For agents and homeowners weighing up whether professional photography is worth the cost, it’s a fair question — does it actually change the outcome, or is it just a nicer-looking listing? The short answer, backed by real market data, is yes.

What the Data Actually Shows

Two of the most cited studies on this topic come from different angles, and both point the same way:

Redfin’s analysis of home sales found that mid-priced homes (around the $400K range) photographed professionally sold roughly three weeks faster than comparable listings, and sold for between $3,400 and $11,200 more relative to their list price. The same research found that listings in the sharpest, highest-quality top 10% of photos sold at or above asking price 44% of the time — compared with just 13% for listings with average-quality images. (Source: Redfin, “Homes Photographed With High-Quality Real Estate Photography Sell for More Money”)

A separate analysis by VHT Studios, drawing on Chicago-area MLS data, found homes photographed by professionals spent an average of 89 days on market, compared to 123 days for other listings — a 32% faster sale. (Source: VHT Studios / PR Newswire)

Different markets, different methodologies, same direction: professional photography measurably shortens time on market and supports stronger sale prices.

Why This Makes Sense

The vast majority of buyers begin their property search online, scrolling through listing photos before they ever decide whether a property is worth an inspection. If the photos are dark, cluttered, or poorly composed, a genuinely great property can get scrolled past before a buyer even registers what’s in the listing. Photography isn’t decoration on top of the marketing — for most buyers, it is the first and most important part of the marketing.

Sharp, well-lit, well-composed images do three things a phone photo generally can’t: they show the property at its best angles and its best light, they make rooms read as larger and brighter than a wide-angle phone lens tends to distort them, and they signal to buyers that the listing — and the agent behind it — is being taken seriously.

What This Means for Your Next Listing

If you’re an agent deciding where to invest your marketing budget on a new listing, or a homeowner comparing what different agents include in their service, the numbers suggest photography isn’t the place to cut corners. A faster sale and a stronger price, even in one deal, will typically outweigh the cost of a professional shoot many times over.

At Stellar Shots, every listing gets photography, and where it makes sense, drone photography, floor plans, and virtual tours — all captured to make your property’s first impression count. Book your next shoot and see the difference professional imagery makes to your Sydney listing.