Real Estate Photography Pricing: How much should agents be paying?

The internet is full of articles about how real estate photographers can get the most money possible for their services. But little has been reported about how much real estate agents should be paying for listing photography. We know how critical photographs are to helping agents win and selling listings. So, we did the digging, looked at the local markets, and found out the truth about real estate photography pricing.

Why is Real Estate Photography Important?

Sell Homes Faster and for More

Rismedia recently reported

Listings with high-quality photos sell 32 percent faster.

Listings with more photos sell faster.  A home with one photo spends an average of 70 days on the market, but a home with 20 photos spends 32 days on the market.

For listings in the $200,000 to $1 million range, those that include high-quality photography in their listings sell for $3,000-$11,000 more.

Impress Sellers and Get More Listings

But most importantly, photos are important to home sellers. According to the NAR, The number one service home sellers look for in a real estate agent, is someone with a great marketing strategy. Photos are a huge piece of that marketing strategy.

Incorporating beautiful and appropriate photographs in marketing materials can really help a listing agent to make their marketing services and expertise tangible to sellers. Showcasing the best photos alongside floorplans, virtual tours, and videos with services like Single Property Sites is one of the best ways agents can show their marketing strengths.

What is Average Real Estate Photography Pricing?

The average price for real estate photography is between $100 and $350.  This price can vary slightly by region and by property size. This price should include 1-3 hours of photography time, at least 25 edited images, a quick turnaround time, and images that don’t require reformatting for the MLS or across social media. Copyright for each photo should fall to the agent for commercial use.

Real Estate Photography Pricing by Region

West: Denver

Hot Shot Pros focuses solely on high-end real estate photography. They offer an array of packages, but the most popular, MLS-specific package is $195 and includes 35+ edited photos, home tour, Youtube video, and interactive floorplan. Springing for a luxury listing package only costs $250.

South: Miami

iUSE Photography is Miami’s premier real estate photography company. They offer a blue sky guarantee on all their photos with tons of a la carte pricing options. Their best is their $249 twilight package which includes 24 photos and 1 twilight photo. The best part is their quick turnaround time with next day delivery.

East Coast: Washington DC

Northern Virginia Real Estate Photography is one of DC’s most trusted real estate photography studios. Their standard package is $300 for 30 edited images and includes a virtual tour. They have multiple awards from Houzz and offer drone services, too.

West Coast: Portland

Tim Sadle Photography has had agents singing his praises for years. Seriously, check him out on Yelp! His photos are stunning and his packages are very well priced. For $135 real estate agents get a full package with 15-35 interior and exterior photos with professional editing. All photos come pre-formatted for the RMLS.

Southwest: Dallas

Capture 2 Sell is an all-in-one listing stop for real estate agents. Capture 2 Sell offers traditional photography, videos, drone photography/video, and Matterport virtual tours. Their drone and standard photography package runs at $260, and additional products like Matterport and videos can be added on.

How to choose a real estate photographer

Choosing a real estate photographer is one of the most important services an agent will choose.

When picking for a real estate photographer, it is important to look for:

Binding Contracts

Many photographers have contracts designed to protect themselves and their clients. Real estate agents should never hire a photographer who does not offer signed contracts. They can skip town with an agent’s payment before delivering any photos.

Golden Hour Photographs

Taking real estate photos during dawn or dusk can set a listing apart from everything else on the market. Agents should look for a photographer who specializes in using natural light and takes “golden hour” photos at dawn or dusk. These photos wow both sellers and buyers alike.

Real Estate Only

Many aspiring photographers will try to brand themselves a jack of all trades by offering engagement photos, family portraits, pet photos, and real estate photography. Even though an agent may be attracted by a lower price point, Realtors should steer clear. Taking listing photos and taking family photos require two different skill sets. It would be like asking a dentist to operate on a hand, simply because they are a doctor.

Delivery Method & Post Production

Real estate agents should also be aware of how their photos will be delivered. Some real estate photographers offer flash drives, some offer disks, while others send the files securely online. For the easiest use, direct download is best. The best real estate photographers also use post-production filters, editing, and touch-ups using programs like Adobe Lightroom.

Real Estate Photography Pricing

Finding a good real estate photographer should cost no more than $100-$350 per listing. Choosing a good photographer is important because photography impresses sellers, sells homes more quickly, and makes an agent’s job easier. Being mindful of contracts, post-production, when a photographer takes their photos, and their area of expertise all play a part in choosing the right real estate photographer.

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