07/11/22

Uncategorized

High-Res Photos and 3D Tours are Crucial for Real Estate

You only have one chance to make a first impression.

It’s cliche, but it’s true. The good news is that it’s much easier to make an amazing first impression than it used to be.

The days of circling promising houses in the Sunday paper are nostalgia-fuel now. Houses are often pre-vetted before showings.  With high-resolution photos and 3D tours, your client experience is streamlined.

This means less time-wasting with homes that aren’t the right fit. 

Let’s Check Out Some Stats: 

According to research done by IMOTO: 

• 61.3% of Realtors believe real estate photography is “crucial”.
• 31.0% of Realtors believe real estate photography is “important” to sellers.
• 72.2% of participants agree that real estate photography helps them win more listings.
• 68.9% of Realtors surveyed believe professional photography helps them brand their business.
• 69.8% of Realtors who use professional photography believe that doing so decreases days on market.
• 88.0% agree that professional real estate photography helps increase showings and increase online listing views.

From the Center of Real Estate Development

• Homes with high-quality photography sell 32 percent faster.
• Homes with more photos sell faster, too. A home with one photo spends an average of 70 days on the market, but a home with 20 photos spends 32 days on the market.
• For homes in the $200,000 to $1 million range, those that include high-quality photography in their listings sell for $3,000-$11,000 more.

Simply put, listings with professional photography sell faster. And they usually sell for a higher listing price. It’s just a fact.

Popular Real Estate Photography Options: 

1. HDR Photography

HDR is a technique often used by real estate photographers. It eliminates the need for artificial lighting, lighting umbrellas, and bulky equipment. It saves time and money for both photographer and the agent. HDR Photographers will use a tripod to take a series of photos in different exposures. During the editing process, they stitch photos together to give the appearance of natural light. This technique works even in rooms with dim lighting. It eliminates the need for flash photography. The results are stunning. HDR photographers always pay attention to light, lines, and angles. 

Here is a stunning example of HDR photography:

2. 3D Tours 

3D tours are a game-changer for 2020. It makes the client feel like they can tour the home… without leaving the comfort of their own home. 3D tours provide an interactive experience for viewing the home. Clients can walk room to room, and move around at their own pace. It’s almost a video game experience. It’s a game-changer for servicing clients that are relocating. Zillow and other listing sites seamlessly accommodate 3D tours. They’ll even provide a specialized marketing tag on their map:  

Map Example 

Here’s an example of an interactive 3D tour shot with a 360degree camera. 

3. Video Tours 

Video tours are the cousin to 3D tours. With this type of exposure, a videographer will film the home in a walk-through fashion. and The results can be beautiful. Here’s an example:

The only downside is that video tours are much more expensive than 3d tours. And you miss out on the interactive experience.

Drones are often utilized during video tours. This footage is dramatic and gorgeous. But it’s also a reason why video tours can be so expensive. Drone operation requires a “pilot’s liscence”, which makes the time of drone operators more pricey.

But depending on your goals it can be worth it… especially for sales of lots or land. This provides a great opportunity to explore the expansiveness of a beautiful tract of land. You may even see land perspectives that you couldn’t even catch during an in-person tour.

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/voDi0vKXCUY” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

Staging Your Home 

If you’re investing in real estate photography for your listing, it’s worthwhile to do some lite staging. I always tell homeowners to prepare their house as if for company. Clean the house and de-clutter. Put away any personal items, including kids’ toys and pet toys. Make the bed. Vacuum. Hide kitchen and bathroom products (including tub/sink area). Close the windows, open the blinds, turn on all lights, and turn off all fans.

For the exterior of your home spend a little time cleaning up the yard. Park on the street, away from the home. It’s important that potential buyers can envision themselves living there. Hide the garbage cans and recycle bins. Put away tools, supplies, and toys. Close windows, garage doors, and gates. Keep pets out of the yard during photoshoots.

Doing these few simple things will make a big difference in how your photos turn out.