How to Hire and Work With a Real Estate Photographer
5 minute read for Realtors
Real estate agents help their clients navigate many unfamiliar aspects of buying and selling homes. From brokers to inspections, clients look to agents to guide them in this new world. This includes real estate photography.
Agents know how important it is to wow potential buyers with photographs. Photos are usually the first thing someone sees when looking at buying a house. Besides capturing a buyer’s attention, professional real estate photography is also correlated with double the gross commissionable income for agents. That means that if you use a pro, you’re more likely to make more money.
Now that you’re convinced to hire a professional, you need to figure out how to hire and work with one. As real estate photographers ourselves, here’s our expert advice on how to best do that.
1. Finding Real Estate Photographers
First, you need to find someone to take those pics! You can go about this in a variety of ways.
Sleuth around real estate websites for great photos and look at who took them.
Ask other agents for recommendations.
Look at online professional photographer communities.
Ask your regular photographer for backup recommendations.
Always visit a real estate photographer’s website to verify that their work is what you want. If they don’t offer additional services such as drone photography, and that’s important to you, cross them off the list. Many photographers will also list prices and answer FAQs about turnaround, their process, etc.
Keep searching until you’ve found a few candidates who fit your needs and style. Because of the time restrictions we in the real estate world often have to work with, it's a good idea to build relationships with a couple of photographers. Schedules fill up quickly and having a trusted backup photographer can be important.
2. Talk about Extra Fees
When you get in touch with a potential photographer, verify all of the details listed on their website and clarify any that weren’t listed. A big thing to talk about is extra fees.
Things like expediting and travel fees can increase costs. Ask them about how far they are willing to travel and if they will charge more for certain areas or turnaround times.
Another fee to take into account is licensing. Photographers usually retain the copyright of any photos they take. Make sure you understand how, when, and where you’re allowed to use their pics. If you want to use them outside of selling the home, licensing fees come into play.
Iron out all the details so that you understand what the final price will be. No one likes a surprise in the form of unexpected costs!
3. Discuss Edits and Turnaround Time
Ask photographers about their editing process. As an agent, you should have a say in which photos get edited. That way you can ensure that everything you want to showcase in a listing is included.
Talk about editing turnaround and how many photos will be edited. Does your photographer deliver the same day, next day, or weekend? Do they provide a certain number of images or all of their shots?
It’s also good to let the photographer know when you plan to go live with the listing so they can help to ensure your edited photos will be ready in time based on your shoot date.
4. Schedule a Photoshoot
You’re ready to hire a photographer! Schedule them for a shoot. You’ve done all your homework, and now it’s time to see how you work together in action.
5. Make a List of What You Want
Before the photoshoot, give the photographer a list of what you want. A seasoned real estate photographer will cover all of the basics and notice interesting features that should be highlighted.
However, it’s still a good idea to communicate your expectations. It’s helpful for photographers to know what you’re trying to feature. We want to give you the best photos possible. Get everybody on the same page from the start.
6. Prepare the House for Photos
Help your clients get their house picture ready. If you want the best photos possible, set your photographer up for success by having everything ready to shoot before they arrive.
Read our blog post about how to do that here. You’ll also find a link to our free, 1 page Home Preparation Guide in that post. It provides a checklist that’ll make photo prep simple for you and your seller.
7. Build a Professional Relationship
After the photoshoot and editing process, you should end up with a bunch of fantastic pictures that will catch any buyer’s eye. Your job isn’t done yet, though!
Take some time to evaluate the photographer and their work. Besides the quality of the photos, think about what it was like to work with them. Did they meet deadlines? Did they listen to your requests? Was it easy to communicate with them?
To make your job easier, build an ongoing professional relationship with a real estate photographer who not only takes great pics, but is a person you can rely on again and again. You want the kind of relationship that is steady and easy to maintain. Also, remember that relationships are two-way streets, so give your photographer the kind of treatment that you want in return.
Hiring and working with a real estate photographer doesn’t have to be intimidating or difficult. Do your research, communicate honestly with them, and set them up for success by prepping your clients’ homes. In return, you’ll get the kind of photos that will grab a buyer’s attention and encourage them to click for more info.