The New York City real estate market has been hit hard by the covid-19 pandemic, making selling homes in the city more challenging than ever. That’s why sellers and real estate agents that are seeking the best ways to attract more buyers to their NYC condos, co-ops, and townhouses for sale should invest in high-quality listing photos. After all, a photo is worth a thousand words, and it’s most impactful when you show your properties at their very best.
According to the National Association of Realtors, approximately 80% of buyers find their home on a mobile device. And now, in a socially distant world, photos and virtual tours are being used to help sell homes more than ever before. That’s why hiring an expert NYC real estate photographer is imperative. There is so much more that goes into taking great real estate photos than just snapping a picture. To capture a great photo you need a creative eye and expertise of a professional photographer, who will get the angle right, ensure the lighting is correct, and blend multiple exposures to create the perfect shot. And real estate professionals and home sellers shouldn’t rely on subpar photos getting a home to sell quickly. Today’s buyers expect appealing eye candy that only an experienced real estate photographer can provide. It’s always recommended to work with real estate photographers that have extensive experience in the field.
How Much Does Real Estate Photography Cost in NYC?
NYC real estate photography prices depend on the photographer and the number of photos that will be taken and retouched, but prices generally start around $150 and can go up to about $300. That’s relatively affordable when you consider that the median sales price for a NYC apartment is over $900,000.
There are some photographers out there who will charge even more, and you can of course pay extra for additional features like virtual staging. If you’re working with a real estate agent, they’ll advise you on what’s best and cover all the photography fees.
Professional Real Estate Photography is Worth the Investment!
One of the biggest mistakes sellers and their agents can make is to take a DIY approach to photographing their home for sale, thinking their mobile phone or DSLR camera will do the trick and save time and money. But cutting corners when it comes to professionally marketing and showcasing a property can spell disaster. And many DIY-ers don’t have the technical knowledge and ability to properly compose and light real estate photographs, leaving them with photos that don’t truly show a property in the best possible way. In the end, it can limit the selling price of a home and extend how long it stays time on the market. Numerous studies show that homes that are marketed with professional photography sell as much as 30% faster and for higher prices than ones that aren’t. When we’re talking about NYC real estate, where the median sales price is around $1 million, spending a couple hundred dollars on professional photos is a no-brainer.
If you’re still not sold on why great real estate photography is a must, just put yourself in a buyers shoes. They are going to be seeing so many properties online, most of which will have incredible photos. Showing a home in its best light will help a buyer visualize their lifestyle if they purchase it. And in a competitive market you’ll want photos that show capture inviting interiors, important home details, beautifully lit rooms, perfectly balanced compositions, blue-sky exteriors, and stunning landscaping. Striking real estate photography can inspire buyers, and ultimately lead to your property selling faster and for a higher price.
Real Estate Photography is the Foundation of Marketing Homes
Simply put, your listing photos are the most important part of your marketing. They’ll be the first thing buyers see, and will be displayed on real estate websites, advertisements, and listing brochures. You can also use them to promote the home on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
A great real estate photographer will also offer additional services, which can make your home more appealing, such as virtual staging. Combining virtual staging with professional real estate photography is a great way to enhance the appeal of a home or to promote it to people who have different tastes. For example, if a home is unfurnished, your photographer can take your listing photos and digitally enhance them. A furnished home will typically feel more welcoming to potential buyers, so seeing virtually staged photos will make it easier for them to imagine the home’s potential. You can also use virtual staging to market the home to different audiences. This can be as simple as offering virtually staged photos of a living room in different styles and designs, such as traditional, shabby chic, mid-century modern, or contemporary. Or you can use it to showcase the potential of a room. For example, maybe a spare bedroom can be transformed into a workout room or a home office. This can be a game-changer when it comes to attracting buyers.