Does Investing in Real Estate Property Photos Increase Closing Rates?

In conclusion, improving real estate property photos maximizes the appeal of the property, which in turn increases the closing rate for sales and rentals. In this article, I will explain in detail what exactly changes and how.

Hello everyone.
For those meeting me for the first time, nice to meet you.
I am Fujikawa, an architectural photographer.
On X, I am active under the account name Architectural Photography Cat🐈.
I make my living as an architectural photographer, and I usually spend my time shooting completed buildings such as homes and shops, as well as real estate properties, primarily in the Kanto region.
If you count my time as an apprentice, I have been shooting properties for a full six years now.
I have lost count of how many properties I have shot in the past, so I will just say thousands. Please read the article linked below for details on my track record.

1. The Role and Effect of Advertising Photography

Before we talk about property photos, let's talk about something more fundamental. So, let's talk about advertising photography.
Advertising photography is an essential element for bringing out the appeal of a product and increasing the desire to purchase. For example, in fashion advertising, care is taken to ensure the design and texture of the clothes worn by the model are conveyed realistically, and in food advertising, photos are taken so that the deliciousness of the dish is visually conveyed. In short, when selling something, it is essential to convey the features and appeal of that product.

Real estate property photos are the same; it is important to maximize the appeal of the property and make the viewer think, 'I want to live in this property,' 'I want to own it,' or 'I want to buy it.' High-quality property photos not only visually convey the features and appeal of the property, but also have the effect of providing a sense of trust and security.

2. Current State of Property Photos

Currently, many real estate property photos are taken by real estate agents or property owners. Since these photos are not taken by people with professional skills or knowledge, they often fail to fully convey the appeal of the property. As a result, information about the property is not communicated correctly, and buyers or tenants often fail to fully appreciate the quality of the property. In this day and age, where people start their property search online, this approach is a very bad move.
Besides failing to convey the appeal of the property, there is another disadvantage: it makes people think, 'Is this real estate company really motivated?' When low-quality photos are lined up, it is as if you are publicly declaring that you are not putting effort into PR. Many people might say, 'No, no, we rely on our sales ability!' but the property has already been removed from the candidate list before they even make an inquiry.

In such a situation, it can be said that the property photos are not fulfilling their role as advertising photography. Without attractive photos, you cannot attract interest in the property, and as a result, the time to closing may become longer, you may not reach a closing at all, or you may not even get inquiries in the first place.

3. Property Photos Taken by Me, a Professional

The property photos I take as a professional photographer are crafted to maximize the appeal of the property while being fully aware of the characteristics of the photos and equipment. I utilize shooting techniques and ways of presenting properties that only a professional would know, and I shoot and edit photos that fulfill their role as advertising photography.

For example, I use wide-angle lenses to express the spaciousness of the entire room, and I take bright, clean photos by utilizing natural light. Also, in photo editing, I perform detailed adjustments such as color correction and the removal of unnecessary light to maximize the appeal of the property.

I have a track record of shooting many properties, and those photos have received high ratings on many portal sites. As a result, the closing rate for properties has improved, and I have received high praise from real estate companies.

What kind of photos do I actually take?
With that said, I will post some photos I have taken.

4. It is well worth the cost to invest in property photography

Professional property photography can seem expensive at first glance (in my case, about 30,000 to 60,000 yen), so many people are resistant to investing in it. However, try comparing it to the final profit you will gain. For example, regarding sales, I have actually heard from clients that if the property photos are good, they receive inquiries even if the price is several hundred thousand to nearly a million yen higher than the market average. In other words, if you could make a profit of several hundred thousand yen or more with an investment of a few tens of thousands of yen, you would naturally make that investment without even thinking about it, right?

The same applies to rentals. Let's assume the monthly rent is 50,000 yen. If two months pass without finding a tenant, you have lost the opportunity to earn 100,000 yen in revenue. Do you still think it's a waste to invest a few tens of thousands of yen in photography? In other words, it can be said that even if it looks expensive at first glance, it is not.

If I only write about the good points, it sounds too much like a biased sales pitch, so I will also write about when it doesn't work out well. The reality is that no matter how good the photos are, it is difficult to increase inquiries or contracts for properties with strict conditions. However, I do think that for such properties, you should put extra effort into the photos. And the opposite is also true; there are properties that get rented out even without posting photos. Properties with good conditions are in high demand and fought over immediately after being listed (sometimes they are even taken before being listed...). For such properties, property photos may indeed be unnecessary.

However, the reality is that there are more properties that are not like that. Nothing changes if you don't take action. Without looking away from reality, let's take another look.

5. With a property editing service, there is an opportunity for everyone nationwide

That said, when it comes to photography, my availability is inevitably limited to the Kanto region, centered around Kanagawa Prefecture where I am based. Even if you try to hire someone else, many photographers are concentrated in urban areas, and I think it is quite difficult to find a reliable photographer among them. Also, hiring a professional photographer can cost over 50,000 yen. I wrote earlier that it is not an expensive investment, but in reality, this is a bottleneck, and many people may not be able to hire a professional for photography.

However, with the property photo editing service I provide, you can use it equally and at a relatively low cost, no matter where you are in the country. In this service, we take the photos you have already taken and edit them by professional hands to maximize the appeal of the property. This actually creates an overwhelming difference from other companies, especially in rural areas where there are no professional photographers, rather than just being equal. I believe that there is great potential in rural areas.

I will leave some examples here. The first one is a common property photo taken with an iPhone, where the vertical lines are not aligned and the overall impression is dark. Since the horizontal lines are aligned, it might be on the better side.

In contrast, the second one has the brightness adjusted appropriately, and by aligning the vertical lines, it becomes easier to grasp the space properly.

You might think, 'Amateurs won't notice such a difference,' but customers definitely notice the difference, and there is no doubt that they receive a different impression subconsciously, even if they are not aware of it.

By using the property photo editing service in this way, you can obtain high-quality photos that look like they were taken by a professional while keeping costs down. Please check the details from the link below. If you have any questions, please feel free to send a message via X DM or the official LINE link.

6. Summary

By improving the quality of real estate property photos, the appeal of the property can be maximized, allowing for a strong appeal to buyers and tenants. Having a professional photographer take the photos can effectively convey the property's charm, leading to an increase in closing rates.

Currently, many property photos are taken by non-professionals, but photos taken by a professional hand significantly improve their effectiveness. Additionally, by using property photo editing services, you can easily obtain professional quality anywhere in the country.

To stay ahead in the competitive real estate industry, please consider improving the quality of your property photos. By doing so, you will be able to maximize the appeal of your properties and aim for more successful closings.

I hope this article helps deepen your understanding of the importance and effectiveness of real estate photography. Thank you for reading until the end!
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See you in the next article!!