When it comes to vacation rentals, the first impression potential guests have of your property is based on the photos seen online. Photographs taken by a professional will help create a visually appealing and inviting presentation of the property, which can increase bookings and generate more revenue.

However, the goal of short term rental photography is not the same as real-estate photography. The real estate agent may expect the photographer to NOT to accurately capture the property, but to make it look ENTICING. However, with vacation rental photography the photos and the experience must be in line with each other.

The quickest way to get bad reviews is to over-promise and under-deliver. So, finding a photographer that can make your place look appealing, while being careful not to oversell it, is absolutely vital.

For example, wide angle lenses and methods that make rooms look larger than they actually are would be a mistake. Inviting the viewer to imagine themselves staying in your space, and to capture the heart of your vacation rental – that’s the goal!

The best quality photos will make your site more attractive to potential guests. Studies have shown that high-quality photos can lead to increased bookings for vacation rentals. Professional photography can also help to justify higher rates for short term rentals. When guests see that a property has been professionally photographed and looks more attractive than other options, they may be willing to pay more for the experience.

Overall, professional photography is a worthwhile investment for short term real estate rentals looking to attract more guests, increase bookings, and generate more revenue.

Before photographing a house for a photo shoot, there are several preparations that should be made to ensure that the photos turn out as well as possible. Here are some of the key preparations:

1. Clean and declutter the space: The first step is to make sure that the property is clean, tidy, and decluttered. This means removing any personal items, clearing countertops and surfaces, and making sure that the space is free of any clutter or debris.
2. Stage the space: Once the space is clean and tidy, it’s time to stage it for the photo shoot. This means arranging furniture and decor in a way that is visually appealing and helps to highlight the property’s best features.
3. Plan out the shots: This includes identifying the key features that should be highlighted in the photos.
4. Exterior Tips: Cars need to be in the garage with doors closed. Clean and sweep driveways, sidewalks and patios. Hide trash cans, lawn and garden tools, disconnect and hide lawn hoses etc

Santa Fe real estate market has been experiencing steady growth and is considered a desirable market for buyers. The city’s rich history, vibrant arts scene, and outdoor recreation opportunities attracts a mix of local and out-of-state buyers, with many people purchasing second homes or retirement properties in the area.

For more tips, here’s a guide to good photographs.

Photography has never been more important to selling real estate than it is today. Like any business, there is plenty of competition. If you are new to real estate and architecture photography, here are some general guidelines.

Camera Equipment
The equipment that a photographer uses makes all the difference in the world. Cost and technology make a huge difference.

Full frame cameras bring in more light to the sensor and read more photo data to create much higher quality photos. They also have a better processing chip for better color and contrast for the photos. Kim Richardson currently uses a medium format camera with extremely high resolution.

There are cases where professional lighting is necessary. Having a photographer that knows how to use lighting during twilight shots and low light shots is critical when creating an image that needs to be soft, beautiful, and dynamic.

Approaching the Property
The first image a potential buyer sees (usually) when reviewing properties online is an exterior photo. That photo is important so take the time to find the best angle and best light. Ask the realtor what are the important features to highlight. They usually want exterior photographs from front and rear, a deck or patio, landscaping and gardens, pool or hot tub, a barn, shop, or other outbuildings. Each feature should be emphasized in the composition by using the surroundings, like beautiful gardens leading to a cool garden shed.

Most outdoor subjects benefit from early or late day lighting, including real estate.

Interior Photography
Homes come in all shapes, sizes, styles, and conditions. Once inside, the client can often point out what they deem most important, or what sets their property apart.

Camera Height and Vertical Edges
There is broad agreement among clients and photographers, that if there is to be a rule it will state: verticals must be correct! In most interiors there are edges and corners of walls, door frames, and windows that have vertical sides and these edges need to truly be vertical.

Interior Lighting
Just like a finely lit portrait, interiors can benefit greatly from nicely styled lighting. Most interiors have two light sources: window light and interior lights, both constant light sources. Adding supplemental light can bring out that needed detail.

Post Production
Most standard Real Estate photographers outsource their editing to developing countries that to save time and money. A luxury real estate photographer values the photos enough to take on each project personally. All of the editing is done in-house to create the highest quality photos possible.

Two to five exposures will be blended together in some shots in order to create a perfectly balanced photo. Bringing in the darker exposures where the windows are and the brighter exposures where the shadows are to create a perfectly light balanced photo.

The End Product
Clients often request low res photos for web and high res photos for print publication. The final delivery of the files is made by Dropbox or a comparable online service.

If you’re planning on selling a home soon, you might want to consider hiring a professional photographer. Doing so could be worth over $10,000.

Brokerage firm Redfin Corp looked at listings to compare those with professional photos versus amateur ones. It found that homes listed between $200,000 and $1 million, photos taken with a DSLR sold for $3,400 to $11,200 more relative to their list prices. They were also more likely to sell within six months and up to 3 weeks faster than the listings with amateur photos.

source: Better Photos Can Sell Your Home Faster, for Thousands of Dollars More

Primary Goal: Help Realtors Sell Listings Faster

The primary goal of high end photography is to help Realtors sell their listings faster and for more money. Every Realtor wants to close listings with greater efficiency and earn a larger commission, but many are still hesitant to give professional photography a try.

Listings with professional photography actually do sell faster AND for more money.

Days on Market

Do home with high end photography sell faster?

Days on Market is the clearest and best metric to measure the success of whether homes with high end photography sold faster or kept in step with the market.

On average listings using high end photography sell 41.5% faster than homes without professional photography. The average days on market for high end photography homes being 43.1!  This means realtors using high end photography sell homes almost a full month faster than those who are not.

Sale Price vs List Price – Do homes with high end photography sell for more money?

Listings using high end photography had an average Sale to List Price Ratio of 99.1%. The difference of 1.4% to the market means the average closing price of a four bedroom home with high end photography is $3139 dollars MORE! That means happier clients and larger commissions.

Conclusion

We’re proud to offer a service that helps Realtors sell homes faster and for more money! You can expect to sell homes almost a month faster and make larger commissions.

Contact Kim Richardson today to schedule your session!

Increase the asking price. Turn over inventory faster. Professional real estate photography is known to increase interest in a listing.

Homes shot with a DSLR camera:

• Receive an average of 61% more views than their peers across all price tiers.
• Have a 47% higher asking price per square foot.
• Have an increased likelihood of selling for homes priced above $300,000.

Homes with professional photographs get more page views and ultimately sell for a higher price.

As The Wall Street Journal reports, “listings with nicer photos gain anywhere between $934 and $116,076.”

source: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Dollars

Hiring a professional real estate photographer can help to increase the asking price of a property and turn over inventory faster.

Professional real estate photography can help to create a more visually appealing and attractive presentation of a property. When potential buyers see high-quality photos that showcase the property’s best features, they are more likely to be interested in the property and willing to pay a higher price.

Properties that are presented with high-quality photos are more likely to sell faster than those with low-quality photos or no photos at all. This is because good photos can generate more interest and attract more potential buyers, which can help to speed up the sales process.

When a property is presented with high-quality photos, potential buyers are more likely to perceive it as being more valuable. This can make them more willing to pay a higher price for the property, as they see it as being worth the investment.

Overall, hiring a professional real estate photographer can be a smart investment for sellers looking to increase the asking price of their property and turn over inventory faster. By creating a more attractive and visually appealing presentation of the property, professional photography can generate more interest, attract more potential buyers, and help to speed up the sales process