How much does real estate photography cost?

The actual rate you’ll pay for a real estate photographer will depend on a variety of different factors, the most critical being where you live. Use Thumbtack to get an idea of real estate photography pricing from photographers near you.

Photography is a highly skilled and nuanced trade. Adding in real estate savviness, buyer and client desires, marketing skills, editing and additional factors like drone operation will increase prices. 

For example, a photographer may charge $250 for a basic shoot package and offer higher-priced options like aerial drone photos of the property and exterior for an additional $150. 

Another real estate photographer may charge $250 for a basic package for homes that are smaller than 1,000 square feet but increase their prices for larger homes. They might also charge a higher rate for add-on packages like a 3D virtual walk-through or creating a property marketing website. With so many options available, it’s important to understand the factors affecting the cost of a real estate photographer:

Number of properties

Just as you might get a bulk rate on items at a grocery wholesaler, you can often get better per-property pricing on real estate photography when you hire the photographer to shoot multiple properties. 

Here are pricing examples:

However, expect the actual cost to vary based on the individual details of the properties. If one home is significantly larger or more challenging to shoot, the pricing could increase.

Number of photos

The more photos you order, the more you’ll pay overall. However, the price per photograph could also go down depending on the photographer. If you don't want to bump up to a higher-priced package but think you need a few extra photos, some photographers may charge per picture to provide you what you need. 

Here are examples of average tiered package price ranges from real estate photography firm XL Visions:

• $130 for 13 photos delivered within 24 hours of the shoot
• $165 for 25 photos delivered within 24 hours of the shoot
• $195 for 40 photos delivered within 48 hours of the shoot

Driving distance

The driving distance to the property typically needs to be minimal to avoid an extra fee for gasoline and time. Often, vehicle time and wear and tear will add to a photographer’s business expense, which is why many will charge per mile.

Post-processing and editing

While taking a photo can be a quick process, editing the images can take hours. For example, if a house’s yard has been dug up during construction, the raw exterior shot may not be particularly eye-catching. Using advanced computer software, photographers can perform magic with such images — they can replace skies, lawns, landscaping and driveways, improve over-exposure on window reflections and other tasks. 

The same goes for interior shots. Photographers may only have a two-hour window to shoot a home, and it may occur when sunlight is bright and “cold” looking. For the would-be buyer looking at images online, this could create a jarring contrast compared with a subsequent image of a darker room with artificial lighting. A real estate photographer will often also spend time matching the “temperature” of the photos to one another so the images are consistent and realistic.

Home’s square footage

Your home’s square footage generally plays a key role in how real estate photographers determine their pricing. Some pros may charge a price per square foot. However, more common is to charge fixed prices for a range of square feet. For example, a photographer may charge $200 for homes less than $1,000 square feet, $250 for homes between $1,000 and $1,999 square feet and so on.

It’s possible to use your home’s square footage as an advantage when finding the best real estate photography prices. 

The season can also impact real estate photography pricing in your area. However, in areas with snowy and icy weather, the photographer may also charge more to make the drive to your property. 

In areas with snowy and icy weather, however, the photographer may also charge more to make the drive to your property. 

You can often add the following services to any real estate photography job:

Virtual staging

While real estate agents may recommend staging for walk-through tours of your home, real estate photographers can virtually do the job. For homeowners with vacant houses to photograph, this service can be valuable. It lets potential buyers visualize what living in the house would be like instead of imagining the rooms with furniture and decoration.

Related content: How much does home staging cost?

Aerial photography

Drone photography is an increasingly important part of high-quality shoots — and it’s something that real estate agents are coming to expect. These photos can capture your beautiful backyard renovation or garden landscape.

Pricing for drone photography will vary by company and by the number of retouched photos you desire. For example, Real Image Pros offers unlimited aerial images for $249. Some photographers also offer 180-degree and 360-degree panoramic images for an additional cost.

There can also be a difference in the price of residential drone photography and commercial drone photography pricing. For example, Art by Art charges $200 for eight retouched residential drone photography shots, while drone packages for commercial real estate photography start at $400.

The following factors will affect the cost of real estate drone photography.

• Drone setup costs: The type of drone, cost of license acquisition and training will impact the cost of drone photography.
• Location: Rural homesites may have no restrictions when it comes to drone use. However, in recent years urban and suburban areas have implemented stricter regulations on drone use. This may lead to more expensive drone photography quotes. 

Website construction

Some real estate photographers take their services a step further by building and hosting property websites designed to help agents and sellers promote their listings. These websites generally feature eye-catching photos, a detailed property description, background music and the ability to edit any of these features and view website statistics.

Animated video

An animated video lets sellers and real estate agents show off their listings in a relatable and engaging format. This lets viewers see the home's photos and video footage with features, pricing and contact information in one place.

This video's cost depends on its length, the amount and type of footage, the desired music, and other factors.

When hiring a real estate photographer, the first step to saving money is reading their pricing page carefully. If they don’t have one available, have the following information ready for them so you can receive an accurate price quote:

• Your home’s square footage 
• The types of footage you want (still shots, 3D video tour, aerial drone video/photos)
• Home condition (the exterior, landscaping, interior, furnishings, etc.)
• The number of photos desired

You can then use the following techniques to negotiate a lower payment:

Ask about discounts

Sometimes, photographers offer promotions, off-season discounts, referral benefits and other types of perks. Don’t be shy — ask about discounts so you can save some money. 

Compare photo packages

Most real estate photographers offer some kind of package where the price per photo decreases depending on the client's needs. Sometimes, it’s better to go with per-square-foot pricing or another type of package. 

For instance, a photographer might charge clients $250 for 1,000 to 1,999 square feet and $350 for 2,000 square feet and above. If your home is exactly 2,000 square feet, this tiered system's hard cutoff could result in a higher cost per square foot. In this case, it might be worth looking for someone who charges a fixed rate per square foot.

The particulars of your property will determine whether choosing a photo package is the right choice. 

Choose a non-busy time of year

Many real estate photographers are swamped in the spring, summer and/or fall and have more free time in the winter. By choosing an off-season shoot, you may be able to get a lower price.

Hiring a professional photographer can cost a significant amount of money. Is it worth it for your real estate sale? Here are explanations of how hiring a pro is a worthy investment that can put money in your pocket when it comes time to sell:

Higher asking price

It’s not easy to capture a home’s essence on camera — particularly when the competition is so stacked due to other listings hiring real estate photographers. By hiring one of your own, you can be rewarded with a higher price at the point of sale.

In fact, the Wall Street Journal reports that professional real estate photography can land sellers anywhere between $935 and $116,076 more when it comes time to sell their property; this range is dependent on the listing price of your property. 

Paying your real estate photographer to perform virtual staging is well worth the money, as well. According to the National Association of Realtors, home staging has a reported decisive effect on 40% of home buyers.

Aerial and drone photos for marketing

Similarly, drone photography is well worth the cost. It’s the best way to market your property, the surrounding neighborhood, scenic views and proximity to restaurants and local businesses. It’s also the best way to portray the actual size and scale of your house. These photos are also perfect for advertising your real estate to potential buyers on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms.

Start your search for a great real estate photographer by using Thumbtack. This will lead you to the top-rated local photographers’ online profiles where you can read their customer reviews and star ratings. Pay special attention to customer-uploaded photos.

When you reach out to promising leads, ask them about their availability, potential ways to get the best price, what types of services they offer and if driving to your location will cost extra. Give them your home’s square footage, current state (cleanliness, condition of the exterior, etc.), and the number and types of photo deliveries you’d like.

The photographer you choose should have previous work experience and examples of photos they’ve taken.

Most photographers will be able to offer a free cost estimate. Get several price quotes, and use these to compare photographers and make the most cost-effective decision for your property.

Your property deserves to be shown in the best light. Hiring a real estate photographer may generate more leads and help you get the asking price you want. Search Thumbtack to find high-quality real estate photographers in your area.