Does better estate agent photography make a house sell faster?
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When it comes to putting your home up for sale, there are lots of things you will need to consider. Who are you going to sell with? When do you want to sell it? Which agent will you choose?
It seems like around every corner there is a new house selling decision to be made, but one you may not expect is how you can take photos that will make your home sell faster.
Whilst they may not seem like house photos will have a huge effect on your sale, they are an aspect well worth considering. In a survey done by PhotoUp, they found that putting your home on the market with professional photography can help you get sold 50% faster than those who don't.
What is estate agent photography?
Estate agent photography is the practice of capturing high-quality photographs of properties for the purpose of marketing them on the open market.
These photographs are typically taken by professional photographers, although sometimes they are taken in-house by the estate agents.
Estate agent photography showcases a property in the most appealing and accurate way possible in order to attract potential buyers or renters.
The photographs are used in various marketing materials such as property listings on Rightmove or Zoopla, brochures, advertisements and social media.
Estate agent photography involves capturing different areas and features of a property, including the exterior, interior rooms, amenities and any noteworthy architectural details.
The photographs aim to highlight the property’s best attributes, such as spaciousness, natural lighting, unique design elements, and desirable views.
Proper lighting, composition, and attention to detail are important factors in creating visually appealing images.
How can estate agent photography differ?
Advancements in technology have led to the use of techniques like high dynamic range (HDR) photography, virtual tours, and drone photography in estate agent photography.
These tools help provide a more immersive and comprehensive view of the property, enhancing the overall marketing efforts.
However, it's important to note that most estate agents aren’t professional photographers and most agencies will use a third party company to take property photography.
What’s necessary for estate agent photography?
If you’re an estate agent yourself, or maybe you’re a homeowner with a passion for photography, it can be useful to know what is necessary for estate agent photography to ensure high-quality and effective marketing materials.
Camera equipment
A professional-grade digital camera is typically used for estate agent photography. This includes a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses.
The camera should have manual control settings to adjust exposure, focus, depth of field etc.
Wide-angled lens
A wide-angle lens is commonly used in estate agent photography to capture a broader field of view and make spaces appear larger. It helps showcase rooms, architecture and property features effectively.
Typically estate agent photographers will use lenses with focal lengths between 16mm and 35mm on full-frame cameras.
Tripod
Using a sturdy tripod is important to ensure sharp and stable images, especially in low-light conditions or when longer exposure times are needed. This helps eliminate camera shake and allows for precise composition.
Lighting equipment
Proper lighting is crucial for achieving well-exposed and appealing photographs.
Natural light is often preferred, but additional lighting equipment such as external flashes, strobes, or reflectors may be used to fill in shadows, balance exposure or ethane specific areas of the property.
Composition and staging
Attention to composition is key to creating visually pleasing photographs. This involves framing the shot, considering angles, and ensuring proper alignment.
Staging the property with furniture, props, and décor can help create an inviting atmosphere and showcase the potential.
Image editing software
Post-processing image editing software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom can enhance the final images. Adjustments may include colour correction, exposure balancing, straightening, cropping and retouching.
However, it's important to maintain a realistic representation of the property.
Attention to detail
Paying attention to small details can significantly impact the overall quality of estate agent photography.
Ensuring clean and decluttered spaces, tidy arrangements, properly arranged furniture, and capturing appealing angles of the property are all important factors to consider.
How much does professional property photography cost?
When it comes to getting professional property photography, there can be many factors which can contribute to the overall price, and the prices will vary depending on the photographer or company.
You will be able to find professional photographers that offer £100 per session, and then others will offer £1000 per session, so it's vital that you look at their portfolio to see if they have taken images of your type of property.
In the UK, the average rate of estate agent photography is £150 per hour – which is ample time for most properties.
How long does estate agent photography take?
For the average sized UK home, it will take an experienced photographer 60 - 90 minutes, and they will try their best to book the session between 10am and 2pm when the sun is highest in the sky.
However, the time it takes for estate agent photography may vary if your property is awkwardly shaped, small or extensive.
If you want videography as well as photography, this will dramatically increase the amount of time spent (and cost).
How do you book estate agent photography?
When it comes to selling your house with an estate agent, most agencies will organise the property photography on your behalf as part of the service. However, you should also take note of any hidden costs within the estate agency service, for basic necessities like floorplans, marketing, photos and managed viewings.
As the vendor, if you wish to use a professional photographer you’ve found yourself then you may incur the cost of the photographer.
Does better estate agent photography sell a home faster?
Ultimately, good estate agent photography may be a beneficial bonus when selling a property on the open market.
Potential buyers are more likely to click on property pictures that are professionally staged, curated and shot. The more potential buyers are impressed by the images, the more enquiries you will get.
This is because professionally shot estate agent photography can help buyers to visualise themselves in the space, and how they would use it.
Below we have a comparison of what good and bad photography could look like on a property listing:
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(We’ll leave the decision as to which one is better to you).
Although good estate agent photography might attract the right buyer, at the right time, in most cases it wont. As with most things in the house selling industry, good or bad estate agent photography won’t be the selling decider for all properties.
There are so many other factors like market trends, location, size of property, asking price and so much more that will affect how fast your property sells on the open market.
What other factors affect the speed of a house sale?
If you’re looking for more factors to consider when selling house, check out the articles below:
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What is the fastest way to sell a home?
The fastest way to sell a home is to sell through us!
Here at The Property Buying Company, we can sell your house fast without the hassle of staging your home for estate agent photos! In fact, we can help you sell in a timeline that suits you, without the estate agent fees that come along with it.
We can buy your property in as little as seven days, and avoid all the hassle of getting professional photos and marketing done. We have cash reserves at the ready, to suit any house selling timeline you may have in mind.
Although we will offer below market value for your property, we will be paying for all of your solicitor and surveyor fees – and offer no estate agent costs.
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