Why listing photos matter

team leader with the Revolve Philly Group at Compass in Philadelphia. “Listing photos usually appear on online real estate marketplaces, such as Zillow, Redfin, Trulia and Realtor.com, as well as on the agent’s website, social media platforms and marketing materials. Anyone with access to these platforms can see the listing photos, including interested buyers, renters and other real estate agents.”

Your agent or Realtor is responsible for taking these photos or hiring a professional photographer to do it for them, ensuring that the images are of high quality and accurately represent the home for sale. Sellers usually are not charged a separate fee for these photos being taken; the cost is commonly factored into the agent’s commission.

Skyla Gagnon, a Realtor in Killingly, Connecticut, says the quality of listing photos is of utmost importance.

“ ese are the first impressions of your home to all buyers searching online. A beautiful, bright photo of the front of your house or your updated kitchen will quickly grab the attention of home shoppers,” she says. “On the other hand, dark, out-of-focus photos with clutter in the picture may cause buyers to look right past your listing.”

Carrie George, a Realtor with Keller Williams Top of the Rockies Real Estate, says each room should have at least two shots – often more depending on the room.

“Kitchens, for instance, usually require a minimum of four photos, especially if it is an attractive kitchen,” George notes. e experts agree that a plentiful array of images is best. Rosenthal recommends having at least 25 photos in your listing, if possible, “unless the home is enormous and has tons of rooms or special outdoor spaces, in which case you want to include more photos. But you don’t want to put in too many pictures or too few, so keep that in mind.”

Your agent, in conjunction with the professional photographer enlisted for the job, will determine which areas of your home inside and out to photograph and which specific angles will be most pleasing to buyers, according to Eric Bramlett, a Realtor and owner of Bramlett Residential, a brokerage in

Austin, Texas.

“ e agent should also assess the home as a whole and strive to capture photos that will make a lasting impression on buyers while also accurately capturing the property and its features,” says Bramlett.

In some instances, the agent/Realtor may take the photographs themselves if they are experienced in this craft. Regardless of who takes the photos, take the time to carefully review the shots with your agent before including them in your listing.

“If you are not happy with one or more of the listing photos used or to be used, you have every right to request that the photos be removed, deleted or retaken. And if you decide that the agent does not have the photography skills you had hoped for, you can always request that a professional photographer be brought in,” Gagnon recommends. George says some sellers are not comfortable with their children’s rooms being photographed and used in a listing, or if they have an expensive piece of art in their home, they may not want that to be publicized. Before photography day, expect your agent to tell you how to prepare. For instance, you may need to carefully declutter rooms and living spaces, remove extraneous items from counters, open your shades, match towels in the bathroom and kitchen and take other steps to ensure proper home staging and more attractive photos.