Professional Brokers,
The concept of “quality” relates to a thing’s suitability for a purpose. Though quality is somewhat subjective, comparisons can be made. A person can say that one thing is the better of two. Another person may say the same, but pick the other thing. This contradiction reveals quality’s anecdotal nature. The choosing of “better” is subject to the comparative criteria of the person doing the selecting. To make selection more categorical, we can say that something providing a greater benefit over another is better. Hence, a higher quality or increased suitability for the purpose.
To a prospective buyer, the appearance of the photographs is a major factor attracting them to a listing and in determining whether or not to “click-through”. I observe that they do this very rapidly, much more quickly than would allow technical analysis. If the photographs do not trigger a “suitable for purpose” or “good” response, their first impression may be their only impression. To notice the more salient aspects of a listing, a buyer must first give the presentation a “good” before continuing to pursue additional decision-making information.
If better photos provide an improved ratio of “good responses”, thereby increasing the acceptance of listing information, a greater benefit, then it can be said that higher quality photos are more suitable for the purpose of marketing real estate.
Buyers are one side of the coin; sellers are the other. Sellers are also looking at the quality of photos in your marketing. Seeking optimum results, they want to be represented by the best and use photo quality as a selection criterion. Photo quality, then, also bears on the marketability of the listing broker; “better photos” equals “better broker” in the eyes of someone looking to sell their home.
This shifts the classification of professional photography from mere expense to an investment of sorts. For tax purposes it’s probably just an expense. For the benefits derived from its use, it is looking like an investment by definition. Investments are made for a profitable return, income, or increase of value. There are studies in support of the position that professionally photographed houses sell faster and at higher prices. (A web search will reveal several.) Additionally, an improvement to a listing broker’s appeal in the market is very valuable indeed.
Photo quality is a hinge on which real estate marketing pivots. Though buyers and sellers derive different information from a photo presentation, each is keenly interested and swayed by their observations. To your advantage, seek higher levels of photo quality for your marketing presentations. The improvement could swing greater results in your favor.
Sincerely,
Earl Lang