The Power of Photographs.

I constantly have buyers ask me for photos on listings that aren't mine and I don't have a great answer for them other than the "other guy" isn't doing his job. Pictures Pictures Pictures!!

Paul, great advice. I think a good set of photographs will put a home on the buyer's list to view (to say the least).

PS: Is there a reason to write all this in big caps? It seems like you're talking loudly when you do that. Just a thought. Please don't take offense.

Showings will be better if................ you take very good photos. However, bad photos are worse than a great price.

To clarify: A great price with one photo will get you better results than a home listed higher with a lot of poor quality photos.

Hi Paul ~ No question about it - since multiple pictures have become the norm buyers' expectations have increased.  I do try to caution buyers not to leap to conclusions or exclude a property just because there aren't a bunch of pictures - that would be dumb.  And I really think quality trumps quantity.

Liz

Paul, good article. I have a client trying to sell a home in Kennebunkport, Maine. After sending him pictures and a slide show of a house he answered back and asked if I would relocate to Maine. He said he hated to look at listings in his area because they either didn't have pictures or they were too bad to look at. He even made the comment the agents in his area should be tied to a pole downtown and have rocks thrown at them.

This is in no way intended to diminish the ability of the agents there but it shows how customers expect a certain quality of product from a professional no matter what the price is.

He and his wife flew into town and took my wife and I to dinner and pre-viewed neighborhoods. He corresponds about every 2 to three weeks and keeps me abreast of his house that is on the market.

I haven't done anything special but give him good service with quality pictures. If he finds a house he likes with lousy pictures I go take pictures for him. Hopefully this will result in a sale or a referral or both. If it doesn't I have a good feeling that I did a good job.

Hey Paul, You mean to tell me that if in a 200K neighborhood you have a home with one photo that says " Granite, Stainless, Remodeled, New Everything, etc. in the remarks  ( is a brand new listing and listed 5K to 10K under the competition ) you wouldnt hurry and email that to your client????? Wow, this is probably why i sell so many homes. All prices are negotiable, yes. However, who wants the 1995 brass when they can buy the 2009 nickel for less when an investor knows how to price a home?  Best Wishes, By the way, I take hundreds and hundreds of photos when I list a home ( even smaller homes ). So, I agree, photos are a must ( If one can take photos well ). I just wanted to get the point out that multiple photos done wrong will hender showings.

Paul ( and Sam), in Tallahassee, Florida, people wonder what's wrong with the house if only one photo is used....  and my broker has a rule.. 20 or else.. and believe me, sometimes I have to get REALLY creative!  with 90%+ doing their first look online, one photo - even 3 no longer is enough to give buyers an idea of what the house has to offer...And Sam, I always tell buyers that Realtors aren't trained in photography or directions... that way if I take them to a house I have previewed but they ruled out based on the photos, they will understand when they walk in and are pleaseantly surprised - which happens a lot!

"Even bad photos will tell you whether the property is worth viewing"

Acutally, Paul, the opposite is true.  Viewers use photos and tours to eliminate houses to visit.  If a photos of a house makes the rooms look dark, small or over cluttered  people will take that house off their list.  While I agree strongly that there should be several photos online of any house (at least kitchen and family room), just one outside photo is better than really bad interior shots.

I've seen so many truly bad photos on listings that I can't believe the sellers didn't either fire their agent (as doing more harm than good) or insist on having the agent hire a pro.