Comments on: Some Real Estate Photography Market Insights From Rusty In LA

By: Carol Lundeen

Carol Lundeen — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:37:06 +0000

It all comes down to being unique so there is not competition. One of the most valuable, and sometimes most challenging, business activities to sink time into.

By: Joanna

Joanna — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:51:34 +0000

Thanks for sharing, your assessment is right on. In today’s current market you may find a few realtors who are willing to spend the money to showcase their high-end listings but by and large most agents are sitting tight. If I had to depend on my real estate photography business to survive I would be in big trouble. We’re all victims of the economic crisis and it may not improve substantially for some time. My suggestion would be to go after accounts like BuyOwner who hires photographers on 6-mo contracts. Our local regional office recently signed on w/a photog for 6 mos so we’re going to stay on top of this and hopefully throw in a bid next April when the contract expires.

By: Daniel Silver

Daniel Silver — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:14:20 +0000

essphoto, I wouldn’t even be worried about places that charge the meager amounts you are speaking of. Hold your integrity and do not compromise your skill or quality, this is what sets you apart and is your main competitive advantage over these other low quality turn-key based companies.

Lose these stingy clients you speak of and focus on the higher end/niche part of the market and do what you do best. Do not lower your prices to compete with these other companies because they clearly are not at the same level playing field as you in terms of quality, and if you lower your pricing you may be giving the impression that you are “less-skilled”/cheap or crap quality.

I say play on the expensive/high end spectrum of the market… this is just my opinion though and i don’t entirely know what kind of a position you are in both financially and business wise…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:16:55 +0000

are the wooden floors really orange like that picture suggest?

By: David Eichler

David Eichler — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:51:21 +0000

Essphoto, well, I don’t think that it matters what any of us thinks we deserve. It is what the client needs (or thinks they need) and is able, though not necessarily willing, to pay. You are very able and, it seems, very experienced. It is insulting that someone like you should be asked to compete with the kind of service you mention. But it just goes to show that a lot of realtors either do not really recognize good photography (even though they have used it sometimes) or good photography has lost some of its usefulness to them. Certainly realtors who do not have the ability to get their clients to price their homes realistically or to stage them adequately are right to be concerned about spending much on photography. And there may be some realtors who are so well established and capable that they don’t need to market themselves much and can get by with poor photography for a lot of very marketable listings. But I would think that still leaves some in the middle: those who are very able but less well established. I would think these people still need to market themselves strongly and will tend to have listings worthy of good photography (or are ambitious to get them), at least in the middle and upper price ranges. Seems like a pretty narrow niche though. I just don’t know where all this is going. However, the Web marches on and continues to grow as a marketing medium. The economy has thrown a big monkey wrench into things, but it is hard for me to imagine that good pfre isn’t going to be valuable in the long run, if we can just stick it out.

By: essphoto

essphoto — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:43:49 +0000

Please pardon my ranting in this post, but I see a disaster looming and I need to get this out! I would like to make a few comments regarding what I have seen become of the state of our industry. I have been shooting architecture for 6 years professionally and have done really well as far as the types of assignments I shoot and the money I’ve made. I have been published internationally and have a great reputation amongst my clients. Now, this last year has been particularly rough, as many of you can attest. About 2/3 of my clientele are RE Agents, the other 1/3 comprises of Architects, Developers, RE Management Co’s. etc… I have noticed very major drops in business due to three very major factors. They are: 1) Architects and the people that support them are not designing, or building any new projects. And, since they aren’t bringing in much new business, they aren’t marketing like they used to. 2) RE Agents are scared to spend the money to professionally photograph new listings because the listings stay on the market long past the contract term these agents have with their clients. 3) The influx of individuals, and big Co’s (like the one that advertises at the top of this blogs directory. And you had better check them out, because they are coming to a town near you!), who will shoot an entire house and give a ton of photos for a very nominal fee! (this one bugs me the most because they devalue what it is that we do). In most cases, they provide sub-par imagery at rock-bottom prices just to get the job. Now what I hear from my agents is that “It’s good enough and the price is right”. I actually had one of my biggest clients ask me to do a job for over %75 off my normal rate to match a new Photographer’s pricing! I have been shooting for this client for 4 years! They are now using the other person, because I refused to shoot an entire house for… Hold onto your hats… $40.00!!! Now personally, I wouldn’t get out of bed for that, but I have to tell you, that is who we are competing with. And, I can’t compete with that (The price that is, not the quality. The images were terrible). I flat out told my client to hire them. I refuse to compromise my quality, my integrity and getting paid what I am worth, just so I can keep an account that shows no loyalty. Now, here is the thing that really rubbed salt in the wound. I have an insider that I know who does not like the company and she filled me in that even though the market was down, the Co. had a banner year from volume! They made more money this year than they did in the last 2 years combined. Now as I am sure you all know, now that they know that they can pay someone so cheaply to shoot, they will never go back to paying the rates we charge and so rightfully deserve! I have friends that shoot all types of things from weddings to journalism and they are all experiencing the same phenomenon. I guess we can either join them, or beat them… Any suggestions?

By: Michael Yearout

Michael Yearout — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:52:19 +0000

I agree with Doug Scott. I don’t take the holidays off – I work harder. Just as he, I want to keep my name in front of those agents who are getting listings.

While my market (a ski resort town) is unique, I am finding business is holding up quite well. I could be busier, but I’m pretty much running at capacity right now. I landed a big job from a rental management company a couple of weeks back and it is keeping me busy between real estate shoots for agents. Had to discount the per unit price some, but with 100 units to shoot (and I’m only doing 8 shots per unit) the volume makes up for it.

Michael

By: David Eichler

David Eichler — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:21:25 +0000

Re. Scott’s comment, I have to wonder a little about website design and photography in certain markets. In the SF Bay area there are at least a few web designer-photographers who seem to be capturing a certain portion of the high-end market. I think this is in part because they offer a certain kind of look that standard RE photo services are not providing, but also because they can offer a package of photography and website. Sure we can go and buy templates for websites, but they mostly are very generic looking. Partnering with a web designer might work, but you would have to be sure that they are reliable and can meet your delivery requirements consistently. So, I am wondering if there is a future for the website designer-photographer model. Personally, I would rather be shooting than spending yet more time in front of a computer. But if that is what it takes….

By: larry

larry — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:01:17 +0000

@Bob- Newspaper advertising is expensive and not targeted. No one reads the real estate section anymore… that’s why the LAtimes dropped their weekly real estate section in Aug of 2008.

A better way to target sellers is selectively mail post cards to owners of new listings on the market a few postcards a week will get you to exactly the people you want for less money. You can subscribe to a e-mail list of new homes on the market in an area and price range at most large brokers sites.

By: KH

KH — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:40:39 +0000

I think marketing to homeowners can work – but like scott says the homeowners are going to read newspapers or such. Might just have drive around either talk homeowner in person or leave post card at property

It is rather odd thinking, the money spent to get a home ready to sell and be shown, and yet a couple hundred or so for photographs suddenly becomes a budget buster?