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In today’s fast-paced real estate market, visual appeal plays a pivotal role in catching the eye of potential buyers and renters. The first point of contact for most property seekers is often the online listing. According to NAR, 100% of buyers started their home search online in 2023, and high-quality photos can set a property apart from the competition. 

This is where real estate photo editing comes into play. 

Real estate professionals can present properties in the best possible light by enhancing property images through techniques like color correction, HDR blending, and virtual staging. 

This blog post explores the importance of photo editing in real estate, various techniques used by photographers, the benefits of professional editing services, and cost considerations to help you make informed decisions about your photo editing needs.

Why Should You Always Edit Real Estate Photography?

In the competitive world of real estate, first impressions matter immensely. 

High-quality photos can make all the difference when it comes to attracting potential buyers or renters. Consider these stats:

  • In fact, 83% of buyers said pictures are very important in helping them choose which homes they will visit
  • And 61.3% of brokers believe high-quality photography is ‘crucial’ for selling homes

Additionally, professionally edited real estate photos can also help sell homes faster:

  • Property listings featuring high dynamic range (HDR) photos sell 50% faster and increase online views by 118%
  • And homes with drone photos or aerial photos sell 68% faster

Despite these strong numbers, only 35% of real estate agents leverage professional photography. There’s definitely a competitive advantage to using high-quality listing photos.

And as a real estate photographer, you know this will lead to improving your brand and getting more repeat customers.

In summary, editing enhances the visual appeal of property photos by, for example, adjusting lighting, correcting colors, and removing imperfections. 

These subtle yet impactful changes can transform an ordinary photo into a stunning visual representation that highlights the best features of the property, helping to attract more buyers and sell it faster.

How Do Photographers Edit Their Photos?

Real estate photographers use a variety of editing techniques to elevate their images with the help of editing software like Photoshop and Lightroom. 

Some of these include:

  • Basic Adjustments – Tweaking exposure, contrast, and saturation to ensure the image is well-balanced
  • Color Correction – Ensuring colors are accurate and vibrant, making the property look as attractive as possible
  • HDR Blending – Combining multiple exposures to capture both the highlights and shadows, resulting in a more detailed and dynamic image
  • Sky Replacements – Swapping out dull or overcast skies with more appealing ones to enhance the overall aesthetic
  • Object Removal – Eliminating unwanted elements like power lines or personal items to declutter the image
  • Virtual Staging – Adding furniture and decor to empty spaces to give potential buyers a sense of how the property could look

To learn more about common editing techniques and how to do them, you can check out our guide on how to edit real estate photos like a pro in Photoshop & Lightroom.

Have You Ever Thought To

Outsource Photo Editing?

Try it today with 10 free edits from three professional photo editors.

Why Use a Professional Real Estate Photo Editing Service?

Real estate photographers should consider using a professional editing service to enhance their photos because it allows them to focus on their core competencies while benefiting from the expertise of seasoned editors. 

Professional editing services employ advanced techniques and software tools that go beyond basic adjustments, resulting in superior image quality that can make a significant impact on property listings. 

Overall, these services provide consistent, high-quality results, ensuring that all images maintain a professional and attractive look. 

Furthermore, outsourcing editing tasks can save valuable time, allowing photographers to handle more shoots and boost their productivity. 

Here are some benefits of using a professional editing service:

  • Image Consistency: It ensures all your photos have a uniform and professional look
  • Time Savings: You can focus on shooting and growing your photography business while experts handle the editing
  • Expertise: You’ll get access to specialized skills and tools that can significantly enhance image quality
  • Scalability: It allows you to easily manage large volumes of photos, especially during busy periods, helping you to keep deadlines

In a competitive market, professionally edited images can distinguish a photographer’s portfolio, attract more clients, and ultimately contribute to higher sales success for real estate agents and property owners alike.

How Much Does Real Estate Photography Editing Cost?

The cost of real estate photography editing can vary widely depending on the complexity of the edits and the service provider. 

Basic edits may start as low as $1.65 per image, while more advanced services like virtual staging or HDR blending can cost significantly more. 

For example, below is a price range that gives you an idea of the cost you will likely pay per image.

Prices are based on a standard HDR image.

CountryPrice Per Image
Philippines $0.50-$1.65
India $0.75-$1.75
Vietnam $0.40-$1.00
Australia $1.60-$8.00
US$3.00-$10.00

Additionally, some photo editors opt to charge by the hour. For standard to intermediate editing tasks, an hourly rate between $20 and $50 is typical. For more complex edits, the rate can increase to anywhere from $50 to $100 or higher.

Overall, finding a cost-effective solution that doesn’t compromise on quality is crucial. And that’s where PhotoUp’s dedicated editing service comes into the picture!

High-Quality & Consistent

Real Estate Photo Editing

Hire a dedicated editor with performance metrics from $7/hour.

Try PhotoUp’s Dedicated Editing Service From $0.50 Per Image

At PhotoUp, we understand the importance of high-quality real estate photos. 

Whether you’re a real estate photographer looking to streamline your workflow or an agent seeking to enhance your property listings, our team of experienced dedicated editors is here to help.

But what is a dedicated editor?

Working with a dedicated photo editor means the same photo editor or a team of photo editors work on all your images and accounts. 

Browse Top Dedicated

Real Estate Photo Editors

Ready-to-hire editors for real estate photo editing, video editing, and more.

Not only does this maximize image consistency since your dedicated editor learns your unique style but they can also help with other tasks such as:

  • Photo culling and organization
  • Consistency of style and quality
  • Easy custom branding and labeling
  • Account management and photo delivery and placement

Best of all, leveraging a dedicated editor will help you save time and money!

Generally, a dedicated editor delivers over 1,800 edits per month, resulting in a final cost of only $0.72 per edit. We have even witnessed rates as low as $0.50 per edit, offering an affordable option without sacrificing quality. 

Just reflect on the significant time savings and the enhanced image quality this entails!

Get Help With Real Estate Marketing

Furthermore, a dedicated editor can also help you with other real estate marketing tasks, including:

Overall, hiring a dedicated real estate photo editor proves to be a worthwhile investment. How? By contributing to the growth of your business and attracting more clients.

How to Get Started

Getting started with a dedicated editor starts with a FREE dedicated editor consultation.

Simply, schedule a meeting and we’ll get in touch with you.

PhotoUp Dedicated Editing – Real Estate Photo Editing

To see how easy it is to get started with a dedicated editor, check out our dedicated editing demo:

As simple as that!

During the free trial period, PhotoUp remains committed to collaborating with you until you are completely satisfied with the results and service.

After evaluating the edited images, you can schedule interviews with the most suitable editor(s), leading seamlessly into a one-month trial period.

So, why wait? 

Sign up for a free PhotoUp account and get started today!

We hope this blog post helped you see the benefits of professional real estate photography photo editing and presented an affordable option. Before you go, you may also want to check out the following resources:

Stina Pettersson

Professional Blogger

Stina is an entrepreneur, digital marketer, and professional blogger who's passionate about real estate photo editing, being outdoors with her pup, and sweaty gym sessions. She loves the written word and has been writing for publications like Forbes and Thrive Global. Originally from Sweden, she's called South Florida her home since 2013.

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