How much do photos add to a listing?

As a Realtor® selling real estate in Fort Lauderdale, I am amazed at the number of property listings in the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) without property photos. I believe this is a missed opportunity for maximum exposure, extremely frustrating to fellow agents and potential buyers, and certainly a disservice to the client seller.

By not uploading photos to each listing in the MLS, selling agents (who are the target audience you are reaching out to) searching for properties for a buyer are at a handicap when selecting properties to show if they cannot view the photos beforehand. Because of the lack of photos, agents are less likely to include this property when showing and even less likely to email the listing to a prospective buyer. I have had many buyer clients instruct me to NOT email them any property listings without photos.

Most internet savvy Realtors® realize that real estate listings are accessible by the public online and one of the best marketing techniques today for selling a property is via the internet. The average potential home buyer today is much more tech savvy than they were in the past, which means they are also more likely to go searching for the right property on their own than they would have been in the past. Many potential homebuyers begin their quest for a property searching listings online on their own and then bring their Realtor® in when they are ready to buy.

Simply Being Listed On the Internet is Not Enough
It is no longer enough for a Realtor® to just list a property for sale in the MLS. In addition, it is equally not enough to only include one photo. Agents must take the extra step to be sure that there are plenty of photos for fellow Realtors® and potential buyers to view.

House hunters don’t just want to see that a home or condo is listed for sale; instead they want specifics about each property. They want to have all of the information in front of them including when the property was built, room dimensions, and most importantly, PICTURES!

The fact of the matter is that most house hunters that are searching for a home online are doing so to save time. They don’t want to have to travel from home to home only to realize that the properties do not fit their needs and/or desires. When the individual can simply log on and view some pictures they are much more likely to take notice.

The more pictures there are the better. Agents and homebuyers alike want to be able to see several views of the home including a picture or two from the outside, pictures of all of the bedrooms, pictures of the living spaces, bathrooms and especially the kitchen. People are looking for all of the specifics that a property for sale has to offer and the more specifics you can catch on film the better. In addition, people who search property listings online, are more likely to view listings that have pictures. That means that the Realtors® who make it a rule to include photos in all their listings have a greater chance of selling more properties than those who do not.

Use the Technology Available
Today's homebuyer wants to make the process of house hunting as simple as possible. People in general are hungry for instant gratification, and this could not be more true than it is with homebuyers. When someone is searching the internet for a home they want all of the information right in front of them so they can make an instant decision as to whether the home is worth the time and effort that it will take to go see it.

Don't be a dinosaur! Real Estate Agents should use all of the technology that is available to them. Even small real estate firms have digital cameras. You should take as many photographs as possible and include them with each listing. This will allow Realtors® searching in MLS and potential buyers searching online the opportunity to see all of the features of the property and make the most informed decision when choosing to go out and physically look at the house, condo or townhome.

Homebuyers love videos and 360-degree Virtual tours similar to the one used for this Las Olas River House Condo For Sale. In addition, many MLS providers allow agents to upload as many as 16 photos or more for each property.

Sellers when interviewing agents to market their home for sale should insist that the Realtor® they hire include at a minimum, at least 6 – 10 photos with the property listing in MLS. While posting photographs with every listing does definitely take more time, most agents find that the extra work is well worth it. More people will look at the listing, more people may choose to come see it, and because they are visiting the property well informed about it, it is easier to close the transaction. The fact that potential buyers are so demanding makes more work in the short term but definitely makes those sales easier to close in the long run. Because of this, adding pictures and videos where possible benefits everyone involved. Remember the saying,"A picture is worth a thousand words?" With real estate listings, more pictures are needed!

Whether it is fair or not, and especially at a time when property inventory levels are at an all time high, fellow real estate agents and potential buyers will pay closer attention to the listings that have all of these bells and whistles than those that do not.

Making the Change

If you do not have experience adding photographs to every listing or you simply don’t know how to do this, you should ask the office manager and other agents in your office. If nothing else, you can learn by looking at some of the listings that do have pictures and video and use them as an example. As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to take pictures of the property exterior, interior shots of all of the rooms, ensuring that you take extra pictures where there are fine materials used or where there are special architectural features. If you are taking photos of a condo, be sure to take several pictures of the view (if any), the amenities and the lobby.

Finally, Rental Listings should have photos too! Renters have the same expectations as buyers searching rental properties online. They expect to see photos added to each listing as well. Since many properties listed for rent are also listed for sale, it takes but a few moments more and a few clicks of the mouse to copy the photos and upload them to the rental listing. If your going to take a rental listing, than follow thru with adding photos. 

Making the change now will definitely pay off in very little time, perhaps with your first listing that includes pictures. Who knows, you may just become The Greatest Real Estate Agent in the World!*

*Greatest Real Estate Agent In The World is a contest for search engine optimization using this title as a key word phrase. Although, "in the world" is a bit of a stretch, adding photos to every listing may bring you one step closer to becoming the greatest real estate agent to your sellers!

** Photos are from a listing I have at The Las Olas River House Condo in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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