That means first impressions of your listing will be heavily influenced by your online presence and marketing strategy.
Professional Photos or Do It Yourself?
Every agent knows photography is crucial; many have relationships established with professional photographers, or use a service such as VHT Studios for this purpose. However, it may be cost prohibitive to hire a professional photographer for each listing.
Going it alone? Watch a few YouTube videos or find some blog posts to learn some tricks of the trade to make your photos look great (see ‘Related’ link below). You don’t need to be a Photoshop whiz, but you know from looking at the listings you’re competing with that ‘pretty good’ probably isn’t good enough.
Related:
A Nice Introduction to the GoPro
An example of a YouTube tour done with a GoPro
GoPro: Rémy Métailler Taxco Downhill – GoPro of the World January Winner
Video
An investment that’s becoming more and more common for agents is a GoPro camera. I’ve gotten lost for hours on the GoPro site looking at what it can do.
It takes high quality photos and video, is durable and portable. It was originally developed to capture action scenes like skateboarding, snowboarding and other activities that otherwise couldn’t be shot by the average person, but the quality of its output has broadened its appeal. Real estate is no exception.
Related:
For an example of an agent giving a GoPro tour, click here.
With GoPro and other high-end cameras, you can take lots of pictures and video and choose the best to display (digital output vs. film saves a lot of money). These cameras easily fit in a purse, backpack or briefcase, and even run on their own networks, meaning you can stream and send photos to your phone without needing an internet connection.
Since the GoPro’s intended use was for quick-paced, action packed sports and activities, a stroll around a listing will be no problem, and you won’t have to worry about pictures looking great when you take them.
Good luck with your photo and video efforts, whether you go it alone or hire a professional!
Do you spend too much of your day scheduling and confirming showing appointments? Learn how the ShowingTime Appointment Center helps free up your time to focus on other tasks to grow your business.
