SHOCKING STATS!

The following information is provided by the Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD).

It might seem obvious—or go without saying—that good photography and videography are critical for your success as a real estate professional.

But when you dig into the numbers, just how much of an impact good visuals make borders on shocking. Check out some of these stats:

Homes with high quality photography sell 32 percent faster.Homes with more photos sell faster, too. A home with one photo spends an average 70 days on the market, but a home with 20 photos spends 32 days on the market.For homes in the $200,000 to $1 million range, those that include high-quality photography in their listings sell for $3,000-$11,000 more.

As time goes on, and equipment and tools become better and more sophisticated, online platforms become more robust, and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) expand into our industry—skills with visual tools will only become increasingly important over time.

In its resource reference document for members on the topic, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) points out that:

Eighty-seven percent of homebuyers who searched for a home on the internet found photos to be among the most useful features of REALTOR® websites, according to the 2018 NAR Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers. Digital photography and virtual tours allow REALTORS® to serve their clients like never before. Digital images can quickly and professionally showcase a listing, and today’s technologically savvy clients appreciate the convenience of a virtual tour for both long distance and local moves.

In addition to this resource—that is curated especially for its members and provided free of charge—NAR’s affiliated organization, the Residential Real Estate Council (RRC) offers three online courses through our platform to help enhance your visual skills. These include:

A Photo Sells a Thousand Homes will help you attract buyers to homes, identify the right photos you should take of every home and understand exactly how to compose the best photos.How Do I Make My Photos Look Like That? will show you how to leverage the technology available to make photos look more professional. Learn about the software and editing capabilities available at minimal price.Video Marketing to Enhance Your Business demonstrates video marketing strategies that are crucial for reaching today’s house hunters. Connect with consumers in a fast-paced digital world by setting yourself apart and grabbing their attention instantly.