Business Marketing

Give it Your Best Shot

Published

12 years ago

August 15, 2008

Artist Loft – Artist Wanted

This isn’t a new idea and it has been said before, but this time I am begging. As I surf through our local MLS, I am exposed to photos (pardon the pun) that are so bad I can’t decide if I should laugh or cry.

Bad Photos Are Plentiful

Sometimes the photos are good but who ever took them focused on something weird like an open toilet, or the upper half of a room, or part of a closet. Usually becasue they don’t have a wide angle lens, which is a must have. it is OK to take some detail shots, but it is best to show entire rooms so those buyers can imagine the space.

Then there are the photos taken with the fish eye type lens that totally distorts the room, especially a small room. The counter tops look like they are going in a semi circle and the rooms kind of look like something from a fun house, that isn’t very fun.

Some Photos are Easy to Fix

Sometimes the photos are too dark, easy enough to fix with Photoshop elements, Picnik, or photofiltre, or Picasa. The last three I mentioned are free. It is easy enough to lighten them, adjust the contrast and maybe sharpen them up a bit. Most of the tweaking can be done in “auto fix” mode and no special skills are required.

Watch where you aim

Sometimes there are people in the photos, or pets, or both. Please ask everyone to leave the room when photos are being taken and either shoo the pets away or edit them out.

Pointing a camera at a window makes for a craptastic photo. As does shooting into a window when it is dark outside and letting the camera flash. What is going through a Realtors head when he or she takes such a shot. Sometimes the Realtors themselves are in the picture, reflected in a mirror or window.

You are a Realtor dammit, Not a Photographer

Not all agents are photographers. it doesn’t cost very much at all to have a home photographed. Interior shots are much harder to take than exterior shots are, and they are the shots that the buyers really want to see. If it is a matter of money, I would scrimp on the glossy brochures inside the home that no one will ever see unless the place gets some showings.

I Hang my Head in Shame

As an industry we have a lot of work to do when it comes to how we present our listings on line. I laugh when I read about how important video is. It may be important but I don’t imagine the photography is going to be any better in video than it is on the still shots.

I guess I should be thankful that the photos on our MLS are so spectacularly bad. Mine really stand out, even the shots that I think could be better. With practice they do get better, and when they are not good enough I hire a pro. On one recent listing the agent told me that it was the photos that got the buyer into the home, and it was not one of the homes she would have been interested in seeing. When I hear things like that it just reinforces what I already know. Listing photos are very important.

Thanks, I feel so much better now. Maybe if I can stay off the MLS for awhile my eyes will stop hurting. Please don’t make me have to write this post again.

0 Shares

Related Topics:Marketing MLS photography photos property

Up Next

Top 10 Ways to Use Blogging in Real Estate [#6]

Don't Miss

I Must Give Up Something

Teresa Boardman

Full time REALTOR and licensed broker with Saint Paul Home Realty Realty in St. Paul, Minnesota. Author of StPaulRealEstateBlog.com, Columnist for Inman News and an avid photographer.

22 Comments

Chuck G

August 15, 2008 at 9:22 am

Teresa,

Amen! We make it a point to forward the unbelievably bad MLS shots (and there are many) around our office. Not only is it humorous, but it’s a sobering reminder that we are indeed Realtors, NOT professional photographers. Our office contracts a professional photographer for all listing shoots — this guy has more lenses and flashes than I have fingers and toes, but more importantly he KNOWS how to shoot homes.

I recently purchased an LG Dare phone so I could shoot some random “fun” shots and post them via TwitPic to my blog (I know, SnapTweet is cool too!) but this is no replacement for professional photos. We’re earning some serious $$ when we sell a home — we owe it to our clients to spend a little bit of that money on good photography.

Chuck

Reply
Mike Mueller

August 15, 2008 at 9:41 am

There’s a whole blog segment being made out of bad MLS pictures.
(as in Athol Kay)
While they are fun to laugh at, they shouldn’t have ever happened.

Poor homemade video tours? Bad idea #2.
There’s a whole industry out there to make your home video tour better as well.
Unless you do it right – no video is better than a poor video tour.

Good stuff!

Reply
Holly White

August 15, 2008 at 9:58 am

Good one Teresa! I just saw one that had the whole team laughing. The photo was of half of a beat up, rusted out pick-up truck, a massive tree and about 1/4 of the actual house…. and that was the ONLY photo.

A great idea would be to take that daft MLS listing (once it expires) to the seller with what their listing looked like before and what it could look like after some more intuitive professional like photography was taken, along with the difference between list price to sale price and time on market of homes with 1 photo compared to homes with multiple photo’s and virtual tours…

Reply
Laura Cannon

August 15, 2008 at 10:16 am

This is an important article. I wish it was required reading for my MLS. I just wrote a similar article on my blog a couple weeks ago (I have to admit it wasn’t as thorough, though 🙂 ).

In my area, it only costs $100.00 to hire an excellent professional photographer who will bring in the best equipment: an excellent camera, a tripod, and good lighting. Moreover, he or she will bring in a trained eye for what looks good on camera. For example, powder rooms rarely photograph well. My photographer doesn’t shoot them; he spends extra time on the deck or patio instead.

Frequently on tour I will come across a home that has been beautifully and expensively staged only to find out later that the pictures on the MLS are horrible. What are the agents thinking? I don’t get it. Is it ignorance, laziness, or fear of the unknown? Perhaps it is a fear of technology, i.e., “it was hard enough to learn how to use a digital camera; what if the photographer emails me the photos? How will I access and submit the them?”

If brokers stepped in and offered more basic technology classes, I think it would mitigate the problem. I know that many agents in my office are still using Internet Explorer 6. eek!

Reply
Chris de Jong

August 15, 2008 at 11:47 am

Great article. Every so often I will take a peek in our listings database, and it always amazes me how quickly the well shot photos stand out amongst the rest, which makes me appreciate tips and tricks like these even more.

I have also noticed that many Agents are starting to embrace HDR photography, which really draws eyeballs when consumers are pouring over listings. However, the one drawback to this I have noticed is that HDR photography sometimes gives an inaccurate representation of a property – I have heard all to many stories of Agents spending hours on post-production of the shots, only to have prospects turning down a property because it looked nothing like the photos!

Finally, if you are looking for a laugh I highly recommend Athol Kay’s blog Bad MLS Photo of the Day . Go for the amusing pictures, and stay for the witty commentary!

Reply
sabrina Huang

August 15, 2008 at 12:26 pm

I totally agree with you. Let me share my personal experience with all of you.

I am a Realtor and a Photographer. I really want to help other agents to learn some basic photography knowledge. So I offer a FREE one-hour Real Estate Photography class – I blast an email to 3000+ local agents; I got my office to hold a class; I got a Title company to hold a class. Guess what? I got 3 calls from the email blast to ask about the class but no one came; I got 7 people from my office to attend the class (we have 125 agents in the office); and I got 4 people attend the title company’s class.

I was disappointed but I don’t know why not many people care. I always feel sorry for those sellers who’s house looks better in person than online. In the down market like now, I thought it is the best time for us as agents to learn new skills and sharpen the old one to prepare when the market turn.

If you are interested to learn a little bit about real estate photography, here is info I wrote for my class.
https://mesh.sabrinahuang.com/2008/05/real-estate-pho.html

To #5, about HDR, it’s not what software they use, it’s how they use. I saw some HDR real estate photos are really nicely done. Check this one https://www.atticfirearchitecture.com/main.htm

Reply
Lani Anglin-Rosales

August 15, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Teresa, regardless of our equipment, we’ve always hired photographers for every listing, it saves time and they’ll always do it better.

What’s interesting about your having to regurgitate this message so frequently is that many real estate agents try to do everything themselves. The irony in this is that our entire industry is based on the “use me, I’m a professional” premise yet attempts to cut out professionals that can undoubtedly do it better. When a FSBO fails, there is a solid result- an unsold home (and how many people laugh when they drive by FSBO signs?). When an agent’s photography fails, the results may not be so evident but you’re right, bad photography harms agents, their listing success and most importantly, their clients.

Amen, T!

Reply
Jennifer in Louisville

August 15, 2008 at 5:54 pm

I’m not overly great at taking photos, but I have practiced quite a bit over the years – and I take a LOT of a photos for any home I’m listing. So, even if the photos aren’t spectacular, I still end up with 300-400 to choose from, and at least a few of those are going to be quasi-decent.

And if you still can’t the hang of taking photos even after a lot of practice – recruit friends/family to give their creative eye to it and give it a go.

But, even not-so-great photos, are at least better than no photos (or 1 photo). There are many many properties that have 1 (or zero) photos – and they wonder why the property isn’t selling.

Reply
Paula Henry

August 15, 2008 at 6:51 pm

I like to take photos and like Jennifer, take a bunch. I use two wide angle lenses and have fairly good success. I haven’t yet hired it out, but would absolutely love to, only to save time and offer the very best service for my clients.

Sometimes, though, I think bad pictures are worse than no pictures

Thanks Sabrina for the links – I’ll check it out.

Reply
Matthew Rathbun

August 16, 2008 at 8:09 am

“If it is a matter of money, I would scrimp on the glossy brochures inside the home that no one will ever see unless the place gets some showings.” – That’s a great point, but agents who don’t get the point of good photos aren’t putting anything other than a print out of the listing on the counter – if that.

I do think that some folks can learn how to take photos and maybe should take at least a few, while waiting for the photographer to come out. Our area has a requirement that listings must be entered into MLS within some time frame. Agents are putting them in with no photos waiting for photographers come out….

Reply
Ginger Wilcox

August 17, 2008 at 12:44 am

I wouldn’t dream of taking my own photographs. Buyers look online first. A bad photograph often equals a click on to the next listing. A good photograph may mean the buyer favorites it, will attend an open house, or ask their agent for a showing.

I couldn’t agree more with lani, agents spend a lot of time defending why home sellers shouldn’t do it themselves. Perhaps we should practice what we preach and hire a professional where warranted (unless you can take photos like Teresa Boardman).

Reply
Herman

August 17, 2008 at 6:49 am

Dear Teresa,

Great idea, this photo you posted, whith text written trough it!
Do you have more ideas?

I”l love to use them, if that’s allright?

Keep up the good work (mother)Teresa!

Greetings,

Herman de Jong
RE/MAX Connect Hoorn, Amsterdam Holland/ the Netherlands

Reply
Kim Wood

August 17, 2008 at 7:11 am

I’m still trying to convince my husband we need to hire a professional housekeeper. I am all about being a professional Real Estate Agent, and yes, I can take my listing photos (usually two different times of day for different lighting)…..

…. but one has to learn to delegate those tasks they are not an expert in, to leave more time to be productive with those you are……………… right?

Reply
Teresa Boardman

August 17, 2008 at 10:32 am

skip the mother part, I find it offensive. The photo was used for some posters I made. It is an artists loft and I went to an art even and used the poster to market the property.

Reply
Linsey

August 17, 2008 at 9:29 pm

A little over 2 years I hired a professional photographer for one of my listings that I was struggling to sell. It was a low price point for my market but I knew that it needed a ‘MLS makeover’. Within 2 weeks I sold it in multiple offers. I’ve hired a professional photographer for every listing at every price point ever since.

It’s become a critical point in my listing presentation and I am a true believer that if we are taking our job as marketers of properties seriously, we cannot be considered true professionals if we are going the cheap and easy route in this department. My clients are so ‘sold’ on the concept that we won’t list the home in the MLS until the professional work is available. ‘No photos’ or temporary shots will do the trick. You only have one chance to make a first impression, as they say.

Reply
Teresa Boardman

August 18, 2008 at 5:17 am

Linsey – for years I hired a professional photographer for each listing no matter what the price range. I ran into trouble on some of my historic homes in that the photographer did not shoot some of the important architectural elements. Like a close up of the marble fireplace etc. I began supplementing the photos the photographers took. My clients told me that my photos were better than the photographers and that I should take my own. These days some hire me because of the photos. It doesn’t save me any money to take my own, and it does take time. So for me the cheap and easy route would be to hire someone to do it. With some of my listings, I do hire it out to save time and money but with the historic homes and the lofts I do it myself and will until I find someone who understands the real estate the way I do and can take pictures of it.

Reply
Fred Kogler

August 18, 2008 at 6:09 am

I recently read a little essay by Larry Lohrman entitled: Photography for Real Estate. It’s a great read and is loaded with basic information and advice about “how to use photography to effectlvely market real estate.” Its substance and attitude are both features that would enhance T. Boardman’s perspective.

Two other matters that are triggered by big “T” in her comments and articles include spelling and grammar. If one can’t sppell, or foloow the ruoles of grammar, how can she/he be trusted to read the many-paged contracts required to conduct business! So I implore you all, please, oh, please, use your spelol checker and reread your copy before submitting your comments.

Reply
Linsey

August 18, 2008 at 8:18 am

Teresa,
I think you are certainly the exception to the rule. The vast majority of agents have no business shooting their own. But I think you are great for recognizing that it’s often in the details. In Socal there is no such thing as ‘historic home’. The latest construction we have is circa 1968. 🙂

Reply
Caitlin Mulhern

August 18, 2008 at 6:24 pm

To all of you,

Thank you so much for such great comments and suggestions. I am comforted to know that I am not the only one mystified by so much real estate photography. You really do begin to wonder about people….

I am just getting into real estate sales and I have been researching digital cameras that are ideal for real estate photography. Another website suggested the fuji finepix E500 or the Kodak EasyShare P880. Do any of you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Caitlin Mulhern
Mark David NY Realty

Reply
Susie Blackmon

August 31, 2008 at 6:42 am

I love photography and most anything T does. This is a great post (duh). I am embarrassed by many of the MLS photos I see, and I’d love to forward it to many!

Reply

Business Marketing

Bite-sized retail: Macy’s plans to move out of malls

(BUSINESS MARKETING) While Macy’s shares have recently climbed, the department store chain is making a change in regards to big retail shopping malls.

Published

4 days ago

September 14, 2020

Taylor Leddin, Staff Writer

Macy's retail storefront, which may look different as they scale to smaller stores.

I was recently listening to a podcast on Barstool Sports, and was surprised to hear that their presenting sponsor was Macy’s. This struck me as odd considering the demographic for the show is women in their twenties to thirties, and Macy’s typically doesn’t cater to that crowd. Furthermore, department retail stores are becoming a bit antiquated as is.

The sponsorship made more sense once I learned that Macy’s is restructuring their operation, and now allowing their brand to go the way of the ghost. They feel that while malls will remain in operation, only the best (AKA the malls with the most foot traffic) will stand the test of changes in the shopping experience.

As we’ve seen a gigantic rise this year in online shopping, stores like Macy’s and JC Penney are working hard to keep themselves afloat. There is so much changing in brick and mortar retail that major shifts need to be made.

So, what is Macy’s proposing to do?

The upscale department store chain is going to be testing smaller stores in locations outside of major shopping malls. Bloomingdale’s stores will be doing the same. “We continue to believe that the best malls in the country will thrive,” CEO Jeff Gennette told CNBC analysts. “However, we also know that Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s have high potential [off]-mall and in smaller formats.”

While the pandemic assuredly plays a role in this, the need for change came even before the hit in March. Macy’s had announced in February their plans to close 125 stores in the next three years. This is in conjunction with Macy’s expansion of Macy’s Backstage, which offers more affordable options.

Gennette also stated that while those original plans are still in place, Macy’s has been closely monitoring the competition in the event that they need to adjust the store closure timeline. At the end of the second quarter, Macy’s had 771 stores, including Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury.

Last week, Macy’s shares climbed 3 percent, after the retailer reported a more narrow loss than originally expected, along with stronger sales due to an uptick in their online business. So they’re already doing well in that regard. But will smaller stores be the change they need to survive?

Business Marketing

Why you must nix MLM experience from your resume

(BUSINESS MARKETING) MLMs prey on people without much choice, but once you try to switch to something more stable, don’t use the MLM as experience.

Published

1 week ago

September 9, 2020

Brittany Vance, Staff Writer

Discussing including MLM experience on a resume.

MLM experience… Is it worth keeping on your resume?

Are you or someone you know looking for a job after a stint in an MLM? Well, first off, congratulations for pursuing a real job that will provide a steady salary! But I also know that transition can be hard. The job market is already tight and if you don’t have much other work experience on your resume, is it worth trying to leverage your MLM experience?

The short answer? Heck no.

As Ask the Manager puts it, there’s a “strong stigma against [MLMs],” meaning your work experience might very well put a bad taste in the mouth of anyone looking through resumes. And looking past the sketchy products many offer, when nearly half of people in MLMs lose money and another quarter barely break even, it sure doesn’t paint you in a good light to be involved.

(Not to mention, many who do turn a profit only do so by recruiting more people, not actually by selling many products.)

“But I wouldn’t say I worked for an MLM,” you or your friend might say, “I was a small business owner!”

It’s a common selling point for MLMs, that often throw around pseudo-feminist feel good slang like “Boss Babe” or a “Momtrepreneur,” to tell women joining that they’re now business women! Except, as you might have guessed, that’s not actually the case, unless by “Boss Babe” you mean “Babe Who Goes Bankrupt or Tries to Bankrupt Her Friends.”

A more accurate title for the job you did at an MLM would be Sales Rep, because you have no stake in the creation of the product, or setting the prices, or any of the myriad of tasks that a real entrepreneur has to face.

Okay, that doesn’t sound nearly as impressive as “small business owner.” And I know it’s tempting to talk up your experience on a resume, but that can fall apart pretty quickly if you can’t actually speak to actual entrepreneur experience. It makes you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about…which is also not a good look for the job hunt.

That said… Depending on your situation, it might be difficult to leave any potential work experience off your resume. I get it. MLMs often target people who don’t have options for other work opportunities – and it’s possible you’re one of the unlucky ones who doesn’t have much else to put on paper.

In this case, you’ll want to do it carefully. Use the sales representative title (or something similar) and, if you’re like the roughly 50% of people who lose money from MLMs, highlight your soft skills. Did you do cold calls? Tailor events to the people who would be attending? Get creative, just make sure to do it within reason.

It’s not ideal to use your MLM experience on a resume, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. Still, congratulations to you, or anyone you know, who has decided to pursue something that will actually help pay the bills.

Business Marketing

This smart card manages employee spending with ease

(BUSINESS MARKETING) Clever credit cards make it easier for companies to set spending policies and help alleviate expense problems for both them and their employees.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 7, 2020

Veronica Garcia, Staff Writer

Spendesk showing off its company credit cards.

Company credit cards are a wonderful solution to managing business expenses. They work almost exactly like debit cards, which we all know how to use, am I right? It is the twenty-first century after all. Simply swipe, dip, or tap, and a transaction is complete.

However, keeping up with invoices and receipts is a nightmare. I know I’ve had my fair share of hunting down wrinkled pieces of paper after organizing work events. Filling out endless expense reports is tedious. Plus, the back and forth communication with the finance team to justify purchases can cause a headache on both ends.

Company credit cards make it easier for companies to keep track of who’s spending money and how much. However, they aren’t able to see final numbers until expense reports are submitted. This makes monitoring spending a challenge. Also, reviewing all the paperwork to reimburse employees is time-consuming.

But Spendesk is here to combat those downsides! This all-in-one corporate expense and spend management service provides a promising alternative to internal management. The French startup “combines spend approvals, company cards, and automated accounting into one refreshingly easy spend management solution.”

Their clever company cards are what companies and employees have all been waiting for! With increasing remote workforces, this new form of payment comes at just the right moment to help companies simplify their expenditures.

These smart cards remove limitations regular company cards have today. Spendesk’s employee debit cards offer companies options to monitor budgets, customize settings, and set specific authorizations. For instance, companies can set predefined budgets and spending category limitations on flights, hotels, restaurants, etc. Then they don’t have to worry about an employee taking advantage of their card by booking a first-class flight or eating at a high-end steakhouse.

All transactions are tracked in real time so finance and accounting can see purchases right as they happen. Increasing visibility is important, especially when your employee is working remotely.

And for employees, this new form of payment is more convenient and easier on the pocket. “These are smart employee company cards with built-in spending policies. Employees can pay for business expenses when they need to without ever having to spend their own money,” the company demonstrated in a company video.

Not having to dip into your checking account is a plus in my book! And for remote employees who just need to make a single purchase, Spendesk has single-use virtual debit cards, too.

Now, that’s a smart card!