- Business seems to be picking up for professional photographers with a focus on real estate
- Brokers, owners who sell on their own don't have the time or equipment needed to take high-quality photos
- The time between a photo shoot and usage of the photos is narrowing
Looking to sell a home faster? You may want to look to professional, high-quality photos to do the job.
ForSaleByOwner.com, one of the biggest platforms for homesellers looking to offload their homes without an agent, has unveiled a professional home photography offering to its customers.
Within 24 hours of selecting the service, which costs a minimum of $149, a seller will be contacted by a professional photographer.
In two business days, the seller will have 25 images and a virtual tour to accompany their listing, along with a YouTube video one day thereafter, according to the listings site.
“Professional photography is a key value-add for sellers,” said Lisa Edwards, director of business strategy at ForSaleByOwner.com.
The Pro Photo package is currently being tested across select regions.
Realtor associations and brokerages have already recognized the importance and usefulness of professional photography.
Lyon Real Estate, a Sacramento-based brokerage, recently partnered with VHT Studios, a photography service, to give agents quick access to professional photography.
As part of the alliance, agents can have a photographer on-site within three days of scheduling; photo editing will be complete within one to two days.
Photos will be integrated with Lyon’s content management system, and a proprietary MLS override will allow agents to upload high-resolution images to their MLS.
With high-quality images holding more value when it comes to selling a home quickly, demand for aerial images and videos captured by unmanned aerial systems (UASs) should increase.
One aerial imaging firm, Hendrix Consulting Group, was recently granted a Section 333 Exemption and Certificate of Authorization for UAS operations throughout the U.S.
These exemptions provide operators legal entry into the National Airspace System and a “competitive advantage in the UAS marketplace,” according to the FAA, which has identified the civil operation of UAS for commercial purposes as a high-priority issue.
