You’re Listing a $600,000 Home and You Won’t Spend $300 on Photos? That’s Wild.

Jun 4

Let’s not dance around it.
If you’re listing homes in the mid-to-high six figures and you won’t spend a few hundred dollars on professional photography, we’re not dealing with a budget issue.
We’re dealing with a priority issue—and a glaring lack of professionalism.

You wouldn’t show up to a luxury listing appointment in sweatpants.
You wouldn’t host an open house with trash in the driveway.
So why on earth are you uploading crooked, dark, phone-shot photos of a property worth more than half a million dollars?

This isn’t just lazy.
It’s short-sighted. And worse—it’s costing your client money.

Let’s Do the Math

The average price of a professional real estate photography package ranges from $300 to $500. Here’s what that typically includes:

25–40 fully edited, MLS-compliant images
Proper lighting techniques for each space
Wide-angle lenses to capture room scale accurately
Exterior photos taken at the ideal time of day
Add-ons like drone photography, twilight shots, and even vertical social-ready reels

That $300–500 doesn’t just buy pictures—it buys marketing leverage.

Now compare that to a $600,000 listing. If your marketing budget for that property is 0.05% of the asking price, you’re not being strategic. You’re being negligent.

But It’s Not Just About the Money—It’s About the Message

When you list a property at $600K and accompany it with poor-quality photos, here’s what buyers think:

“If this is how the agent markets it, what else has been neglected?”
“The seller must be desperate if this is the best they could do.”
“I bet I can lowball. This home isn’t getting attention.”
“This doesn’t feel like a $600,000 home.”

And sellers? They’re watching, too.
Your future clients are browsing Zillow every day. They see who’s putting in effort—and who’s phoning it in. And when it’s time for their listing, they’ll remember who treated homes like a luxury investment and who treated them like an afterthought.

Professional Photography Doesn’t Cost You—It Pays You

Still need convincing? Here are some hard stats:

Listings with professional photos sell up to 32% faster than those without (IMOTO study).
Properties between $200,000–$1M that used professional photography sold for $3,000–$11,000 more on average (Wall Street Journal).
Homes with high-quality visuals receive 61% more online views (Redfin).
87% of buyers say photos are the most important factor in choosing which homes to tour (NAR).

So yes, that $300 investment can lead to thousands in added value—and faster closings, which means you get paid sooner.

High-Value Homes Deserve High-Value Presentation

You wouldn’t cut corners on inspections. You wouldn’t skip staging on a luxury listing.
So why treat photography like an optional extra?

When the visual presentation of a home is dialed in from the beginning, everything else flows better:

More interest, earlier
More showings, faster
More competition, stronger offers
More satisfied sellers who refer you to their friends

It’s not a photo shoot. It’s a first showing that happens online—and if buyers aren’t impressed, they’ll never show up in person.

Your Reputation Rides on Every Frame

Every image you publish becomes part of your brand.
And when you let poor-quality photos represent you, you tell the world that:

You don’t go the extra mile
You cut corners on six-figure transactions
You’re not a full-service agent—no matter what your tagline says

Meanwhile, the agent down the street who does invest in strong visuals is quietly outshining you and building a more profitable, trustworthy brand.

If You Won’t Invest $300 to Market a $600,000 Home, You’re Not in the Right Business

Harsh? Maybe.
But real estate is a visual industry. And if you’re not willing to treat it like one, you’re falling behind.

Buyers notice. Sellers notice. And your paycheck feels it.

So ask yourself—are you doing everything you can to represent your client with excellence? Or are you letting a few hundred bucks get in the way of thousands in returns?

At Dev Real Estate Photography, I don’t just take pictures. I help agents build trust, credibility, and faster closings through compelling, high-impact visuals. From clean, well-composed MLS sets to drone and twilight enhancements, I provide assets that help you sell the home and sell yourself.

You’ve got one shot to make the right impression. Make it count.

Call or Text: 406-217-5091
helanarealestatephotography.com
Serving Helena, Montana, and agents who expect more.