I am always amazed at the number of listings on the mls and realtylink websites that don’t maximize the number of pictures for their property. The restrictive 10 photo limit that has been imposed by the mls is severely inadequate to accurately capture the essence of any home. For example, any 3 bedroom house would require photos of the exterior front, living room, dining room, 3 bedrooms, family room/den, 2 bathrooms, patio, backyard and rear exterior. Being able to post just 8 pictures does not benefit the seller, prospective buyer or the agent.

I just finished reading a great article by the Technology Evangelist (www.technologyevangelist.com) titled, “Real Estate Agents Should Take More Photos of Real Estate Properties“. The article compares 3 scenarios to determine who is the more qualified prospective home buyer. Each scenario has a potential buyer visiting the agents website and finding an affordable home matching their requirements. The examples are differentiated by the number of pictures that were available online, 0, 1 or 12. Essentially, the author of the article argues that pictures are used as a screening process that ultimately saves the agent from wasting their valuable time.

The article also touches upon the agents’ argument that they are unable to take more than 1 or 2 good photos of some properties. Having photographed over 300 properties in the Vancouver area, I realize that some homes are more challenging than others. But with the right equipment, good lighting, proper composition and a little hard work, it is always possible to get more than 15 shots that anyone would be proud to have on a website. We are often asked how many photos we provide for each listing. We have never provided less than 15 and on many occasions have given our clients over 35 editted photos of their property.

How many photos are needed for a real estate listing? I would argue that the more photos you display, the better. Unlike the mls and realtylink websites, realtor websites do not have the same restrictions on the number of pictures that can be displayed for each listing. Make the online real estate world a better place and include more pictures!