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Are you wondering whether professional real estate photo editing is the best option for your business?

68% of potential buyers say that great photos made them want to visit the home. Additionally, homes with high-quality photos also receive 47% higher asking prices per square foot. 

So, to make sure your real estate photography stands out and captures buyers’ attention, you should consider outsourcing your real estate photo editing to professional editors. 

If you’re still not convinced, this article will explain why real estate photo editing is crucial to help you sell your listing fast and for top dollar. 

Is Real Estate Photo Editing Worth It?

Real estate photo editing can be a valuable investment for agents and property sellers. 

For starters, high-quality, professionally edited photos can help a listing stand out and attract more potential buyers. They can also help to present a property in the best possible light and hide any imperfections.

Furthermore, one of the key benefits of real estate photo editing is that it can make a property look larger and more spacious than it actually is. 

This can be done by using techniques such as straightening and cropping to create a more symmetrical and balanced image. As well as adjusting the brightness and contrast to make the space look more inviting. 

Additionally, removing clutter and personal items with the help of virtual staging can help a home feel more neutral. Cluttered homes with too many personal belongings can feel off-putting to buyers.

Professional real estate photo editing will involve an additional cost. Therefore, some agents or sellers may not feel it’s worth it if they only have a few listings or the property is in a lower price range. 

However, investing in professional editing can be more cost-effective in the long run, as it can help to sell the property faster and at a higher price, leading to more income.

Do Real Estate Photographers Edit Their Photos?

Do Real Estate Photographers Edit Their Photos?

Most professional real estate photographers edit their photos to some degree or outsource their editing to professional editors. 

The extent of the editing will vary depending on the photographer and the specific project. But in general, most professional photographers will perform some basic editing on their photos to make sure they look their best.

Some photographers may even use more advanced editing techniques such as:

Virtual staging, for instance, allows photographers to add digital furniture to empty rooms to give potential buyers a better sense of how the space could be used. 

Also, sky replacements can change the sky in exterior photos to a more desirable one that showcases the property in its best possible light.

High-Quality & Consistent

Real Estate Photo Editing

Hire a dedicated editor with performance metrics from $7/hour.

What Should You Not Do in Real Estate Photo Editing?

While editing can help to make a property look more appealing, it should not be used to misrepresent the property. 

Many professional organizations and associations have guidelines and codes of ethics that photographers must adhere to.

These guidelines prohibit the use of editing to create false or misleading representations of a property.

What to Avoid When Editing Real Estate Photos

There are a few things that should be avoided when editing real estate photos to ensure that the images are an accurate representation of the property.

Here are what to avoid when editing real estate photos:

  • Misrepresenting the size or layout of a property: Using editing techniques such as straightening or cropping is acceptable. But it should not be used to make a property look larger or more spacious than it actually is.
  • Hiding or removing important features: It’s not appropriate to use editing to hide or remove important features of a property, such as a structural defect or an undesirable view. Doing so would be considered misleading and is a violation of most codes of ethics for real estate photographers.
  • Distorting reality: Also, using editing tools to distort reality, such as increasing the size of the windows, or changing the color of the walls, the carpet, the furniture, etc. are not allowed. The property should be portrayed as it is, without any exaggeration or distortions.
  • Removing neighbors or nearby buildings: Removing or altering visible neighboring properties or buildings can also be misleading. This may change the perceived location and surroundings of the property
  • Removing people or animals: Removing or altering people or animals in the photo could be considered a violation of privacy laws.

In summary, all real estate photographers should follow the code of ethics. And it’s important to ensure that the images represent the property truthfully and accurately to not mislead potential buyers.

Why Professional Photos Are Crucial in Real Estate

Professional photos are crucial for real estate because they help to showcase a property in the best possible light and attract potential buyers. 

To give you a better understanding, here are more reasons why:

  • Professional real estate photos make a property stand out: With so many properties on the market, it can be difficult to make a listing stand out. High-quality, professional photos can help to make a property more visually appealing and attract more attention from potential buyers.
  • Help to present the property in the best possible light: A professional photographer knows how to use lighting, composition, and editing techniques to present a property in the best possible light. They can highlight the property’s best features, such as natural light and views, and minimize any imperfections.
  • Can create an emotional connection with the property: Professional photos can help to create an emotional connection with potential buyers by showcasing the property in a way that makes it feel warm, inviting and an ideal space to live.
  • More likely to be shared online: High-quality photos are more likely to be shared on social media and other online platforms, which can help to increase the visibility of a listing and attract more potential buyers.
  • Influence the perceived value of a property: Professional photos can influence the perceived value of a property, and a higher perceived value can lead to higher sales prices. A well-presented property with beautiful photographs can help to create the impression of a high-quality property.

As you can see, professional real estate photography can be a valuable investment for agents and sellers because it can help to make a property stand out from the competition and sell at a higher price.

However, no matter how experienced a photographer you are, your photos need editing to come out perfect.

High-Quality & Consistent

Real Estate Photo Editing

Hire a dedicated editor with performance metrics from $7/hour.

What Real Estate Photo Editing Service Should I Use?

There are many professional real estate photo editing services available, but our #1 recommendation is PhotoUp.

PhotoUp is a global real estate marketing company offering a full range of photo editing services, as well as:

Their skilled photo editors can help with for example:

  • Improper exposure levels
  • Harsh shadows, lack of light, etc. 
  • Blurred images that were taken without a tripod  
  • Images that need cropping or other effects
  • Lawn greening and sky replacements
  • Twilight editing
  • Clutter and object removal
  • Line and angle corrections
  • And much more!

PhotoUp’s expert team can handle any photo editing job — big or small, simple or complex for affordable prices, starting at $1.15 per image.

All you need to do to get started is sign up for a free PhotoUp account, place your first order and your photographs will be delivered back to you in less than 24 hours.

PhotoUp Real Estate Photo Editing Uploader Demo

For more information on how to use PhotoUp’s software, check their real estate photo editing uploader demo:

As you can see, getting your images professionally edited is an easy and quick process!

Signup for a free PhotoUp account, and start working with the best real estate photo editing service on the market.

We hope this blog post helped you realize the value of professional real estate editing in order to create high-quality images that will attract potential buyers. Before you go, you may also want to check out the following resources:

Stina Pettersson

Professional Blogger

Stina is an entrepreneur, digital marketer, and professional blogger who's passionate about real estate photo editing, being outdoors with her pup, and sweaty gym sessions. She loves the written word and has been writing for publications like Forbes and Thrive Global. Originally from Sweden, she's called South Florida her home since 2013.

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