real estate photos...a sword to die on?

[AJR]

So I'm about to list my house. I need this house to sell quickly, and I believe the photos on the multi-list are more critical than anything else I can do to make that happen. 

My realtor is pushing to take snapshots with a point and shoot herself. She says she wants to take photos of "features," like my pantry and hardwood floors. In other listings, she has photos of their appliances...even a sofa. Very few wide shots, and even some of the detail shots have exposure issues.

I feel very strongly that I need well lit, professional photos of entire rooms that translate how big and light and versatile the rooms are. I'm talking DSLR, wide angle lens, lighting kit, and post-production photoshop work. 

She's taking it personally. telling me she's been selling houses for 20 years so she knows what she's doing. And I believe that...except for photos.

I'm an award-winning television producer/magazine editor. To say I'm probably a photo snob is a bit of an understatement. But I work with visuals all day every day, it's impossible not to have the strong opinion that I do--I know what is possible and I think I need that to stand out.

She has a family member who does photography on the side, she did some portraits for me and I wasn't impressed. The current compromise is that I will consider using this person. She's sending her person's portfolio over. I don't expect to be impressed, and what's more...I'm worried I will have a bunch of so-so photos of random stuff that don't tell the story of what's great about living in this home everyday. It's not the appliances!

My other option is to supply my own photos, I can hire a local photographer who used to be a real estate agent and does listing photography professionally. Some of her close up stuff is a little over produced, but she nails the wide angles. This would disengage my agent to some extent, so there is some risk there, I do love my agent and I don't want to insult her.

How hard would you push this?

[kwynn]

I'm a professional photographer. I'd hire the professional myself. I'm also a homebuyer and if the photos are bad, we can't even take the time to go see it!

[dirtyred]

I would just tell her that you'll provide the photos--that in your line of work, you know a lot of professional photographers who owe you a favor (even if they don't). I wouldn't waste time looking at portfolios that you know won't meet your standards.

[Susie]

I wouldn't push it with this agent - I'd find a different agent who "gets" it.

I agree with you re: photos, but I don't see why you'd waste the time/energy trying to convince someone who's supposed to be working for you. I'm not interested in paying a realtor's commission to someone that I have to disengage from the selling process!

[Deleted]

Since she thinks pictures of the couch that won't be sold with the house are a good idea, I'd push it pretty hard. The pictures on the web are often the first impression and a lot of people decide not to see a house if it has bad pictures and there are enough good ones to choose from.

[bunch]

I'd hire the professional you like. If you have an upscale house, which it sounds like you do, re photos are absolutely a hill to die on. Pictures of a sofa? Seriously?

[Deleted]

I'm totally with Susie. Pictures are very important -- much more so than when she started her career. I wouldn't want to work with a realtor who didn't understand that, so instead of paying money to do her job for her, I'd find someone else.

[h]

Sword to die on.

[Deleted]

I personally think that photos are absolutely CRITICAL, so for me, it would be important enough.

Would recommend being VERY candid that you value her partnership, but given your expertise in the visual arts, would highlight that your perspective here should not be ignored. If you are not going to ask for compensation, and are ok with paying for this other professional - just go for it.

Trust your gut - position it as an opportunity for her to learn a little more about photography (which she is not an expert in!) Good luck.

[Deleted]

Feb 6, 2013 13:22:50 GMT -5 h said:

Sword to die on.

Ditto.  This is ABSOLUTELY a sword to die on especially if you are saying you need to sell quickly.

ETA:  But as another poster mentioned I would ditch this agent for one that "gets it"

[dexteroni]

I would continue to push it until the photos you want are on the site. Your agent is being ridiculous to take this so personally.

I would also worry that if she's trying to strongarm you on this, that she'll also do it about other issues during the sales process.  That makes me want you to find a new agent. There is an agent out there somewhere that you will love just as much who won't give you a hard time about stuff.

[BAMFMrsB]

Sword to die on, for sure.

I'm house hunting right now and bad photos - blurry, poorly lit, using the %#}*+**#] thumbnail image, odd angles, the toilet seat up (FFS. Put. It. Down.), photos of the owners unmade bed, chaotic clutter and kitchsy CRAP - all of this turns me off from a house instantly.

Hire your own Pro and remind your agent that YOU are the client and she needs to respect your wishes or someone else can handle your listing.

[rikki]

Get a professional. When I sold my condo the real estate agent brought in a professional photographer and she paid him (I didn't ask her to, she just did.)

When the photos suck I move to the next listing, even if the place is potentially great.

[ECB]

I have to agree- maybe you need to find a new agent.

I used Redfin in my house search, and once I really got into the groove of figuring out what I was looking for, and how the pictures translated - I absolutely knocked houses off my list based on the pictures alone. 

[bringle]

It cuts into her commission. Of course she doesn't want to do it. Flip side is that the photos help sell the house, which gets her the commission.

I would not pay for the photos out of my own money and find a realtor who includes that as part of the package - and not a friend of the family.

[msmerymac]

I'm confused. If she's a good agent, this is despite the photos? I mean, she sells houses, even though the photos on her listings suck? She must be a REALLY good agent in other ways, then. I would also hire your own professional if you're willing to spend the money to get good photos. I mean, if it were me and I owned a DSLR, I'd probably take my own photos, but go to whatever lengths you think are justified, here. It's your house. And I know it's her job to sell it, but you're still the one who has the most on the line, here.

[wanderlustfoodie]

I agree it's important to have some wide shots. Some detail shots aren't horrible if they are showing unique features of the home, like really pretty original moldings, but all detail shots would be weird because it's not like the sofa comes with the house.

[lemondrop]

Feb 6, 2013 13:17:43 GMT -5 Susie said:

I wouldn't push it with this agent - I'd find a different agent who "gets" it.

I agree with you re: photos, but I don't see why you'd waste the time/energy trying to convince someone who's supposed to be working for you. I'm not interested in paying a realtor's commission to someone that I have to disengage from the selling process!

All of this. I don't think someone who focuses on things like the owner's furniture really "gets" it even if she's been in the business 20+ years. Photos matter.

[lemondrop]

Feb 6, 2013 13:37:32 GMT -5 rikki said:

Get a professional. When I sold my condo the real estate agent brought in a professional photographer and she paid him (I didn't ask her to, she just did.)

When the photos suck I move to the next listing, even if the place is potentially great.

When we've looked, if the photos sucked, we'd move on unless the house was super cheap.

[morningmania]

I would ask for one of two things, either you hire a professional to do your photos or you have to approve all photos before they are posted to your listing.

Personally, I would hire an agent that understands what it is that you are looking for. Pictures were hugely important when we were looking at homes. Those pictures could make or break the time slot that you are hoping to sell your home in.

[Cheerio]

We sold our house last January and I was really unhappy with some of the shots that our realtor took (also with a point-and-shoot). Some were directly into bright windows so they were overexposed and you couldn't really see anything. We needed a quick sale, too, as we were relocating out of state. DH and I set up our DSLR on a tripod and took picture after picture, tweaking them until I felt like we'd got it right. I then sent her the pictures we'd taken and asked her to replace hers in the listing. I did not feel bad in the least.

However, I couldn't stand our realtor, so I wasn't worried about hurting her feelings. She was an idiot and put features in our listing that our house didn't have -- she listed a breakfast bar twice and we didn't have one. We were working with a relocation company, though, so we didn't have a choice of whether to use her or not. The relocation will not be using her again after my feedback.

In the end, we received two offers in less than a month, so I have no regrets.

[vanillacourage]

I would probably just get a new realtor. She sounds totally out-of-touch and I would worry that her lack of modern expertise would negatively impact my ability to sell.

[regina22]

I would find a new agent that covers the cost of professional photos. 90% of people do at least preliminary research of homes on the internet, and if you have crappy photos, it doesn't matter how good of a "salesperson" she is, nobody's going to even set up a preliminary appointment.

And I think it's bogus for you to have to hire your own photographer. That is a work expense that she should be paying for. There are plenty of realtors out there that understand this - find one that does.

[Deleted]

Team New Realtor.

[BeagleMama]

Feb 6, 2013 13:32:38 GMT -5 @chloe77 said:

Pictures are the most important thing. I would get a new realtor.

Agreed. My mother is a Realtor and part of her listing a home includes professional photos and a virtual tour. She pays for it.

[goaskalice]

Realtor chiming in: I pay for professional photos with every listing. I actually feel like my listing sell for a higher price because of it. There's no reason, in this day and age, realtors should be taking their own photographs.

[pamela]

I would have fired our last realtor over her photos (and other things) if I had the choice, but like a pp said, we were through a relo company and didn't get to choose her. I cannot fathom how she is that awesome of a realtor if she thinks a photo of a couch is going to help sell a house.

At the minimum do whatever it takes to get the photos you want in front of the potential buyers.

[morgie44]

You already have a ton of responses but I am coming out of lurkdom to share an anecdote from our house hunting ventures. A few weeks ago, we saw a house pop up in our MLS search that looked awesome in pictures. Upon doing further research, we learned that it had been on the market almost consistently since May of 2011, with a few price drops along the way. I wondered why we had passed over it, and I saw the older listing and it looked like a completely different house, one that we had quickly decided we weren't interested in. The house got relisted on a Tuesday night, we saw it online Wednesday AM. By the time we called our realtor at 10 am, they had already received 3 offers on the house, site unseen. That was a huge wakeup call for us about the power of listing photos. Also, your realtor works for you, yes you are paying her for her expertise but you are the client and if you want something else, she needs to respect that. If she doesn't, I would be looking for someone else.

[FWP]

Feb 6, 2013 13:42:05 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

I'm confused. If she's a good agent, this is despite the photos? I mean, she sells houses, even though the photos on her listings suck? She must be a REALLY good agent in other ways, then. I would also hire your own professional if you're willing to spend the money to get good photos. I mean, if it were me and I owned a DSLR, I'd probably take my own photos, but go to whatever lengths you think are justified, here. It's your house. And I know it's her job to sell it, but you're still the one who has the most on the line, here.

Let me start with: I do think it's a hill to die on.

But to play devil's advocate here, pictures are by far not the only thing that a realtor contributes. Also, GBCN leans heavily toward internet-savvy, technology empowered people. There are plenty of people out there who rely on their (buyer's agent) realtor to set up showings at places that meet their requirements. They may never go look up houses before visiting them. Here, a (selling) realtors' networking can be very effective.

[Bob Loblaw]

I was in this exact situation. I paid for a professional real estate photographer, despite the fact that my realtor seemed insulted that I didn't like her photos. No regrets whatsoever. The photographer charged me less than $200 and I would have paid twice that.

ETA: And now I'm pissed that my realtor not only put up a fight, but didn't pay for the photos herself! I didn't realize this was common.