Real estate is a lucrative industry that every photographer would want to dabble their hands into. This industry is competitive and there is money. Photography plays an integral part in selling real estate properties. Businesses are willing to spend money in order to capture images that will sell properties like pancakes.
If you want to test out the waters, you need to be familiar with the industry first and understand the requirements of real estate photography.
What is real estate photography?
Real estate photography is focused on creating images for property listings or advertorials that will be used by homeowners or real estate brokers in selling.
Creativity and delivering images that reflect the property in the best light some of the things that real estate photographers need to have. The main goal of the photos is to sell the property fast. They need to entice prospective buyers to visit the property and purchase it right away.
There is something to understand with the industry, however. Real estate is a very fast-paced industry. Often, photos only have a few days to last while the listing is still on. Once the property is sold, the photos will be taken down and replaced with new ones for another listing. However, this shouldn’t mean that you won’t deliver the most amazing photos to your clients.
Define your target market
Just like other photography businesses, you need to know your target market. Are you going to cater to customers only in your area or are you willing to take out-of-town projects? Are you set to doing local real estate photography or are you ready to take on big national projects?
It is important to study the industry in your area first and find a segment that you can fully service. Do you think there are no photographers that are servicing directly to homeowners? Is there an opportunity in shooting for big real estate brokers? Do you want to have business with the small brokers in your area?
Understand what the market needs and where your specialty lies. This will allow you to position your brand properly while also making sure that you keep the business running.
Outsourcing your real estate photography business
You need to have a set of considerations to keep in mind when outsourcing your work. You cannot just hire anyone to do the work for you. It is important to find one with valuable experience and expertise in photographing and editing real estate. There is a lot of work needed in real estate photography. You have to be assured that you’re giving the work to someone who has been in the industry long enough to know the work that’s needed. Another thing is that they need to replicate your style. This is a must in order to have a consistent look in every property that you’re assigned to shoot. Since they are shooting under your name, they need to provide you with photos that are quite similar to your own. You may want to provide them with guidelines and pointers in shooting and editing photos in order to get the output that you want. Lastly, you need to work with a budget. Since you’re outsourcing, make sure that you are not losing money by hiring other people. Find those that can give you quality while also allowing you to earn a little through the project.
Hiring an agency like HD Estates or a freelance photographer for outsourcing
When it comes to outsourcing the real estate side of your photography business, there are different options available for you. For one, you can hire an agency or a freelance photographer to do the job. What’s the difference?
An agency, like HD Estates, usually provides a complete line of services to customers. They have an entire team of photographers and editors who will process the images from the photo shoot down to post-processing. Agencies have skilled and highly-experienced team members and use the best equipment and software in providing their services. They are able to copy your style of photographing and editing so you have a consistent look no matter who took the photos. However, most agencies have fixed rates in shooting projects. They already have a set amount for every type of service that you would need. But, the payment is worth it once you get the kind of photos that your clients love.
With freelance photographers, you might need to take a good look in your area in order to find a good one. You need to find the ones who can help you produce the kind of images that you want. Experience and portfolio are two things that you need to consider with freelance photographers. You might also want to find one that’s able to copy your photography preferences and can produce the kind of edits that you would need. This is the case especially when you’re dealing with clients whom you’ve worked with in the past. You want to make sure that you create consistency even if you’re outsourcing. This might need some trials to find a photographer who can get your taste. This can be the challenging part of hiring freelancers. However, freelancers often have a flexible price point which can work for you if you have a budget in mind.
What makes HD Estates a reliable partner in your business?
HD Estates is the number one real estate photography company in the country. They provide a wide range of services from photography to aerial images or videos, high-definition videos, 3D scan, and even websites.
They have trained and skilled architectural photographers with experienced editors that ensure you get amazing images for your clients. These are like magazine-cover photos that you can use for listings to ensure that the property will sell fast.
The company offers flexible packages to suit your needs. You can choose the kind of photography that you want, be it standard, high-definition, or luxurious high-definition photography. You can also choose the specific photo count that you need and add other services, such as cinema, aerial photography, and 3D walkthrough among many others.
The flexibility and the quality that you get with working with HD Estates is what you need for your business. This is the kind of agency that you want to work with in order to deliver the quality that you need for your customers. They are reliable when it comes to producing high-quality images and you’re assured that your customers will keep coming back to book you for future projects.
The best real estate photography companies in the US
Partnering with the best real estate photography companies is a must if you’re interested in growing the business. This also ensures that you are able to provide the best service and high-quality images to your clients and never lose their business in the future.
If you’re looking to outsource the real estate photography of your business, here are the best real estate photography companies in the country:
1. HD Estates.
HD Estates is based in Seattle and is the top real estate photography company in the country. They provide HD photography, HD cinema video, and marketing software to help you sell properties faster. They are a full-service agency with a skilled and experienced team that will help you meet your goals.
2. J Fuerst.
This agency provides excellent photography services at affordable rates. They provide a unique business process where you can book instantly and get the photos the next day after the photo shoot schedule. J Fuerst is a premier real estate photography company that ensures you work within your budget.
3. VHT Studios.
This real estate photography company has a nationwide network of editing specialists and photographers that ensures that you get the service that you need wherever you are. They have been around since 1998 and is continuously providing convenient photography services. They are a full-service agency for those in the real estate industry.
4. Home Snappers.
They are a family-oriented company that values the relationship they build with clients. Home Snappers offer different photography packages depending on your needs. They also have different services, such as aerial photos and videos, walkthrough videos, virtual reality tours, and cinematic videos among others.
5. Full Frame Creative Agency.
The company has offices in Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, and San Diego. They don’t just service real estate but also shoots different structures. They are a full-service agency that offers photography services, videos, marketing consultations, and 3D tours among others.
