The Biggest Gripe Real Estate Photographers Have with Sellers
An annual “Rants and Raves” survey of real estate photographers has found that their biggest gripes are homeowners not tidying up properties.
HomeJab, a company that provides real estate photographers in all 50 states, surveyed over 100 professional photographers and asked them what they like and dislike the most when doing a job.
Top of the list for “Things professional photographers wish all sellers did before a shoot,” was decluttering.
Photographers are unhappy when the property they are shooting is messy when they arrive. Sometimes the sellers will attempt to declutter during the shoot, moving stuff from one room to the next as the cameraperson makes their way through the house.
“Moving clutter room-to-room like musical chairs disrupts the flow and slows down the process,” said a real estate photographer from Lakeland, Florida, adding significant additional time to a shoot.
“Many sellers begin prepping after I arrive,” observed a photographer from Chicago. “They should know the home should be ready upon arrival.”
The remaining “rants” on the list were issues related to clutter, such as removing objects like toys, cleaning the house, fixing light bulbs, and cleaning pathways and driveways (removing cars).
Under “raves,” photographers pretty much confirmed their “rants” by saying the thing they love the most is a house that’s ready to shoot from the moment they arrive.
A photo pro from Austin notes that having the house “decluttered — neat and tidy” is a huge help. A veteran photographer from Greenwood Village, Colorado, adds, “A place that’s ready to go when I arrive — that’s awesome.”
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The surveyed photographers are split when it comes to whether the home-seller should stick around during the shoot. Some say they would like them gone entirely, but other photographers want them within earshot to get permission to make minor adjustments to improve a photo.
The HomeJab survey also found some photographers don’t want to be interrupted with questions, while others enjoy the banter with a seller.
The best approach, according to HomeJab’s CEO Joe Jesuele, “Sellers should ask what they can do to make the professional’s job easier at the start. The result will be better photos, the professional tells us.”
“Research shows time after time that professional real estate photography helps sell homes faster and for more money,” adds Jesuele.
“Most of the time (67%), professional real estate photographers work with highly cooperative sellers. But too often, sellers are not as cooperative as they should be, and sometimes, surprisingly, they are uncooperative.”
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
