When should you schedule the photographer for your new listing?

I was going to say "after the house is clean" but I think you have it right.

Linda,

Great post. I always wonder why agents feel the need to photograph every room no matter how cluttered. And even though, when I see that one photo of the lake. I know the inside of the house must be pretty bad.But  at least it isn't shown. So there is always the chance someone will want to see the home. Someone that likes water.

Situations and price points....and the skill of the lisitng agent...for under $100,000 many agents, take their own pictures...and often...when there has been an initial consultation...the signing and professional are done together to have less disruption for the Sellers.  The Sellers are ready to sign...AND photograph...and get the house listed all at once.

The photos are often the first opportunity a buyer has to see the home and if they are not great, the chances are that the buyer won't come see it.  Always put the best foot forward.

Listing a home is a carefully crafted and co-ordinated plan.  It is unfathomable to me that an agent would take listing photos during while the seller is filling out the disclosure.  The real estate photography process for me is anywhere between 2-4 hours between photographing and post processing.

Yes Mr and Mrs Seller I know you are anxious to get your home on the market, but a properly prepared home with careful consideration to pricing and a great online presence will sell your home faster and for more money. 

Most sellers have the thought of sellings for months.  Call your agent the minute you have the thought.

I agree - bad photos are worse than no photos and often homeowners can't see their homes the same way a camera lens sees them. 

Meanwhile - I don't think I could live in that home with the mirrored wall - I got disoriented just looking at the picture! 

I am in agreement with Sally #44, the quality of the photos often depend on the price calibre of the property.

With the  homes that I buy, I am generally not that concerned with the quality of the photos so much as the quantity.

After all is said and done Then it is time to take photos of the house. Everything Must be done before anyone even sees the home. Home has to be spic and span. It is going on the Internet for ALL to see the video and photos. Let us not be embarrassed

If the home is market ready, I will schedule the photos the same day we get a commitment from the seller.  Otherwise, if the sellers have a list of to-do's from a staging consultant, I will schedule the photos based on the it's completion.

Cheers!

Makes a lot of sense to show the home at it's best. I cringe every time I see a photo on MLS with the toilet seat up, or dishes in the sink, or gasp... people sitting on furniture... You see it all. Don't let that be YOUR listing! 

I schedule the professional photographer before the listing goes in the MLS.  Many times I see listings without even a picture of the front of the house and I just delete it.  I am today rescheduling a photo session because the weather is going to be bad.  This home has fabulous views and I want the sun to be out when the pictures are taken.

Home staging is very important for the seller.  I think vacant properties likely are at a disadvantage, as many buyers may not necessarily have the vision to see how the property could optimally appear without furnishings.

First you clean it inside and out top to bottom.   Second you stage it inside and outside.  Then and only then do you take photos. 

I hate the telephone photos, especially the ones that haven't discovered you can turn the phone 90 degrees. Good photos make a difference but at the same time you can't put lipstick on a pig.

I take my own photos because I enjoy photography and have good equipment (four cameras including a DSLR with half a dozen lenses) but I often find that some sellers just will not get the home photo ready. I've had some that took two weeks to clean up and when I arrive with my equipment the house still doesn't look right. With a recent listing I waited weeks for the tenant to move out (seller let her stay 6 more weeks after I'd listed it) and when I got there she had left a pile of trash at the curb. Not wanting to wait I backed up my truck, dropped the tailgate, set the camera to a 10 second shutter delay and raised the monopod over my head. I got some good shots but the seller didn't like them because the picture "made the roof look bad". He provided a heavily processed two year old photo which I refused to use. I replaced the main photo with one shot from a lower level. Fast forward and we are under contract and the roof failed the inspection. The camera doesn't lie.

I agree to a certain extent.  I think it also depends on the home and the area.

Several good points. I never schedule photos until after I've had a chance to "stage" the property as well as assure that it is "camera-ready."

Good photos are worth $1000's but cost $100's.  Photos are a big deal when 90% of the buyers search on-line...they don't want to see messy rooms, dark or fuzzy photos, etc.  It is better to delay a listing than to make its debut with a bad first impression.

Good photos are essential to a listing and a professional photographer is worth the expense. I'm flabbergasted that agent would wonder off while the disclosures are being filled out!