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Stay in Your Lane: How Hiring Professional Photographers Saves You Money

August 08 2019

Time is money and you need to make the most of both, especially in real estate. Don't waste your time acting like an amateur real estate photographer snapping photos with your iPhone. For around $150, you can have a pro do the job and return the photos to you in as little as 14 hours. Hire a professional and get back to doing what you do best--selling properties.

Your iPhone photos are not good enough

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Do you know how to take a photo of a living room in order to best maximize an open layout? Or how to adjust lighting when the weather suddenly goes from overcast to sunny? Well, a professional photographer does. It is their job to make sure your property is captured at its best. Their professional cameras are a lot more capable than your iPhone and cost more than the average mortgage payment. Trust that someone who has dedicated their life to photography will make your property look like a million bucks—or as close as possible.

You're making a bad first impression

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It's the age of the internet. We are seeing both renters and buyers look online when it's time to find a place to live. Experts found that an overwhelming 92 percent of people looking for their next home are searching online first. While they are browsing, potential buyers will spend as long as 20 seconds looking at the front exterior photo before moving on to property details. This means you have only one photo, called the "hero image," to grab prospects' attention. To get a click, you need that hero image to be eye-catching.

A quick trick to getting more clicks is using a twilight photo, or a virtual twilight photo (pictured above). Twilight photography is taken on-site at dusk and virtual twilight photos are created in post production from a daylight exterior image. In a comparison study, one company found that a virtual twilight shot got three times more clicks then its daylight counterpart.

You could be doing a disservice to the property

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Sometimes property photos look as if they were literally taken in the middle of the room, leaving online browsers confused about the size of the space. A professional photographer uses art direction and a wide-angle lens to show the true size of the space. Wide-angle lenses are able to capture up to 180° of the room with substantially wider depth of field than an iPhone. Using professional tools not only leads to the appearance of bigger rooms but to better photos in general.

You could be slowing your turn time

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Professional photos are clickbait, it's that simple. Having a nice hero image will invite leads to view more photos. More views online means more showings, more offers, and ultimately a faster turnaround.

Let's be real… you don't even know how to open Photoshop

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The work isn't over when professionals are done shooting. The editing process is just as important as the photography itself. This is where the magic happens. A professional photographer can enhance images in a number of helpful ways. Blue sky and green grass can be added to exteriors for a more inviting curb appeal (pictured above). Or they can remove those pesky objects that didn't get a chance to be moved before shooting, like trash cans or parked cars.

You can even start marketing your property while you are still making repairs by utilizing custom Photoshop options. Pros can repair wall holes, unsightly clutter or stained carpet all with a couple clicks. This is just another reason why you should hire an expert who is trained to edit photos in a timely manner.

Investing in professional photography might seem like a luxury that simply isn't necessary for your listing, but the truth is photos evoke emotions, and emotions drive our actions. Your future buyer won't know why they love their new home, just that they do.

To view the original article, visit the Planomatic blog.