Fair warning, rant ahead.
Fewer things drive me crazier than seeing lousy photos in a real estate listings and marketing material.
The one thing that may be worse is a lack of photos.
I just don’t get it.
Here are two real life examples. There are hundreds thousands more. Just in Phoenix.
Example #1: There is a current listing in Paradise Valley, arguably the most expensive place to buy a home in Phoenix. This $5,500,000 home has one photo. One.
In the description of this listing, it directs the reader to view more photos and a virtual tour – by going to an expired listing.
Apparently someone just fell off the Clue Train as the public can’t view expired listings. You know the public. They are the ones that buy homes…
In a striking disregard for their client, it’s the same agent who had the expired listing. So basically this agent has photos and a virtual tour of one of the more expensive homes in Phoenix and for some inexplicable reason can’t transfer them to the new listing.
Granted, it’s only been relisted for 16 days. Maybe he/she has just been too busy to take the what, 5 minutes, that would be required to upload photos.
Example #2: This one comes from a current client, and it’s a story we hear a LOT. “Hey, this looks like a nice home, can you get me more photos?”
In this case, it’s a real estate agent that owns the home. Now I understand if John Q. Public doesn’t realize how much photos in real estate mean to marketing a home. It’s not their job to know this. But an agent? An agent whose own home is listed for 10 MONTHS but only has one picture available? Oh, they’ve dropped the price $80 grand over those 10 months, but they haven’t bothered to upload more than ONE photo?
Please. But at least this guy is only screwing himself and not his client.
The Data
Almost 25% of Phoenix home listings have 3 or fewer photos!
There are currently 50,668 single family homes and condos listed in the Phoenix MLS.
3,204 of them have no photos. None. Zip. Zero.
5,920 have only one photo.
1,398 have two pictures of the home for sale.
1,798 have three.
So at this moment in time, there are 12,320 homes listed for sale in Phoenix with three or fewer photos in the MLS. That’s almost 25%.
That is utterly ridiculous.
Our MLS allows us to upload unlimited photos. OK, not unlimited. The limit is 999. For all practical purposes, we can call that unlimited.
At a bare minimum, every home listing should have a picture of the front elevation, the rear elevation, the kitchen, the master bedroom, the master bath and the main living area. That’s six photos – at a bare minimum.
Let’s return to our trusty MLS search…..
18,075. That’s how many listings in the Phoenix MLS have less than 6 photos. 36% of Phoenix listings don’t meet the minimum requirement for photos.
Think Photos Don’t Matter?
Watch, just watch, the average person searching for homes. You’ll see the vast majority of them blow by any listing without a photo. They won’t even consider it. Now watch their frustration mount as they click “view all photos” and they see one or two pop up.
Yessir, frustrating potential buyers is a good idea.
There are 50 thousand homes for sale in Phoenix folks. If your listings don’t have photos, buyers will just move on to ones that do.
How does an agent submit a listing with 1, 2, 3 or no photos?
Beats the hell outta me.
Home sellers: ask demand to see the actual listing of your home in the MLS. Before it even gets to that point though, grill your prospective agent on how they plan to market your home.
Real estate agents: For the love of Pete, take photos. If you can’t / won’t, pay someone else to do it. This is fundamental home marketing. Do your job.
Photo Credit: Andrew Mason
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Yeah, this subject really bugs us, too. How lazy can you be? Shame on any agent that can’t be bothered to market his client’s home in the best possible way. It sounds like that agent not only doesn’t “get it” about pictures, he also has a big problem with pricing his own house. God help his other clients if he’s this clueless with them…
**The Harriman Team´s last blog post..Mortgage Rate Update 1/30/09
This is a topic I grapple with every day. It’s not only a disservice to sellers but a lack of respect for fellow agents. No matter the property type or price range this problem is prevalent and is sickening more so in this day when you could buy a suitable digital camera for $50 and even get free software to make photos better.
Jay, I couldn’t agree with you more. Unfortunately a lot of people think real estate agents are lazy. When you see stuff like this, it’s hard to dispute that sometimes. I’m a part time real estate agent myself and this type of stuff always blows me away. I was just looking at MLS # 4102819 on your site which has an AMAZING backyard. This listing has a grand total of 4 photos, of which two are so small you can barely make them out. And not a single photo of the outside of the house? Are you joking me?
I agree with the photo issue in that if i was purchasing a house and the listing didn’t have an image I wouldn’t pay it any attention. Why dont on-line estate agents force listings to have more images if its so important. If someone wants their property listed then they either have to provide more photos, or the company adding the listing needs to upload more images. Human nature people are lazy, give them and easy option and they will take it.
Very soon even 3 or 4 still photos won’t cut it. We are looking at providing a service to forward looking realtors whereby we film guided video tours of houses. Video posted on a blog – that will be the new marketing paradigm for 2009! Guess which one house buyers will go to!
But it is good for realtors as well – they will get better qualified prospects and house buyers won’t waste valuable time looking at houses they wouldn’t have touched with a barge-pole if they’d seen better pictures!
**Jasper Blake´s last blog post..The Power of Blogs on Your Reputation
This problem isn’t unique to real estate. I provide internet marketing services. What I see companies pass off as SEO is appalling. It isn’t that they don’t know what do to, they just don’t finish things completely. It makes my blood biol because the client is not getting what they pay for.
A house like you mentioned will not sell as you described… What are they thinking?
**gwen- Tucson SEO´s last blog post..The 109 Day Link Building Explosion – Day 34
Our MLS recently implemented a $25 fine if the agent has not posted a photo within 10 days .
**Tina Fountain´s last blog post..1513 Jones Road – Roswell Luxury Home
It boggles my mind when people don’t “invest” in marketing. It truly is a case of tripping over the dollar bills to collect nickles.
Add that listing to your listing presentation… “With me, your home will be marketed far better than this and many other Paradise Valley mansions.”
By the way, there are three $5.5 million dollar listings in Paradise Valley and 2 of the 3 only have 1 photo.
(Owners of luxury homes with a lot of valuable artwork are often concerned about publishing certain interior photos for security reasons, however, that doesn’t apply here since that home is vacant.)
(Also, Jay, I think you may underestimate the skills you have. For most Realtors, for example, creating the simplest hosted blog would be impossible. Professional quality cameras with wide-angle lens? Nope. Process photos in Photoshop? No way. Syndicate listings? Of course, not.)
**John Wake´s last blog post..Phoenix housing affordability near pre-boom levels
Hey Jay, great post. When I read the headline, I thought it was going to be about overpriced listings… I too am amazed at the effort displayed by some agents when marketing a home. Just copying the old MLS listing (that failed to sell) seems to become somewhat the standard. Your article inspired me to check the MLS stats for my market.
**Joe Manausa – Tallahassee Real Estate´s last blog post..What’s Happening In Ox Bottom Manor Is Happening In Tallahassee Real Estate
Sometime I wonder if we want to sell OUR own home. We’ve had it listed for several months and have no intention of lowering the price. We’re guilty of not marketing our home properly as well. The saying goes something like, “Th cobbler’s kids have no shoes to wear!”
**Colleen´s last blog post..I Love Jesus But I Drink A Little
Jay,
Another timely post. I lost out on a listing two weeks ago, because I take my own photos, rather than hiring a professional photographer. (I used to hire a photographer, but stopped when I realized that I was using my photographs, rather than the ones I was paying for, and was also getting feedback from others that I should be using my own photos.)
Yesterday, I was curious to see who actually got the listing, so I visited the MLS to discover that the home is listed with agent who left behind the big glossy company marketing book, and has posted exactly one photo of the front of the house, with the her car in the driveway. This house has been on the market 13 days.
And, I can also tell you that recently I got one of those lecturing emails from a prospective buyer, telling me to stop sending her listings without adequate photos, and didn’t those listing agents know that relocating buyers needed to see the house photographically, since they couldn’t be there in person. Now her home search discards any listing that has fewer than 4 photos.
You got it right. Lessons for us all.
**Dru Bloomfield´s last blog post..Scottsdale Market Update: Condos vs. Single Family Homes
This is just unreal to me. It sounds like in Phoenix you still need to get rid of at least 36% based on every agent having the same percentage of the listings. Which we know isn’t true.
OK Jay, this one got me thinking that I should look closer at the Tallahassee housing market. I copied your theme but applied my graphing to see our results were similar to yours – > http://blog.manausa.com/04/home-sale-pictures/
Jay – I couldn’t agree more!
I once took over an expired listing. Didn’t change the price at all. Just put more than 10 minutes into writing a description, and replaced the prior agent’s single crappy photo (that must have been taken at high noon) with about a dozen other ones. I didn’t even take the majority of the photos! I asked my client for pictures he had taken over the years. The best of his bunch was a picture of his home with an amazing double-rainbow behind it.
Showings per week tripled, and we got an offer within 3 weeks (without a price reduction.)
**Joel McDonald´s last blog post..How will people find my real estate blog?
Jay, my last agent hired a professional photographer – what a difference – house sold in 2 weeks! Most foreclosures have such poor photos – no wonder they sell for such huge discounts – poor marketing efforts by their agents! Sellers should educate themselves on marketing real estate and demand listing agents earn that commision. Tim
I’ve said it before but I feel compelled to say it again. ‘DO YOUR JOB!’ You said with that line it in a nutshell. To fail to do such a bare minimum is a breach in your duty. Our California contract states ‘Diligent exercise of reasonable skill and care in performance of duties.’ If that isn’t an example of a failing in that one clause, I don’t know what is, yet we see the same pathetic performance in Orange County. I’m at a loss. I just don’t get it.
**Linsey´s last blog post..The Numbers Are Telling You a Story
Right on – Amen – One of the most astounding comments I heard when our MLS stopped taking drive by photos of listings was this guy who had no clue then of how a photo was going to get on his listing. Several people in the training class turned to him and said “try getting a camera and uploading more than one” Duh
If you don’t know how to upload a photo on your listing, and can’t find someone to help you it is time to find a new profession…. my thoughts of course
**Irene Hammond´s last blog post..Hong Kong Orchid in bloom
Sometimes I wish we could compete and go after another Realtor’s clients when you see this going on as the Realtor is really not serving the client well and probably not doing their Fiduciary. Makes me wonder if it would make the industry operate at a higher plateau or not if Realtors who are doing this knew that other Realtors would call it out to their clients in the hopes of getting their business. I can only hope that the business is moving to a more professional level gradually and that this is fading way overall.
**Chandler Real Estate´s last blog post..A Chandler Home with Great Curb Appeal
Another thought on pictures, especially here in Minnesota….keep them updated! I am always amazed at how many listings in February still have nice green grass exterior photos! We have been buried under the white stuff since at least early Dec so that is over 60 days at a minimum that some agents haven’t updated their photos for their clients.
**Nate´s last blog post..End unit townhouse in Eden Prairie
I am a client and I am going to buy a home in the Phoenix area as soon as I sell my residence in Idaho. I use MLS or Jay’s site at least 3 or 4 times a week developing and culling a list of homes I will consider buying once Idaho is complete. I am appalled at the number of homes with no pic, 1 pic (wow could they spare the effort) and generally less than 5 pics. I do eliminate homes for purchase consideration that have few or no pics. In the range I’m looking at it appears to me to be 30% have no or less than 3 pics. Why wouldn’t MLS drive this process and force more and better pics. Thanks for your time.
This is the same exact behavior we see in Tucson. I think a lot of agents are just brain-dead. Also I think their clients aren’t much ahead of it because how could you justify your agent taking one picture of your 5+ million dollar home. It’s just ridiculous.
Jay, I found your blog last week and I think it is one of the best real estate blogs on the net. You’re not afraid to tell it like it is and in a way that people understand.
**Dani D´s last blog post..First Time Buyer Assistance is BACK!!
The local real estate board here in Miami just enacted a rule requiring at least one photo on every listing.
Oh oh – me thinks I may have poked the Jay monster with my request. I appear to be example #2.
I love you guys – now if I could just sell one of mine, I’d buy one of those sweet homes in 85207.
THOMPSON’s REALTY ROCKS !
I have to admit the screaming hand bothered me a twitter…lol
You know, it doesn’t surprise me that agents that read (and write) real estate blogs find this practice as pathetic as I do. That says a lot about the caliber of agent that puts in the time to do this blogging thing.
But what I’d really like to hear from is one, just one agent that doesn’t put photos in a listing. Obviously they are out there, in droves. If there is a logical explanation, I’d love to hear it! (’m not holding my breath)
Michael – Yes, you inspired example #2, but it’s the listing agent, not you, that got me all fired up! (that screaming hand is a bit disturbing…)
Our MLS is about to implement a requirement to have at least one photo after X days or there will be a fine.
I have heard that some sellers of the ultra expensive homes don’t want interior photos if there is artwork or other possessions that a thief might watch for. Thieves shop online as well.
**Elaine Reese´s last blog post..Bad MLS Photos … Pitiful or Fun.
Jay, Thanks for this post. I couldn’t agree more, and I’m baffled by how many agents don’t take the few minutes required to do this job correctly.
A client told me this week that another Realtor (who did not get the listing, mind you) said she didn’t like to upload many photos because she didn’t want to “give it all away,” thinking that this would force people to visit the house to see what it looked like inside. I can only wonder how many potential showings she has missed out on with this attitude.
There are few other products I can imagine someone trying to market without putting any effort into packaging and promotion. Imagine: “Just buy this product; you’ll love the surprise you find inside!”
**Sara Mariani Abbas´s last blog post..Cedar Park: Silverado Ranch – 4 BR 2.5 BA Home for Sale – $227,500
On a listing presentation to an expired listing, I often contrast the old photos to photos from my listings to make a point. The last one I got was $1.9 million. With that kind of money you can afford a really good camera and take classes, too! Last week a Canadian cash buyer requested interior photos of a listing I sent her. I couldn’t even get a showing to take the photos myself. Needless to say, that house won’t be on my buyer’s list to see.
**Claudia Jordan´s last blog post..Rio Verde Foothills Open House Tours
Photos are only part of the problem – Sellers never list your house for more then 30 days – If the listing agent is doing their job then relist, if not – NEXT agent! This keeps agents VERY MOTIVATED. Sellers, it is your job to prepare the house for showing and PRICE IT COMPETITIVELY! In this market an over priced property WILL NOT EVEN GET SHOWINGS! Yes you must compete with foreclosures.
I need to take a look at the Houston Market and see if we have similar results; that really kills me when agents are basically too lazy to upload (or take) some pictures and don’t give their clients home a fair chance to show and sell. How very sad for those home sellers to get short changed on service. So if any of you are in Houston and unhappy with your Realtor…..lol.
**Meg Zoller-Houston Realtor´s last blog post..Houston Real Estate Reaps Benefits of Statewide Population Growth
I just did a quick look on our MLS and compared two areas (active listings). One area had over 62% with 10 photos (max allowed) and the other approx. 40% with 10 photos. One thing became obvious – which I already knew – bank owned and short sales 90%+ had either 1 or 2 photos. And they were not good ones either.
**Rita Burke´s last blog post..Free Events in Denver – Denver Art Museum Free Days
There is that and there are other things like improper showing remarks. I am starting to go along with the belief that it is to easy to get and keep your real estate license. Lazy Realtors just drive me crazy.
**Dean Ouellette´s last blog post..Zillow, great source but buyer beware
you are right, as its said a picture is worth a thousand words, actually a video will make more sense
Jay, you would be amazed how many Realtors in the Raleigh area don’t post more than a couple of pictures for their listings; it just blows my mind.
**Linda Craft-Raleigh Real Estate´s last blog post..Staging Your House to Sell
LOVE! Much love for this post Jay. Anyone that proves the value of a good photograph (or any photograph in this case) Is a friend of mine.
**tysoncrosbie´s last blog post..
You actually have given me the Idea to search for properties without photos. Maybe since people aren’t getting offers, you can get a better deal. Let their mistake of not putting up good photos be your gain.
Photos are so important, not only to the potential buyers but to realtors. I count on the photos to help me help my clients. Lots of photos are important and they should be flattering!
Wonderful rant, I agree 100%. I really have to wonder about the home sellers that allow their real estate agent to be so slack too; they need to step up and demand a very basic part of the service they deserve-pictures of their house!
**MaryAnn Knell-Peoria Real Estate´s last blog post..10 Steps to Achieving the American Dream of Home Ownership!
I just shake my head when I see real estate agents being so slack on their job. And I feel badly for their clients, who seem to not realize they have gotten a raw deal
In such a buyer’s market, I’m shocked so little is being done to help sell homes. It’s understandable that people might be trying to save money and time by not posting pictures and/or hiring an agent, but people DO want their homes sold, right?
Professionalism wins the day.
Great post… we are in a visual age. It’s amazing how many people can’t do the minimum and it’s a common occurance in the Denver MLS system as well.
To make quick sale of the home or other property at high rate, it is must to represent it in impressive manner on trusted platforms. Sometimes, small repairs and face lifts improve the potential many times. Try to present your property through some photographs also.
I couldnt agree more. If im going to take the time to go look at a property, I want a good idea I know it's worth my time.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Betty
http://mortgagecalculato-r.com
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Betty
http://mortgagecalculato-r.com
Very Interesting article.I really enjoyed the post.Your article inspired me to check the MLS stats for my market.Thanks a lot for sharing this post with us.
Nice read!
I’ve just been experiencing a similar thing, having spent the last month or so looking for a new car, the amount of listings with 0-3 photos is ridiculous! You’re right in saying it frustrates potential buyers, some of those cars might have been exactly what I was looking for, but I won’t entertain any adverts with no photos. Why should I? To me it shows laziness on the sellers part, and if they are lazy with a 5 minute job such as uploading pictures, what else have they been lazy with?
The fact that there is the same issue with selling homes online baffles me!
It staggers me still that some agents (commercial and residential) do the bare minimum to market their clients listing. The times are changing very rapidly and some agents aren’t staying up to date.