New research by MoveStreets, the property portal made for the mobile generation, has revealed how a picture can do more than paint a thousand words, it can significantly boost the chances of selling your home.
What the findings show
MoveStreets’ research found that property images are the most influential aspect of a property listing when it comes to forming a good first impression with homebuyers, ranking above the floorplan (second), the number of bedrooms and bathrooms (third), the property description (fourth), as well as information on additional features, wider amenities and the estate agent listing the property.
According to the study, 86% of recent homebuyers stated that when surfing the portals for a potential property, they chose to view a listing in full purely because the initial image shown made a good first impression.
Bad photos make bad impressions
MoveStreets’ study hammers home the effect of a picture-perfect property listing, as unflattering photos substantially put off buyers. MoveStreets’ research uncovered that 66% of buyers would bypass a property listing altogether if the initial image didn’t appeal to them.
When it comes to the full property listing, 79% of respondents said that the property photos were the first thing they checked when viewing a property in full.
According to the research, 53% of home buyers also said that if the photos failed to impress them any further, they wouldn’t even bother looking at the rest of the information listed such as the property description.
If the same property was listed with two different estate agents, 41% of homebuyers would only enquire with the agent that showcased the best photos, while 48% would refrain from viewing a property with poor photos altogether.
Chief executive officer and co-founder of MoveStreets, Adam Kamani, commented: “While a homebuyer will set their initial search criteria around price, location and property size, the photos used to advertise your home are incredibly important and utilising them to their full potential could make or break the sale of your home.”
Kamani continued: “So when looking to sell, ensure you list with an agent who will invest some time in proper, professional photographs. Not one that will whizz around in 10 minutes with a smartphone.”
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When searching for your new home on online property portals, which of the following were most influential when forming a first impression of the house itself? (Tick all that apply) |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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Property images |
1st |
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Floorplan |
2nd |
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Number of bedrooms/bathrooms |
3rd |
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Property description |
4th |
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Additional information on property features |
5th |
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Additional information on amenities in the local area |
6th |
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The estate agent it was listed with |
7th |
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Would you click on a listing purely because the initial image shown made a good first impression? |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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Yes |
86% |
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No |
14% |
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Would you bypass a listing purely because the initial image shown didn’t appeal to you? |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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Yes |
66% |
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No |
34% |
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Are the property images the first thing you check when looking at a listing in detail? |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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Yes |
79% |
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No |
21% |
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Would you look at the rest of the listing (description etc), if you didn’t like the look of a property in the images? |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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No |
53% |
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Yes |
47% |
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If a property listing was listed with two different estate agents, would you enquire with the agent presenting the best property listing photos? |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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I would enquire with both |
41% |
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Yes |
41% |
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No |
18% |
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Would you book a viewing for a property even if you didn’t like the images, or they were poor quality? |
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Answer |
Respondents |
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Yes |
52% |
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No |
48% |
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