Research by leading estate agent photography provider, Giraffe360, has revealed how even in a market running hot on demand and low on stock, there is still one thing that remains hugely influential when it comes to attracting buyer interest and securing the best price for your home – your property listing photos.

However, the survey of over 1,300 homebuyers to have bought a home in the last six months also revealed that estate agents who aren’t delivering the visual goods are also damaging their own reputation, as well as their chances of selling a home.

When asked about their recent house hunt, a huge 93% of homebuyers said that the online photos of a property were an important factor when it came to grabbing their attention while scrolling through the property portals.

For this 93% of buyers, these property listing photos were also of great importance when it came to forming that all-important positive first impression of a property.

So much so, that 94% stated they would be more inclined to view a property that was presented online with good photos, an interactive tour, or both.

78% also stated that they would be less inclined to view a property with bad photos, no interactive tour, or both.

What’s more, 40% of buyers said they wasted time viewing unsuitable properties because the photos were poor, or there was no interactive tour, and so they couldn’t tell the property wasn’t for them until they actually viewed it in person.

Perhaps most notably, 62% of homebuyers would offer below asking price for a home they liked, simply because a below par online portrayal had created a bad first impression.

But it’s not just home sellers who are suffering due to poor digital presentation. 81% of homebuyers stated that a poorly presented property listing would also negatively impact their opinion of the selling agent, as it makes them appear unprofessional, low budget and gives the impression that they offer a poor service.

Giraffe360 CEO, Mikus Opelts, commented:

“The current market is incredibly competitive and with stock levels remaining insufficient, buyers are falling over themselves to secure a purchase. But that doesn’t mean the basic foundations are no longer important when it comes to presenting your home on the market.

In fact, a poorly presented property listing can still deter buyers from viewing your property and those that do may even reduce their offer as a result.

The repercussions aren’t just refined to those looking to sell and in this day and age, any agents producing smartphone photos to showcase their latest stock are really shooting themselves in the foot.

Doing so creates an aura of unprofessionalism and poor service and with the advancements in technology available in today’s market, there’s no excuse.”