jump to navigation

Photos are worth 1,000 words (and a lot of money too) November 2, 2007

We “dog food” our real estate search product at Estately (we use it like a consumer): I subscribe to a couple of daily email alerts, a constantly updating RSS feed showing properties as they come onto the market near my house, and I subscribe to a feed of my saved homes to see when they sell.

Today two properties came on the market (welcome to Seattle prices, out of towners!):

$720,000 3 Beds / 2.25 Baths / 15 photos / 1,412 sqft / $509 per sqft
$729,000 0 Beds / 0 Baths / 0 photos / 1,700 sqft / 2,400 sqft lot / $428 per sqft

I didn’t even look at the second property - really, what’s the point? Like most buyers, I’m driven by emotion. I click through photos pretty much as fast as they load until one catches my eye, I linger, something about the property gets past my reptilian complex and I actually consider the details. Good agents know this on both sides; they take fantastic, eye catching photos or hire a professional to do so. Some of our Agent Match clients have found that they overlooked a great property with bad photos until they were dragged there by their agent and at least one was pleased to find that bad photos and staging could cost a seller upwards of $25,000.

If you are a consumer selling your house, dog food it. Subscribe to a daily email of new homes for sale for a month or two before you list your house and see what catches your eye. It’ll make “decluttering” easier.

If you are a realtor who works with sellers, dog food it. Sign up for a daily email from your company’s website. If your listing doesn’t look good there, you’ve lost a lot of the buyers who are currently in the market. You missed your chance to catch their eye and they’ve moved on to Craigslist. Maybe you can have a second shot at impressing them there.

Check out these related posts:

Article Tags>> | | | | |

Comments»

1. Galen - November 2, 2007

(I changed this posts title - the original title made no sense)

2. Drew Meyers from Zillow - November 2, 2007

I agree with the importance of photos Galen. I probably wouldn’t even look at a home if it didn’t have any photos online unless it was 50 grand cheaper than anything else in the area.

3. The Smell of fresh baked Cookies is good - Making it Pretty is the game on the Web « YATTER MATTERS - November 3, 2007

[...] Greg Swan, of Bloodhound blog fame, helps us understand the importance of taking effective and interesting house photos that are eye candy to prospective buyers.  Every bit of glue helps. [...]

4. The Feed Bag - November 3, 2007

[...] Double goodness from Rain City Guide today. Once from Galen for Photos are worth 1,000 words (and a lot of money too) and once from Ardell for A Shopping Trip for Staging a Home. Required Reading. [...]

5. The Feed Bag - Refried and Served Again - November 4, 2007

[...] Double goodness from Rain City Guide today. Once from Galen for Photos are worth 1,000 words (and a lot of money too) and once from Ardell for A Shopping Trip for Staging a Home. [...]

6. The Feed Bag - Refried and Served Again - November 4, 2007

[...] Double goodness from Rain City Guide today. Once from Galen for Photos are worth 1,000 words (and a lot of money too) and once from Ardell for A Shopping Trip for Staging a Home. [...]

7. The Odysseus Medal competition — Voting for the People’s Choice Award is open | BloodhoundBlog: Real estate marketing and technology blog | Realtors and real estate, mortgages, lending, investments - November 5, 2007

[...] Here is this week’s short-list of Odysseus Medal nominees: Kris Berg — Genoa Petrol, You, ma’am, are no Genoa Petrol!Brian Brady — HR 3915, HR 3915 Is DangerousKris Berg — The green room, The Green RoomBill Leider — What is a professional?, What Is A Professional?Kris Berg — Gas guzzler, My Hybrid is a Gas GuzzlerJay Thompson — Prize money?, A Commission is Prize Money (?!?)Jim Cronin — RE weblogging, The 7 Reasons Why Your (Future) Clients Should Care That You Are a Real Estate BloggerBrian Brady — Hiring a Realtor, Hire A Realtor Like You Would Sign a Top NFL Draft PickGeno Petro — Search or sell, Search Or Sell, Young ManRhonda Porter — Mortgage witch hunt, The Mortgage Witch HuntGeno Petro — La spinster?, Mademoiselle? Oui. La Spinster?…ZUT!Dan Green — Investors in ARMs, Falling Prices And Adjusting ARMs: Real Estate Investors Have A Way OutTeri Lussier — Twittering, Twittering on a wing and a prayerRichard Warren — Trickle down, The Economic Trickle Down EffectGalen Ward — Photos, Photos are worth 1,000 words (and a lot of money too)Steve Belt — Trulia Voices, Opting out of Trulia VoicesJim Duncan — Martyr yourself?, Are you willing to martyr yourself to the industry?Michael Cook — Perfect storm, Real Estate Perfect Storm Warning: Do Not Miss This Window of Opportunity [...]