More photos please
... but not too many. The number one request that I get from Charleston real estate buyers who are searching online for listings is whether there are more photos available. The Charleston MLS permits real estate agents to provide up to 24 pictures and my website provider, Point2 allows up to 36 pictures. It's important to remember to words, up to.
Point2 recently released the results of their 2008 photo effectiveness study of real estate listings.
Key Findings
Compared to listings with only one photo, those with 21 or more photos generated more than triple the number of Detailed Views, more than double the amount of Interest, and double the number of Leads.
Compared to listings with no photos, those with 21 or more photos generated more than fifty-five times the number of Detailed Views, nearly twenty-seven times the amount of Interest, and eight hundred and ninety-eight times the number of Leads.
Views, Interest and Leads jumped 20 percent or more as the number of photos increased from 15 to 16.
The bottom line is that one picture is far better than none and the sweet spot appears to be 16. And I might add that all the pictures should be marketable shots that will help to sell the listing rather than just providing photos up to the limit available.
To illustrate, do these pictures really help sell this home? I noticed this listing this morning and the agent included 36 photos including some of these forgettable pictures.
And don't forget the first rule of real estate photography. Don't photograph the toilet seat up. 
