Real Estate Photography

Good Morning: Im re-entering the work force and looking at offering a Real Estate photography service to the local Brokers for their Featured Virtual Tours. Anyone out there currently offering this service? Hows business? Is there enough work out there to make a some money? I've looked into working for the virtual tour companies directly however, I find it hard to pay them $900 plus to work for them with no guranteed work. (For setup and training) Its a new concept for Realtors and according to the listings on Realtor.com only about 2% of realtors use this service though I think it may become more mainstream of a service when listing a property as the market slows down even more providing a competitive edge to their listings. Any thoughts or suggestions...Thanks ette

In southern California the virtual tours seem to be used only in high end homes of a price tag of $1M or more. Which may limit the market depending on where you live. I agree that the $900 looks like a scam. The local Broker may not have a web site so that might have to be provided also. More money but also more skills required so the start up costs may be prohibitive for some brokers. Have you discussed the possibility with the Brokers?
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Bob,

'We don't make a photograph with a camera; we bring to the act of photography all the books we have read, the movies we have seen, the music we have heard and the people we have loved.' Ansel Adams

Sony R1
Great Pro1
Casio Z750
Nikon 3100

Hi Bob...I've talked to a couple of brokers and its basically like you said..they don't want to spend the $$$. The are brokers who use this type of service all have a link on Realtor.com which is the MLS for all homes. But like I said only 2% of all listed homes have a virtual tour. Maybe when its a BUYERS MARKET, this type of service will work. I still welcome any comments anyone has! Thanks again Bob!

There can be good money in virtual tours...you may already have done so, but if not check out VR sites...besides photography, some sites are jerky, unsharp or slow or require the client to download more than just an applet.

http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/worldwidepanorama/wwp304/index.html

It requires good technique in the photography and the PP. It's not trivial, so good equipment and knowing how to use it is essential.

By good equipment I don't mean "top-of-the-line" necessarily, just equipment that you can work with reliably and repeatably while achieving sharp, predictable results.

It also requires market targetting - going after sales or vacation rentals, etc.

Once you have a product and your target it takes marketting. You should have some examples up and running to be able to show folks your skills.

Lastly it takes packaging...what is your product and how will you price it. For instance, will you provide images, or include web-site development and hosting??

Good luck.
Ed

My experiences with realtors is that since they are spending their own money on a house is they are cheap. it'll be hard sell to convince them to layout the kind of cash upfront that would make it worthwhile for you to take the time to take the pictures and create the graphics.

Their goal is simple - sell a house as fast as they can; and unless you offer something that can speed up the sale they will have little interest. So the challenge is to convince them your product will move the house quicker, and that your solution is better than they can do with a P&S and a few quick photos.

As a side note - it's interesting that realtors sell there homes for more and have them on the market longer than their clients.

i asked my real estate agent about that for myself.. said he has a person that does stills and brouchure for $25/$35 per house--no $$ there! I even asked if he would contact that person and tell 'em i would do it for the fun and meal money (i'm retired) and never heard back..

Do not do it....Buy your own equipment and setup...
My services are available if you are interested...I can help you plus
walk you thru...This year starting I have increased my business 100%
and hoping to get a partner for sales...If you are very serious, then
consider it, if not try something else..

My profile ....Female ....60 year old and making a living as a Real Estate
Photograper...

Please read my post....