A picture is worth a thousand words. We’ve all heard the cliche saying—and when it comes to real estate, it’s true. The fact is, the images you use to promote your home can make or break your sale. And while it might not seem like a bad idea to take your own listing photos, there are some pretty compelling reasons not to.

If you’re preparing to sell your property, here’s why you should use professional photographs in your marketing…

Buyers see them first

You can spend time writing the perfect listing description for your home—and ensure that it’s distributed far and wide. In fact, your real estate agent should do just that. But when you get right down to it, buyers who are browsing properties online are going to pay a lot more attention to your photos than anything else. If they like what they see, there’s a very good chance they’ll pick up the phone and book a viewing. If not…well, let’s just say you only get one chance to make a first impression

They trigger emotion

We’d all like to believe that we think rationally when we make big decisions, but that’s not always the case. If a buyer purchases your home, it’s because of the way that viewing it made them feel. The same is true of your listing photos. If they encourage home hunters to imagine cooking a meal in your kitchen or relaxing in your living room, they’ll want to know more. That’s why a good real estate photograph should go beyond accurately capturing your home’s best features. It should speak to the lifestyle that buyers want to live!

They make your home stand out

When buyers are scrolling through a sea of properties online, it’s easy for them to pass over listings that don’t grab their attention. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure your home doesn’t get overlooked—and using stunning images is one of them. From lighting to angles and everything in between, there are a hundred little things that go into creating a photo capable of outshining the competition. Only a pro with real estate expertise can ensure that they all work together in just the right way.

They can lead to a better sale

Countless studies have shown that in the world of real estate, images matter. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 89 per cent of home hunters find photographs very useful. You might think that any clear set of pictures will have the same effect. Not so. Listings that contain higher-quality photos tend to be viewed online far more often, and they even sell for higher prices. No doubt about it, using images shot by a pro can pay off—literally.

Your iPhone won’t cut it

There’s no denying that the quality of cellphone cameras has gotten much (much) better in recent years. But that doesn’t mean they should be used for real estate photography. The truth is, a professional-grade camera will beat out a point-and-shoot model every time. That said, the end result will often have more to do with the person behind the lens than anything else. The bottom line? Work with someone who has the right equipment, an eye for composition, and the post-production skills to enhance your home images after the fact.

Given the benefits of high-quality listing images, taking your own photos is a very big risk. When you’re selling your largest investment, work with a real estate team that includes not only home preparations and modern marketing in their services, but professional photography as well!

Ready to sell your Winnipeg home on the market? Reach out to learn more about our selling process!