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PLEASE Take Pictures Of Your Listings!

I'm not sure about other regions, but I am in the Middle Tennessee Assocation of Realtors, and our MLS system allows listing agents to post 10 digital images of their listings online. In today's world of digital everything, is there some reason why I still find listings on the MLS with either no picture, or only one picture of the outside? My favorite is when I click on a home and see the picture icon indicating there are pictures attached, but when I open the picture file it is the same picture posted over and over again. When I see no photographs, I think the agent must be lazy. When I see only one picture, then I think the agent must be lazy, or the house must be in really bad shape!!

Recently I was working with an older lady who was trying to downsize. She was not the type buyer that enjoyed looking at house after house. She expected me to narrow down the listings and only call her on the ones I thought would fit her needs. I found a listing that sounded like it might work for her but there were no photographs. I called the agent and asked her if she could email me some pictures or would she be posting pictures soon. Her excuse was that she had a contract on the home within 8 days so she had not taken any pictures. That contract fell through and she had not been able to get back out to the house to take photographs but needed to do that. She assured me the home was everything my buyer wanted and to please show it. We went ahead and scheduled a showing and the buyer did not like the house. I tracked that house and after being on the market over a month, there were still no pictures. I never understood why pictures were not posted the first eight days, but I certainly didn't understand pictures not being posted after a month.

As professional real estate agents, shouldn't we all be investing in at least a decent quality digital camera? It takes me a few minutes to snap some digital images and then upload those images onto the MLS. I even go back and update or change pictures if I feel like the lighting was off, the seasons or outside decor has changed. This is not a huge investment of time or money and it makes such a big difference for your sellers.

If I am working with a buyer to preview homes, the first thing I do is look at the pictures. Most real estate agents are going to have a pretty good idea of what their buyers are looking for. It helps me to determine the order in which we will be previewing homes. If we are on a tight schedule, sometimes the homes without any pictures are dropped off of the list of homes to view. I also have buyers call me on my listings that say they have already seen the home online or watched my virtual tour. They are ready to schedule a showing. I can't help but believe that these calls would not be coming in if I did not take the time to post pictures on the MLS.

I've even gone back to the old archives to see if an active listing that has no pictures on the MLS has been sold and archived with pictures (even if they would be outdated.) Pictures make such a huge impact on how your listings are viewed by other agents and potential buyers. Unless it is the client's wishes not to have their home photographed, I think it is a disservice to them not to post as many pictures as possible on the MLS.

Agents, PLEASE take pictures of your listings!

Posted by Sherri Wellborn on 08/12/2006 08:14 PM

Comments (11)

real estate, listings, sellers, pictures, quicker sell, tennessee, homes

11 Comments on PLEASE Take Pictures Of Your Listings!

AUG

2006

hey Sherri! I'm here in middle TN too and it appals me what shows up on the MLS. We have a policy in our office that no listings will be posted without pictures.

I think a lot of agents don't realize that, with so many people starting on the internet, if you don't have good pics, you can lose a buyer at the MLS. If your pics aren't good online, they aren't going to drive out to look at your house. Even so-so pics can lose you a buyer.

Personally, I use a professional photographer for all mine. It doesn't cost more than $100-150 per house and the "wow" factor has really helped. 2 listings this month - one had a strong contract in 4 days, the other had a strong contract in less than 24 hours. One was listed $60,000 above neighboring properties (comparable houses and lot size), but those are still languishing on the market (at 127 and 144 days). Last month, my listing was under contract in 12 days (sold by day 23). It's all about the pics (and marketing those pics, too, of course).

AUG

2006

I use a wide angle lens & Photoshop to make the most of every picture I take of a clients home. Thankfully our MLS has a "police" button. If we run across an MLS listing that is more than 1 day old without pictures (or with anything else wrong) we simply hit on the police button, explain the infraction & it notifies MLS. I use it all the time, it keeps agents on their toes, especially the repeat offenders.

I love the idea of a police button. There's a few agents that come to mind that I'd like to push that on - over and over and over. :o) Maybe then, they'd figure it out.

Hi Tori,

Great pictures on your listings! How did you find a professional photographer who took pictures for such a reasonable amount and how quickly do they take the pictures? The few photographers I talked with didn't seem very interested so I always take my own shots. Perhaps I was calling photographers who were "too big" to bother with my minor business.

Sheri Ann -

I wish we had a police button! I think that would be so helpful! Does this work for listings with blatant errors or lack of information too? I see listings all the time that you know the school zones are wrong (intentionally?) or leave off all the data at the bottom of the page...all the minor details like bathroom descriptions, appliance description. Just showed one this week that had a jacuzzi and seperate shower that was listed as a combo tub and shower. We almost didn't look at the house because ny buyer did NOT want a combo tub! Where is that police button!!

One of them is my brother-in-law (so I guess I get a little discount there). I've turned to other people too though, because he lives North of Nashville so the drive kind of defeats the pay.

The other photographers are people I found through various avenues - one of which was Craigslist. Kind of like Realtors, there's a lot of new photographers or people who are just building their business who want the exposure and work. $100-150 might mean the difference between a box of mac & cheese or the ability to buy a weeks worth of healthy groceries. It doesn't take them more than a couple of hours, so it's rather good pay (if you ask me). I did have one photographer say she wouldn't do it for less than $75/hour. Heck, I know attorneys that don't charge that much! :o) I'd rather help out the "starving artist" type.

Normally, they are able to get to it within a day or 2. And, once I explain to clients WHY we want professional photos, they don't mind waiting a few days to get it on the market. Besides, it gives them time to "pre-pack" (i.e., my way to get them to de-clutter).

Pictures, visual tours, podcasts all te tools are there. I know it is hard for beginners to have the budget to use all these things, we had an office that used to have the office camera and photographer help with these issues. It is great to use professionals we have some at our luxury magazine business that go out and do this for us too. It is a part of the service if you ask at no additional charge.

Hi Teri -

I remember you (or your marketing materials anyway!) from the Keller Williams Family Reunion in Vegas. You had the Monopoly Board on all your stuff! Out of the many, many thousands that were there, I vividly remember seeing your items in the expo center for referral information. Great marketing theme! I've still got your card in my portfolio for potential clients moving to the Orlando area.

OCT

2006

Good point. With today's digital cameras and software, it is hard to take a really bad picture. I am absolutely amazed at what passes for photography in MLS.

I'm collecting bad pictures for an agent digital photography class. This one came from the Middle TN MLS: Just What Were They Thinking?

NOV

2006

It is just plain laziness to not have pictures of your listings on the MLS. If an agent had my property listed for 30 days and it did not have pictures I would be looking for another agent. This is a visual and digital world. If you do not take advantage of digital cameras (even a cheap one) you will be left behind. It is also irritating when agents only have an outside shot...or five outside shots and they are all the same.

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