Photo: Adam Eaton/Next Door Photos
Photo: Adam Eaton/Next Door Photos
From mid-century modern homes in Palm Springs to multimillion dollar mansions in Palm Beach, real estate marketing provides a glimpse into what different types of homes are like, maybe even the house next door.
Photos and videos on social media, local real estate websites, Houzz, Zillow and Trulia, even Airbnb and VRBO, take you wherever you want to go, whether it’s the rocky shore of the Oregon coast, upscale Kennebunkport, Maine, or Estes Park.
And much of this is due to people like Adam Eaton who create the images that get people to buy the houses.
Eaton, who says he always had an entrepreneurial streak along with a love for great coffee, launched Next Door Photos in the summer of 2017.
Next Door Photos is a national network of locally owned and professionally operated businesses that specialize in real estate photography and a comprehensive suite of other marketing media.
Being part of a larger network, Eaton said, allows him to provide next day turnaround on nearly every product, along with affordable pricing and quality products.
Photo: Adam Eaton/Next Door Photos
The quick turnaround is possible thanks to the Next Door Photos global editing team made up of survivors of human trafficking and other at-risk individuals primarily in the Philippines, with some in the U.S. and other countries as well, Eaton said.
He and his team, all based out of the Loveland office, shoot stills and videos of properties for sale in northern Colorado and send them off to the editors who do their magic with results in his inbox the next door, which he then sends off to his clients to include in their real estate listings.
Photography has always been an interest, Eaton said, and after high school he assisted a cousin in photographing weddings. That is until digital cameras were introduced to the masses “and everyone and their aunt became professional photographers.”
He went on to other endeavors, primarily in the food industry, but came back to photography when he saw the opportunity to combine his real estate experience — he has a California appraisers license — with photography.
Next Door Photos, a B certified corporation, which balances purpose and profit, seemed like a natural fit.
His timing was spot on. Real estate photography in northern Colorado has evolved greatly in just the last five or so years, Eaton said.
“Video has broken into Northern Colorado in a big way and COVID propelled that,” Eaton said.
“Without being able to have open houses, listing videos and 3D tours took off in a big way. Realtors I’d been calling for two or three years ended up calling me.”
Shooting a video that sells takes coordination between the photographer/videographer/drone pilot, the listing agent and the property owner.
Photo: Adam Eaton/Next Door Photos
If you look at photos that zing, you’ll notice that kitchen counters are clear of just about everything, any sign of a human or animal living in the space has been tucked away into closets, clutter and/or extraneous furnishings are sent to the garage, and yards are neat and tidy with no sign of Fido.
In fact, Eaton has a rather lengthy list of do’s and don’ts before a photo shoot that he provides clients. Yet, he concedes, he and his team sometimes end up having to shift boxes, remove clutter or tidy up.
Successful shoots, he said, show how a home flows, from the time you enter the front door to moving from room to room, level to level. Homes with acreage or in scenic neighborhoods often include aerial shots to provide a sense of the surroundings, be it privacy, water features or nearby parks and amenities.
Next Door Photos offers three initial packages to which additional services can be added, including twilight photos and 3-D walk-throughs.
For more information, visit noco.nextdoorphotos.com.
By Luanne Kadlub, At Home Colorado
Photos courtesy: Adam Eaton/Next Door Photos
