When looking at listings on the MLS, buyers often ask me why some listings have no pictures and others have eight pictures.

The answer to this question is that the listing agent is responsible for inputting the house’s details and pictures into the MLS.  Believe it or not, some agents don’t own or have access to a digital camera to take the pictures.  RMLS used to offer a service to agents without cameras where they would send a photographer out to take one picture of the front of the house and then put that picture online for the listing agent. However, that service was discontinued about a year or two ago when digital cameras became so widespread, common and affordable. In my opinion, the RMLS service wasn’t that great anyway because the photographer rarely got out of his/her car to take the photo and so most of the time, the picture wasn’t very complimentary or indicative of how the house really looked. In addition, many of the houses had so much landscaping in the front yard that the photos were basically pictures of trees or shrubs. And the pictures got even worse if they were taken in rainy or snowy weather!

I think the listing agent is doing a great disservice to the seller if all eight pictures, which is the maximum number allowed, aren’t submitted with the listing. And I find it even more egregious if pictures are submitted but were taken poorly (i.e., too dark to see the room, weird angles) or the pictures are of irrelevant items. One listing that I came across recently had all eight pictures, but five of those were close-ups of door knobs, wood flooring, staircase finials, etc. What’s the point in seeing the fine details of a house if the buyer can’t see what the rooms actually look like before physically touring the property?

Another reason that some agents don’t submit pictures with their listings, or input less than the eight allowed, is the mind-set that if they show buyers too many details or give too much information, the buyer has no reason to go look at the home. I think this reasoning is faulty because if good pictures are taken, they can encourage buyers to want to tour the home or get more information about it.

Buyers will always find eight pictures of all of my listings on the MLS and also on my web site, www.PointClickandPack.com. Anything less is unacceptable.