in today’s market. Most people input their search criteria with the usual number of beds/baths, area, style of property and a price range and “les voilà “ a page full of pictures of properties is presented on their computer screen. At this point you have a mere 15 seconds to capture their attention with a single photograph. This ritual of searching simplifies their decision to visit a property in person and speeds up the buying cycle and that more people are enticed to visit the home.
It’s been estimated that 92 percent of homebuyers use the Internet as part of their efforts to find their next home. We have just discussed that professional listing photos are a critical factor in selling the home, how quickly it sells, and whether it sells at all.
First Impressions Pay Off
Redfin, a real estate brokerage with agents in twenty-five markets throughout the United States discovered in Los Angles, California for homes listed between $200k and $1 million taken with professional photos sell for $3,400 to $11,200 more relative to their list prices.
If your selling your home, be sure you have professional photos to facilitate an ideal home selling process. Jeff McClintock is an award winning Denver Real Estate and Travel/Landscape photographer. His images first started appearing in magazines and publications back in 1988. Over the years his images have appeared in Sierra Club, National Géographique, Best of Photography, Country Magazine, as well as Travel and Visitor Bureau’s in Québec, Canada. Call today and have him shoot your next property! 1.303.564.7384
Copyright © 2014 Image et Photographie and Jeff McClintock. All rights reserved.