Been online to browse for a home lately? If so, you’ve probably seen hundreds of photos of
fuzzy rooms,
dark corners, and many more that seem to be
focusing on the furniture (and unfortunately sometimes the garbage, clothes and clutter), rather than the house itself. You may have even seen some posted of the
family pet (see below).
Below are actual photos currently being used to market listings on multiple listing services across the country.
Rather than the above listing photos being the exception, they are rapidly becoming the norm. It is understandable that some real estate agents cannot afford to purchase professional photography to market their listings. It is also understandable that an agent may not take the greatest photos - after all they are not trained in photography, they are trained to sell real estate. But to continue posting low quality photos doesn't just reflect badly on the brokerage firm, the agent and the listing, it also reflects poorly on the professionalism of the industry as a whole.
To assist brokerage firms and agents in attracting more buyers and in taking control of their brand image, there are now free real estate photography workshops offered nationwide.
VHT, Inc, one of the industry's leading visual marketing companies, is letting their secrets out of the bag. They have recently launched a
new series of workshops and webinars offered
free of charge that are designed to give agents the inside scoop on how they can
improve their photography skills and the presentation of their listings.
"We started our 'Behind the Lens' workshops and webinars because we fully understand that not every agent has the budget for professional photography. As a full-service consultative marketing partner, we still want to share our expertise in marketing listings with those agents. Do-it-yourself photos won't meet the standards of true professional photography, but with the right training, they can greatly increase the effectiveness of your property marketing," said Brian Balduf, Founder of VHT, Inc.
Great photos are not just essential for maintaining a
good brand image, they also play a big role in determining the
perceived value of a property. Studies have shown that professional photography, for example, can increase the perceived value of a property by over
12%.
For information on Behind the Lens Workshops in your area, please email VHT at BehindtheLens@VHT.com
