yes i agree taking pictures is some of the easiest work involved and many agents take it for granted

I see it all the time...we are allowed 16 photos in our MLS and a minimum of 6 and yet I see 6 pictures of the front of the house all the time (not even 6 different photos...6 of the SAME photo!).

Makes you wonder what they are hiding and in this compettitive market, maybe you just don't have time for it!

Yes, and our MLS just instituted a new policy to not let the listing become active with AT LEAST the front exterior picture.  Previously, we had up to 7 days to get a front exterior picture but now, the listing cannot go active until it has at least the one picture (and there are 10 slots total for pictures, too).  Everyone wants to see pics of the front, the kitchen, bathrooms, the backyard/pool, LR, DR, Master BR, etc., so WHY NOT give it to them?  I agree with you wholeheartedly. 

I think buyers pass by those places without pics.  Too bad!

Patricia Aulson  Hampton NH Real Estate  Portsmouth NH Real Estate 

Barbara - I rant about photos often, I don't understand how anyone can think that they can market a property without GREAT PHOTOS not average, but OUTSTANDING.  Buyers want to see it before they actually "GO TO SEE IT".  I'm very passionate about starting with the basics and photos are just the start.

Debbie- Finally someone has read the whole blog and gets it. From the comments, I was begining to think no one was getting it, AMEN!  Thank you. Now if we could get everyone else to get it.

It is amazing to me also how many pictures on the MLS show the "as is" condition.  "As is" doesn't sell for majority of homes.  Buyers aren't looking at your lifestyle--that's not what will sell your home.  But, so  many people think  even if my "as is" condition is clean and orderly, that will do!  Now, that philosophy doesn't pay, that costs.  But what do we know!!  :)

 Great post by the way!

But, how to convince the agents that took these pictures that they need us? I am convinced that not every real estate office has access to a stager and our benefits, so they just keep doing it the way it's always been done. This year alone, we have spoken at three offices that have had no stager come through to get to know them, so they had no materials to show their home sellers. Well, we were glad to clue them in and are anxious to help them bring up their level of service and sales! ~Leslie

Leslie- With all the TV shows that show you how to prepare a home for sale, and all the articles that are in real estate magazines about showing a listing, there is no way that an agent can not know good from bad.

When an agent is picked by a homeowner to list their home for sale the agent should have their client's best interest in mind. With the knowledge that is available there is no excuse for bad looking pictures. Even if an agent  has no access to a stager, it is just common sense to provide guidance to the homeowner on how their home should look for marketing.

Thank you for input I really appreciate it and good luck.

Barbara 

Here is a staged home that I recently photographed. CLICK ON THE PHOTO to see the rest of the house.

CLICK THIS LINK to view the Streaming Video Presentation on YouTube 

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios 

Sometimes it looks like the Realtor did not even turn on the lights, and strange things like a metal folding chair are left in the photo, when it would be so easy to put it aside. Think of buyer appeal in each photo!

Kathy

Nicely put Barbara. I run into this all the time - is it ignorance or sheer laziness on the part of agents?

Nice show Jay , but too many pictures on the walls and too many books still  - just like everything else I guess we stagers all stage a little differently as well.

Hi Kathleen,

    I'm not a stager. I'm the PHOTOGRAPHER. Agents call me when they want to take this:

And have me make it look like this:

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios

I so agree!  This is one of my pet peeves.  I have a friend that is trying to rent her vacation home.  It is listed on the MLS but for some reason the realtor will not post the photos.  (The house looks good, BTW.) I tell them they should get another realtor.  I know of a realtor that took months to repost the photos after the home was staged.  This realtor kept the pre-staging photos on the MLS (complete with dog crate in the corner of the kitchen) even though she changed the verbage to read "This house has been staged."

Not only will the buyer pass the listing by, so will the buyer's agent!  I know from personal experience.  I don't have time to go back and see what I've missed.  Also, if the listing agent isn't up to professional snuff, I wonder how well they will be to deal with during a transaction.

On occassion, I have pulled all the most recently posted listings from all price points to see how many have the properties photos on board ------------------------------------------->sometimes less than 50% have the photos up with the listing! 

A BIG disservice to the seller!

I have to give a Big Thank You to all of you who have commented on this post, and for comenting back and forth between each other.

Jay, I understand completely when you say your only taking the pictures not doing the staging. I know how to use Photoshop very well and it comes in handy when shots come out too light or too dark or what ever. 

By the way, very nice job keeping the verticals straight - perspective is PERFECT. Now, about the flames and the scene on the TV...  ;-)

The flames are real and the image on the screen was simply pausing a DVD. What you see is a single exposure - no HDR (I'm not opposed to doing HDR, but if I can light and shoot with a single exposure, that's what I do).

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios