Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Ken Burns Effect in the Virtual Tour slide show?
A. The Ken Burns effect subtly pans and zooms within a still photograph to give the viewer the feeling of presence.
Q. What if I need more photos?
A. If some portions of the property need to be re-shot due to inaccessibility, or if improvements have been made since the original shoot, or if you simply want more photos of a nice property (or for any reason at all), you can schedule a re-shoot by simply calling us. The cost is $xx which allows for the shooting of up to x pictures.
Q. How many pictures do I get?
A. You will receive at the number of photos offered in the package you ordered, and sometimes a couple more as a courtesy. Our photographer will look at all features of the home and will focus on the most attractive areas. The idea is to have photos that encourage the highest number of showings. The most important rooms are the kitchen, the master bed and bath, the living room, and any bonus or great-room or a view. Sometimes all the secondary bedrooms look the same so, if they look redundant, the photographer may only shoot the one with the best lighting or decor. If the garage cluttered with boxes or other items, then it may be skipped entirely, unless there is a laundry area inside the garage that looks attractive. A large, beautiful home that looks good everywhere needs more photos.
Q. How will you send me the photos?
A. You will receive an email with two links to download your photos. One link will download photos that are sized and optimized for the MLS, web and email. Another link will download full-size print-quality photos that you can use for postcards and flyers. We use links to a storage system so you do not need to have a large email account.
Q. How will you send me the virtual tour?
A. Virtual tours are slideshow presentations that are hosted on a server. There will be one virtual tour link that is “unbranded” to comply with MLS restrictions. Another virtual tour will be “branded,” meaning it contains your agent information. You’ll want to use the branded tour in your own website, and email. Some MLS’s, including the CRMLS, have finally added a field for you to also enter your “branded” link which will be used for listing syndication. (If your FOR SALE sign is already installed, we will blur the sign so you won’t violate MLS rules).
Q. How far in advance do I need to order?
A. If you call us immediately, we may be able to schedule you the same day or the next day! If you do make a same-day or next day appointment, please make sure the home will be ready to photograph at the appointment time to avoid cancellation or rescheduling expenses. When time is available, there is no extra charge for a rush order.
Q. Will my appointment be automatically confirmed?
A. Whether you call us or schedule online, we will we talk on the phone and determine an appointment date and time is available. After that, you will receive a PayPal invoice via email that must be paid to confirm/reserve your appointment (a PayPal account is NOT required, and our personnel will never ask for your credit card information. Our photographers do not handle money). Your appointment may remain available to other customers until you reserve via PayPal, so please don’t wait.
Q. Why can’t I wait to pay at the site or after I receive the photos?
A. It is simply our way of making sure we are able to pay the photographer who drives out to the photo site. It also helps avoid having a agents completely cancel if they get an offer while we’re in the middle of the job (it used to happen) or try to renegotiate if they find someone cheaper before they actually pay (that also used to happen). We do have a reasonable cancellation policy that you can see below on this page. Also, to get a better idea of how this whole thing works, please see our page How It Works.
Q. What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
A. Rescheduling: If you are aware of any problem with your appointment, you may reschedule with at least 24 hours notice and there will be no extra charge. If you wait until the day of your appointment to reschedule, there is a $40 charge to reschedule.
Cancellations: You will receive a full refund if you cancel with a at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. If you cancel after that, or if the photographer arrives and is unable to take photos (unable to enter or the place is not ready for photos), you will receive a refund minus a $75 cancellation fee. However, $35 of the cancellation fee will be credited to the next job, if you reschedule and a job can be completed at the next appointment.
Our fault: If for any reason our photographer is unable to fulfill a scheduled appointment (outside of just arriving late), you will receive a complete refund plus a $40 discount if you set a new appointment by phone and tell us what happened. Even though 2-3 hours are typically needed to do a photo shoot, we pad extra time between appointments to allow for traffic and minor problems during the shoot. If our photographer’s arrival is delayed, he/she should still have ample time to do a great job.
