The Portland Real Estate market has been hot for a while now. As an agent, you’ve probably thought or heard someone say “we don’t need pro photos to sell a home in this market”, and the reality is - that is correct. You don’t NEED to have all the fancy marketing media to have multiple offers on a listing these days.
It might seem like a great idea to save a few hundred dollars up front, but have you considered the long-term cost of listing without pro photos? I can guarantee it’s significantly higher than the cost of any marketing materials you might want.
See what our surveyed buyers had to say about homes they saw online without professional photos.
#1 - Buyers say they will skip right over your listing, EVEN if it meets all of their search criteria.
“When I was searching for a home, I literally skipped right over any that didn’t have a nice cover image. Even if it met all of my criteria in the search.”
“In my opinion, a listing without pro photos is not worth looking at or going to see even if it meets my search criteria”
If you decided you're not going to use professional photos, you must first ask yourself, how many qualified buyers might not even look at my listing just because it doesn't have nice photography? On top of that, how many buyers will never come to see it in person? When listing a property we all know that more traffic means more offers. If your listing isn't being seen by qualified buyers simply because of the lack of online presence, you're missing a huge opportunity to sell faster and for higher offers. That alone should be reason enough to make sure your listings at least have professional photography. Thankfully, there are a lot of agents (like you) who always purchase pro photos, the next step is to think about what can set you apart above the rest. Not only will it make you and your listing look good, but 3D tours will also generate even more traffic to your listings because of the search algorithm on Zillow. Read our latest 3D Blog post to learn more. Try one of our 3D Tour options for as little as $85!
#2 - Buyers assume there is something wrong with a house just because it doesn't have professional photos
“Seeing a listing without professional photos makes me think there is something wrong with it. You know like when you’re swiping on Tinder and the person's main image is of a landscape how it instantly makes you think "RED FLAG" and you wonder what they’re hiding? That's what it’s like when homes have bad photos. I ask myself, what are they trying to hide?”
This one made us chuckle because it's so true! We as humans use visual cues to come to conclusions about everything. Seeing a house without pro photos is like judging a book by its cover. We all know that the cover of a book or a photo of a house doesn't tell the whole story. However, how many times do we glance right over something great because it didn't appeal to us at the first sight? Without professional photography, you are leaving room for buyers to assume there is something critically wrong with the house.
#3 - Buyers won't list in the future with an agent who doesn't use professional photography
“I literally cringe when I see a listing without professional photos, I think it is such a disservice to the homeowner and potential buyers.”
You are missing future deals based on how you present your listings today, which is thousands of dollars in lost commission. Ouch. This one stings a little more than the rest. Choosing to save a couple of hundred dollars on listing photos, actually costs you thousands down the road.
#3 - Buyers think agents that list without professional photos are lazy and/or cheap
“When I see a listing without pro photos the first thing I think is: What else did they do this cheap?”
We're all for Realtors saving money, but there are some things you just don't want to cut corners on. Your digital marketing is one of them. It's important that you think about your public profile and your online presence. How do you want others to view you as an agent? I bet the words "lazy" and "cheap" are traits you would not want your clients, colleagues, or buyers to believe when they think about you as an agent.
#4 We asked, "Would you list with an agent that didn’t have pro photos?"
No, Nope, Never, No.
A resounding "NO" from every single person asked. Based on this evidence it’s obvious that choosing to opt-out of professional photos is doing you, your clients, and potential buyers a huge disservice. If you're not sure what marketing media is best for your upcoming listings check out our blog showcasing all the services we offer here at RE PIXS. Still not sure what to order? Read our blog Virtual Tours: What's the Difference?!
Now that you know exactly why you need professional photos on your listings, let's talk about what you have the potential to gain by choosing to add professional photography (& more) to your marketing package.
The potential for leads based on your professional marketing strategy
Happy clients who have confidence in you as their agent
More traffic to your listings
More, and possibly larger, offers
An overall a faster sale
As you can see, there is so much to gain by spending a couple of hundred dollars upfront on your listing package. At RE PIXS, we want you to look good online and in front of your clients. We truly care that you have all the marketing resources you need under one roof. As a company, we stay informed about all of the latest real estate marketing trends and want to provide our agents (like you!) with all the best resources.
If you have any questions about what to book, or which services will be best for your listing don't hesitate to reach out. We are happy to help make you and your listings shine! Call or text us today at (971) 295-1676
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