Bad MLS Photo of the Week: 10/9/2009

Actual MLS photo:

Just say “no” to camera photos & clutter!

Agents, it’s a business, if you’re running it so poorly that you can’t afford a camera or $80 for a professional and virtual tour, you don’t deserve a commission!

Some of these photos are from listings in Austin, which I used to refrain from posting for obvious reasons, but some of these are just to good. Sorry if your house appears in one of these posts… I’m sure it’s absolutely beautiful in person and I hope you sold/will sell it for what you want!

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but to see what my listing photos look like, see 4608AvenueG.com, a home for sale by yours truly in Austin.

If well over 80% of today’s home buyers begin the search for their next home online, are pictures important? Sure, most listings have at least photo, mostly because even the laziest of Realtors® will be fined by our Austin Board of Realtors® (Supplier of our MLS system). We used to only be able to post 8 photos, then 12, but now we can post 25 so make sure your agent is doing your house justice with a high quality and quantity of photos!

My question to you… how important, really, is the quality of the photography? Some sellers (and their agents) scratch their heads at “why buyers can’t see around” a bad photo or furnishings fitting to a strong personal taste. These somewhat-weekly digests of actual MLS photos should help to illustrate to even the most stubborn seller/agent that quality of photography is important.