By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

So it looks like you better invest in a digital SLR camera or find a professional photographer to make your new best friend, at least if you want to sell a home for more money, according to a new study by Redfin, a Seattle-based real estate brokerage.

Digital SLR cameras are professional-grade cameras with detachable lenses and that tend to have more manual settings, which often help you capture higher quality photos than its cheaper point-and-shoot rival.

Redfin found in an analysis of more than 100,000 listings in the Boston metro area and Long Island, N.Y., that homes with professional photographs sold anywhere between $934 to $116,076 more than those shot from cheaper, point-and-shoot cameras. That’s probably enough to start making you feel a little insecure about your photographs if you’re not using a professional or a high-end camera.

What’s more, homes with professional photographs were found, on average, to be viewed 61 percent more online than others in that price range shot with a lower-end camera. The listings that used digital SLR cameras also commanded a 47 percent higher asking price per square foot, according to the Redfin analysis.

Digital SLR cameras, however, were only found to increase the likelihood of a sale for listings $300,000 and above. In other words, buyers don’t seem to judge a house by its photos as much for homes under $300,000. Continue reading »