Is Using Professional Photography Important when Selling?

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Today we are back to answer another great question. The one we have been hearing a lot lately is: “Is it important to use professional photography when selling my home?”

Back in 2008, we were one of the first around to use professional photography with our listings, and our trial and error through the years has allowed us to really perfect our process. What we found was that initially, the photos made a big splash and these beautiful photographs would allow our listings to get a lot of activity. However, we also found that the homes were not selling as fast. 

This was because the photos were so good and so appealing that the actual properties were a bit of an oversell, which caused a letdown for buyers when they got there. We have learned from that mistake and have gotten much better with our photos since.

It’s still important that all of our homes have photographs with high resolution, that are framed properly, and capture the right light, but are not oversold or doctored too much. You will still see agents out there using these very fancy looking photos, and they are always too good to be true.

It's hard to get someone interested in a home when the first feeling they have upon arriving at the front door is disappointment. You want your photos to be appealing, but representative of the property. 

If you have any questions for us about photography, or about anything else real estate related, give us a call or send us an email. We use the best photographers in the business, and would be happy to share our knowledge and experience with you. 

What Does the Future of Real Estate Look Like?

Buying a Kelowna home? Get a full home search

Selling your Kelowna home? Get a free home evaluation

Today I am here to answer another great question from a client of ours, who wants to know what we can expect in the next 15-20 years, as far as home prices are concerned. Over the last 15 years, we saw prices nearly triple in value, then drop again. Our client wants to know if we can expect that same type of growth to happen over the next 15 years, or if this last cycle was some kind of anomaly. 

The real estate boom that occurred from 2003-2008 was unprecedented and one of the biggest of our generation. The same could be said for the market downturn, which was one of the largest slumps, and gave back 20% of that equity climb. 

As we head into our next cycle of the market, are we going to see that same kind of growth? Personally, I do not think we will see a huge boom. Rather, I predict us to see a more sustainable growth rate for home prices, more in line with the 80-yr average of real estate, which is around 5.7% a year. I do believe we will outperform that figure over the next few years, but I think over the course of the next 15, things will be much more stable and normal. 

Everyone always talks about the baby boomers and what a big and important target market they are, but here’s what people forget to mention: Baby boomers had kids. The average baby boomer has 2.2 children, which means that the generation they gave birth to (Generation Y, or millennials, children born between 1981-1992) is actually twice as big of a market. This generation is moving more and more into the market, and is the largest demographic in history. This generation is what will drive the market in the next 10-15 years, where there will be a steady supply of people purchasing and selling homes. 

Long story short, I think we will see a nice 5-10% steady appreciation for homes over the next 10-15 years, which will pave the way for a strong, sustainable market in the future. If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!