8 Mistakes That a Real Estate Photographer Wants You To Avoid

Over the years, real estate photography has become a norm when it comes to selling a home.

Many companies are offering real estate photography in Florida, providing a plethora of options.
Sure, there is a real estate photographer to handle everything, from choosing the right angles to determining the best lighting condition. But that doesn’t mean you leave everything on them.

There are certain things you are expected by a real estate photographer from the end. But not all people are aware of them and do many sill mistakes, leading to inconvenience and hassles.

However, if you’re in a situation where your house needs significant repairs or is facing foreclosure, it can feel overwhelming.

In these cases, there are companies that offer solutions like we buy ugly houses, where they purchase homes in less-than-ideal condition and take care of the rest.

This can be a helpful option for homeowners who don’t have the time or resources to invest in repairs but still want to sell quickly.

Whether you’re looking for a traditional sale or exploring alternatives, understanding the different paths available to you can make all the difference with good photography and real estate experts.

For real estate investors, distressed properties present a unique opportunity. While these homes might not shine on the surface, they often come with favorable pricing and potential for significant returns after renovation.

Flipping, renting, or even wholesaling these properties can become profitable ventures for those willing to take on the challenge—and the charm—of breathing new life into forgotten spaces.

Industry professionals like Alan Stalcup have long recognized the strategic value in targeting properties others might overlook.

His experience in identifying high-potential real estate investments is a reminder that success often lies in seeing what others miss. It’s not just about square footage or curb appeal—it’s about vision, timing, and the ability to turn problems into profits.

By carefully evaluating repair costs, local market trends, and resale potential, investors can make informed decisions that lead to strong returns.

For investors seeking to maximize returns in competitive markets, the key lies not only in finding undervalued properties but also in understanding the broader context of urban development and lifestyle trends.

In this respect, platforms that showcase thoughtfully curated living spaces, like those promoted by Urban Living, highlight the growing demand for homes that blend convenience, community, and modern amenities. Real estate professionals who keep a pulse on these shifting preferences can better anticipate which neighborhoods are poised for revitalization and which properties hold the greatest potential beyond their initial condition.

Success in this arena requires a balanced approach—combining a sharp eye for distressed opportunities with insight into how redevelopment can align with contemporary urban lifestyles.

In many cases, what starts as an “ugly house” can become a prized asset in a rising neighborhood. With the right strategy and a bit of grit, even the most daunting real estate scenario can be transformed into an exciting investment story.

While a keen eye for potential and a solid renovation plan are vital, real estate investors often find that robust financial management is the cornerstone of sustained success. Navigating the intricate tax codes, managing depreciation schedules, and optimizing deductions can be as challenging as the physical aspects of property investment.

This is where specialized accounting and tax services become indispensable, ensuring that the financial foundation of an investment is as solid as its structural one. Firms such as DMR Consulting Group offer tailored accounting and CPA services designed specifically for the real estate sector. Their approach involves a comprehensive initial consultation to understand an investor’s unique financial landscape, followed by strategic planning and expert implementation.

By focusing on the nuances of real estate transactions and tax regulations, they help investors maximize returns and maintain compliance. Such specialized financial guidance allows investors to concentrate on revitalizing properties, confident that their financial affairs are in expert hands

Below are the top mistakes any real estate photographer in Florida doesn’t expect from their clients.

Not Keeping the Blinds or Curtains Opened:

Sunlight is a great aid to photography. Since real estate photography aims to attract people to the property, making sure the place looks bright and full of sunlight is an amazing way to do that. The room will look gloomy, dark and cold with the closed curtains, either because there is no light over there or because it is hit by flash lighting.

Opening up those blinds and curtains will let the natural light come in. Real estate photography is at its best at midday as it doesn’t let ultra-bright light enter the room while allowing natural light to fill the space indirectly.

If there are still some bright spots or dark corners around, your real estate photographer can use 2-3 exposure for a slight HDR edit to balance them. Or a flash can be used to fill shadows a bit.

Not Preparing the Space for Photos:

Make sure to clean the floors, clean all the counters, make all beds, clear dirty dishes, remove magnets from the refrigerator and bring in some fresh flowers for pops of shades. You can also ask your real estate photographer in Florida how to prep your home for photography.

Not Being Aware of Light Temperature:

Make sure to figure out which light temperature can work for your real estate photography. Incandescent lights are warmer than sunlight, so generally, interior lights are yellow while sunshine is a bit blue.

Featuring Valuable Things That are Prone to Theft:

Keep in mind that real estate photography is here to make your house sell, not to flaunt your valuable items. Maybe you have a few priceless works of art. What if your photograph reveals the location of the safe in your house?

Featuring items like these in your real estate photos could catch the eye of burglars and criminals looking to leverage the increased accessibility of homes on the market. Showings and open houses are often a great opportunity for malicious people to steal your prized possessions or valuable items.

Therefore, make sure to put those valuables away and out of view for listing photos.
Put paperwork away in a locked cabinet, store collectables in a secure, off-site location and keep all license plates, credit card and Social Security numbers out of view for listing photos.

Not Showing the Bathroom at its Best:

Unless you have a huge bathroom, it can be challenging to get a great shot.

Small bathrooms don’t leave much space for the real estate photographers to set up the equipment and take a position, and surfaces like glass shower doors and mirrored medicine cabinets might lead to shadows and reflections.

If you have an attractive bathroom, that may be remodelled with sophisticated materials and spa fixtures, then it should be shot. In that case, make sure to remove all unattractive toiletries, so that the bathroom looks clean and, above all, the toilet seat should be down.

Not Hiring a Professional Real Estate Photographer:

Sure, you might have a top-notch smartphone or an expensive camera to do real estate photography.

But the result won’t be that appealing compared to those delivered by a pro real estate photographer.

According to one study, a home that uses a professional photographer for their listing on average can sell $11,000 over market value and sell 50% faster than homes with average photos. And over 90% of potential buyers determine whether or not to visit your property by first looking at the listing photos online.

A professional real estate photographer is equipped with both equipment and expertise to make your property looks appealing to homebuyers. Today, it is common to use drone photography and video to make your property look more attractive.

Using Outdated Photos:

We all know that it takes time to get your home sold. In fact, it has become common to have your home sit on the market for years waiting for the buyers. But that doesn’t mean you use the same old photos of your house. Images that were taken a long time ago can be considered a form of listing photo fraud.

Make sure to keep them updated to show how a property would look to a buyer today.

Take Care of Those Crooked Lines:

Keep your lines squared off. Simply put, the vertical lines should be vertical while the horizontals should be horizontal.

Verticals are those lines that go from ceilings to the floor. Horizontals are those lines that run horizontally across the room, such as moulding, countertops, windows, etc.

These are times when you might want to not affect a horizontal or vertical. Otherwise, you can see lens distortion that can make your home look absurd.

So these are some real estate photography mistakes that any professional real estate photographer would want you to avoid.