Real Estate agent can't get photos of my clients DVD I made.

I did some aerial photos for a client for personal use only. They understood this. They are now selling one of the homes and gave their real estate agent a DVD that I made to show some of the aerial photos. The agent called me and wanted to use the photos but she can't seem to get them off the dvd. I said that I will talk to the client and I can grant them usage, for the sum of $300, for one year or until the house is sold, which ever comes first. Agent told me that the sellers pay those type of fees and that he would get back to me.

Spoke to my client, who is a good friend and international lawyer, agreed with everything I said with one exception. Agent apparently told my client that he never said anything about the seller paying for anything. My client said he will pay for the photo usage then deduct it off of the $80,000 commission. Client was also not impressed with the real estate agents point and shoot that they used for advertising photos.

This is a nice reminder that our photos are not to be used for free when others see value in them.

Hard to believe a realtor is representing that kind of property and acting like a cheapskate. If you want to run with the big shots you gotta be willing to spend some dough.

That realtor may be out of his league if he's unwilling to pay a few hundred bucks for photos.

It's really surprising that the realtor was shooting the property himself - with a point & shoot, nonetheless! Actually, this is the type of property that realtors usually hire an established pro to shoot (at their cost, of course).

Tom Reichner wrote in post #9817634
Hard to believe a realtor is representing that kind of property and acting like a cheapskate. If you want to run with the big shots you gotta be willing to spend some dough.

That realtor may be out of his league if he's unwilling to pay a few hundred bucks for photos.

It's really surprising that the realtor was shooting the property himself - with a point & shoot, nonetheless! Actually, this is the type of property that realtors usually hire an established pro to shoot (at their cost, of course).

Hey Tom,

Not sure about WA, but here in the San Jose area, the real estate biz is perhaps the worst market for a photographer. No one wants to pay anything close to a living wage for work done and even worse many try to shoot it themselves - no matter the price of the home..

LBaldwin wrote in post #9819267
Hey Tom,

Not sure about WA, but here in the San Jose area . . .

here in eastern WA - ha! The local housing market itself doesn't even have houses that would yield an $80,000 commission. In fact, not even half of that. Not even a quarter of that. In fact, the most expensive residential properties around here are down in the $400,000 range. Yes, that's about the most expensive within a 40 mile radius! We're one of the poorest counties in the entire nation.

Of course, in this area, with maximum commissions to realtors around $6,000 (6k for the selling realtor and 6k for the buyer's realtor) realtors here aren't paying photographers to shoot the houses they represent. But somebody selling for an $80,000 commission - that's a 2.7 million dollar home! (assuming 80k to the selling realtor and 80k to the buyer's realtor)

You'd certainly think that a realtor selling that kind of merchandise would do what it takes to ensure the best chances of selling it within the term of the initial contract. A few hundred bucks is really nothing compared to that kind of commission. In fact, back when I worked in an exclusive suburban area around Philadelphia, realtors representing that kind of property would take out full page ads in exclusive magazines - just for one home! When they're spending upwards of $1,500 just to run an ad, they're not going to skimp by shooting the place themselves. Why pay all that cash for an ad and then have the ad look sucky? That just doesn't make any sense.

This is a very nice piece of property on the ocean. As my client stated to me, the aerial photos should be the corner stone of the marketing. I am extremely surprised at the lack of effort regarding good photos for an upscale home by these realtors. Fortunately for the real estate agents these homes almost sell themselves.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #9819423
here in eastern WA - ha! The local housing market itself doesn't even have houses that would yield an $80,000 commission. In fact, not even half of that. Not even a quarter of that. In fact, the most expensive residential properties around here are down in the $400,000 range. Yes, that's about the most expensive within a 40 mile radius! We're one of the poorest counties in the entire nation.

Of course, in this area, with maximum commissions to realtors around $6,000 (6k for the selling realtor and 6k for the buyer's realtor) realtors here aren't paying photographers to shoot the houses they represent. But somebody selling for an $80,000 commission - that's a 2.7 million dollar home! (assuming 80k to the selling realtor and 80k to the buyer's realtor)

You'd certainly think that a realtor selling that kind of merchandise would do what it takes to ensure the best chances of selling it within the term of the initial contract. A few hundred bucks is really nothing compared to that kind of commission. In fact, back when I worked in an exclusive suburban area around Philadelphia, realtors representing that kind of property would take out full page ads in exclusive magazines - just for one home! When they're spending upwards of $1,500 just to run an ad, they're not going to skimp by shooting the place themselves. Why pay all that cash for an ad and then have the ad look sucky? That just doesn't make any sense.

Hey Tom,

First let me say that I am very jealous of your area!! The eagles are everywhere up there, houses be damned! My Mom and Dad live in Sequim. The market for 360 stuff is OK but stills are often shot for pennies if they want to hire a pro at all.

They love to hire GWC's, cousins w/ cameras etc. I have sent quote after quote in the last 5 years, and have only had 5-6 actually hit. All of the properties I shot sold within a week of publication, one took less than 12 hours to a couple from England moving to SV.

If the viewer is looking at newsprint then the image quality really does not have to be fantastic.

Now you're getting it! A few of the agents I've met couldn't live without that type of product.

Around here, real estate agents won't pay more than a pittance for photographs, regardless how well done. The real estate market here is good, but I've never heard of real estate being a viable general market for professional work...the extreme high end being the exception, of course.

I think its perfectly possible to get a good photo of an estate using a point and shoot. Its not like the estate is moving...and its not like you're trying to take the photos in low light.

I bet I could get decent real estate photos with a cell phone camera at the right time of day.

Tarzanman wrote in post #9905781
I think its perfectly possible to get a good photo of an estate using a point and shoot. Its not like the estate is moving...and its not like you're trying to take the photos in low light.

I bet I could get decent real estate photos with a cell phone camera at the right time of day.

Really, thanks a bunch. I will sell my gear and use my camera phone. What the hell was I thinking.

Tarzanman wrote in post #9905781
I think its perfectly possible to get a good photo of an estate using a point and shoot. Its not like the estate is moving...and its not like you're trying to take the photos in low light.

I bet I could get decent real estate photos with a cell phone camera at the right time of day.

I bet your a realtor !

Kona77
Run and don't look back at doing realestate photography. The realtor is looking for quanity not quality. They want it done for nothing and they want it yesterday. I've tried on several different occasions working with different realtors but in the end the experience is the same.

I've since discovered that I can take my 360 virtual business to many other (needing and wanting) clients. Rental homes or properties where the tour will be viewed over the course of years instead of months is the big selling point.

I have a customer who's log cabin rentals paid me quite well. The tours will serve them for years to come or until a renovation. Calculate the cost of tour (photo) being used for years instead of a few weeks and you can price yourself into that category.

Realtors and realestate photography are simply not worth the headache and chasing around.

Stick to your guns and don't give the agent a thing

Quick follow up. The seller told me the realtor is paying my fee for the aerial photos and they are currently using one on their MLS website along with 6 atrocious interior photos. The seller is paying me to shoot some of the interior so the house will sell. The agent is going to make approximately $80,000 and does not want to pay the $200.00. What a disappointing industry.

burntpixel wrote in post #9909023
I bet your a realtor !

Kona77
Run and don't look back at doing realestate photography. The realtor is looking for quanity not quality. They want it done for nothing and they want it yesterday. I've tried on several different occasions working with different realtors but in the end the experience is the same.

I've since discovered that I can take my 360 virtual business to many other (needing and wanting) clients. Rental homes or properties where the tour will be viewed over the course of years instead of months is the big selling point.

I have a customer who's log cabin rentals paid me quite well. The tours will serve them for years to come or until a renovation. Calculate the cost of tour (photo) being used for years instead of a few weeks and you can price yourself into that category.

Realtors and realestate photography are simply not worth the headache and chasing around.

Stick to your guns and don't give the agent a thing

Thanks for the info. Always nice to know other professionals feel as I do.

kona77 wrote in post #9943247
Quick follow up. The seller told me the realtor is paying my fee for the aerial photos and they are currently using one on their MLS website along with 6 atrocious interior photos. The seller is paying me to shoot some of the interior so the house will sell. The agent is going to make approximately $80,000 and does not want to pay the $200.00. What a disappointing industry.

That's par for the course with real estate agents.

I have had the same experience - they do not want to pay anything from theri comission...