Let's face it - your job as a real estate agent is tough as it is. According to data from the Honolulu Board of REALTORS, "single-family homes saw a 15.9% increase in listings year-over-year (Dec. 2019 - Dec. 2020), while condominiums saw a 3.6% increase under the same metrics." With so much more listings on the market, you need yours to stand out above the crowd. Here are three reasons why hiring a Professional Real Estate Photographer can get you the attention you and your listings deserve.
1. It's what the people are looking for
According to the Journal of Real Estate Research, 95% of homebuyers look at photos on a listing before viewing anything else. Listings with professional photography get 61% more views online. Quite simply, looks matter to your potential customers. You want a professional that can take any listing and make it appeal to the eyes. Not only that, buyers will feel at ease when they can look at pictures of a home knowing it's properly displayed. Professional real estate photography can give you the leg up over your competition.
They say you only get one chance at first impression - make sure yours is a good one.
2. It's more efficient for your business
Time is money - and that's no different for real estate. According to VHT Studios, realtors who use professional photography cut the average listing time on the market by five weeks! Shorter listing times means faster turnaround for you. That's the confidence that only a professional photo shoot can give your customers, which only means more time for you to get your business back on the market with more listings.
And right now, more and more people are looking to online listings when they're looking at buying property. NAR tells us that 99% of millennials search online for real estate. As a business, you need to put yourself where you'll get the most attention, and you should get the attention you deserve. Professional real estate photography will make sure you get noticed.
3. Make. More. Money.
At the end of the day, your business needs a bigger bottom line. Consider this: homes with higher-quality photography sell for $3,000 to $11,000 more (source: REDFIN). According to the Wall Street Journal, homes with higher quality photos receive 47% higher asking price per square foot. NAR Research & Statistics say that listings with high-quality photos sell 32% faster.
That's really what you're looking for. The numbers don't lie - when you're looking to increase your profit margin and take your business to the next level, you can't rely on amateur smartphone photos to get you there. Hiring a professional photographer will give your business the boost you've been looking for.
Anyone who is working in real estate knows the difference that professional photography makes. Don't regret missing out on the opportunity to really show off your listings to potential customers! At AKP Hawaii, we specialize in taking your properties and making them shine to the world. Don't wait - contact us and let us know how we can help you today!