Real estate agent question

[Nicholas Dale Aulby]

I have a question for all real estate agents and brokers.

Would you pay a photographer to take updated photos of the client’s house you are trying to sell in the same or surrounding cities of that photographer?

If so what would be your limit to pay for professional looking photos?

[Jeff Copeland]

I'm not sure what you mean by "in the same or surrounding cities of that photographer" (you wouldn't normally hire a photographer from somewhere far away). 

But, generally, yes, it is the listing agent's responsibility (and usually the agent's marketing expense) to have professional photos taken of the property, but this is negotiable between the agent and seller. Some agents may cover the cost of the photography, others may not.

For your typical SFH listing, the costs is often between $200 and $500+, depending on the property and options (video tours, 3D tours, day/evening combos, etc).

Of course, the quality of the photography can be very important, but there are exceptions, for example:

- For high-end luxury listings that may require staging and a much more involved photo shoot, this cost may be more likely to be passed on to the seller.

- For very low-end fixer uppers, cell phone shots may be fine. I'm not spending $250 on photos for a $100k fixer listing.

- Tenant occupied properties can be very difficult to photograph, and may not warrant the expense.