What Is The Simplest Picture Software to Upload Pictures to MLS?

By
Real Estate Agent with Maxfield Real Estate

I have Microsoft "My Pictures" on my laptop running XP. My wife has Microsoft Vista on her laptop and it didn't come with "My Pictures". We have loaded in Picasa 3 and a few other programs that holds your picture files. Each one seems to be difficult to easily upload pictures to our MLS system. "My Pictures" on my laptop is simple and works every time.

Maybe she and I are doing something wrong especially with Picasa, as we have to save the pictures we want to upload to MLS to send to the desktop in order to upload.

Oh yes we just got the new iPad2. Do any of you use your iPad for uploading to your MLS and if so is that easily done?

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

 

Comments (7)

Lee Jinks
Jinks Realty - McAllen, TX

I would help if I can, but you've lost me.

In looking back at the question in your title, I would say you don't need any special software.  You login to the MLS, click upload and it allows you to find the photo off your hard drive.

Apr 10, 2011 12:46 AM
Steve Bush
Maxfield Real Estate - Moultonborough, NH
603.455.7428 - NH Lakes Region

Hi Lee,

Sorry if I wasn't clear, but the bottom line is that on my wife's computer, running the MS Vista operating system, she has problems uploading from Picassa to multiple listing services. I was just referencing my own computer where Microsoft XP has as part of it's bundled software "My Pictures" which is very easy to use and upload to MLS. It doesn't seem to be available on the Vista platform.

Picassa seems difficult to use unless I/she saves each picture to the desktop to then upload to the MLS system.

I didn't know if there is another very easy to use photo program like "My Pictures" that we could install.

 

Apr 10, 2011 12:56 AM
Lee Jinks
Jinks Realty - McAllen, TX

I don't use any special software to upload the photos which is why I may have been confused.  I've only dabbled with Picasa, but as I understand it, Picasa is used to manipulate and organize photos.  I know that PC's which run Windows often have a file folder called "My Pictures."  I'm not aware of software called "My Pictures."

Telling you how I handle uploading to MLS might help your situation.  I use a Mac, so I usually import the photos from the camera to iPhoto.  iPhoto makes it easy for me to view all the photos and select the ones I want to process and eventually use in the MLS.  I then export the photos I want to use to a file folder on my hard drive just for homes I've shot.  Within that folder are folders with the address to each home I've shot.  As a professional photographer, I have many folders in my real estate photo folder, but labeling them by address makes them easy to find when I need them.

I then open Photoshop Elements to process the photos.  As I process each photo I save a full resolution version and a cropped version for MLS.  My MLS requires an aspect ratio of 4:3 so I crop to 800 pixels by 600 pixels.  This gives me a small file size so they upload quickly to the MLS.  I rename the smaller photo by adding the letters "SM" to the end of the file name.  This makes it easy to identify the small from the full size photos.

I then create two file folders within the one with the address to the home.  One is called "Small" and the other is called "Large."  This way I can just go to the folder I want depending on whether I'm using the photo for print or for the web.

When it comes time to upload the photos to MLS, I just click "upload" or "browse" from the MLS upload page and select the photos I want to upload.  Having them well organized makes them easy to find and upload.

Here's an example of how the photos would be organized:

  • My Pictures
    • Family Photos
    • Fun Photos
    • Real Estate Photos
      • 123 E Main St
        • Large
          • DSC1234.jpg
          • DSC1235.jpg
          • ...
        • Small
          • DSC1234SM.jpg
          • DSC1235SM.jpg
          • ...
      • 456 N 10th St
        • Large
        • Small
      • 789 S Sycamore
        • Large
        • Small

Within each of the Large and Small file folders are the photos for each home.  I hope this makes sense to everyone and that it helps you in uploading your photos to the MLS.

 

Apr 10, 2011 02:38 PM
Steve Bush
Maxfield Real Estate - Moultonborough, NH
603.455.7428 - NH Lakes Region

Hi Lee,

Sorry to get back to you so late in the week, but thank you for the wealth of information. The idea to create two file folders within Real Estate Photos is an excellent idea and very doable. Typically now the MLS system we use and the pictures for print that are needed from us are in full size MB, but having them in a separate file is a good idea and actually will help with accessing them easily.

The My Pictures isn't a separate software program, my mistake in giving that impression. It is rather part of the bundled program MS XP.

I really apprecte the time and effort to help :)

Apr 15, 2011 10:31 PM
Roberta Kayne
Dublin & Central Ohio Homes - Dublin, OH
CRS, ABR, SFR, RRS, Realtor, Re/Max Affiliates

I am also a photographer so I use Adobe Lightroom to manage my photos and retouch them or make them lighter etc..  But for something easy and the ability to make my photos smaller, I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager.  It resides on my computer, not on the web. 

Apr 21, 2011 10:22 AM
Anonymous
Lisa P
I am not seeing an answer on how to upload to MLS from the iPad. Just got the iPad 2. You cannot simply hit browse and find the photo. It is greyed out and not an option. Does anyone know what software we need to do this?KM k k
May 11, 2011 04:13 AM
#6
Tara Lewis
The Horn Company Real Estate Group - Hondo, TX
Medina County TX Real Estate
Lisa - iPad doesn't support Flash, which most MLS systems use to upload photos. If anyone has any good, free ideas of how to get Flash on an iPad, let me know! Tara
Jul 01, 2011 05:05 AM