Who Owns Photo Usage Rights for Real Estate Listings?

When you hire a professional to take stunning photos of your client’s property, the last thing you want is to worry about who owns the images. Unfortunately, the rules for photo usage rights in the real estate industry can be murky. Property listings and the photos attached to them are often syndicated and re-posted across multiple websites for different purposes. Understanding what you can and can’t do with the photos will help you avoid copyright infringement and a lawsuit. So, here’s what you need to know about photo usage rights, from a professional photography company!

Who Owns Real Estate Photo Usage Rights?

Who owns the usage rights for professional real estate photography? The photographer who took them, your client who owns the subject property, or the agent who paid for them? A good, and safe, rule to follow is that the person or entity who took the photos owns the licensing rights and determines their usage. Typically, photographers grant licensing rights to agents or brokers for the purposes of marketing an active listing. The terms of usage should be in writing, and in some cases, you may be asked to sign a document acknowledging them.

Where Are Real Estate Photos Allowed to be Used?

The primary purpose of real estate photos is to effectively market a property to attract prospective buyers or tenants. Agents typically use the photos in a variety of marketing materials, on listing websites, and on MLS platforms. Listings are then often syndicated to various other sites and shared on social media to expand the marketing reach. With all this syndicating going on, it can be confusing to understand who has the right to do what with the photos and when. So, what happens if you use them incorrectly?

Improper Usage of Licensed Photos

Improper usage of licensed real estate photos could lead to a copyright infringement lawsuit. Therefore, take the time to carefully review the rights you have been granted and their attached terms. Save copies of all photography licensing agreements and make note of which photos may be used for what purposes. Even if you are granted usage of licensed photos, there are often terms preventing you from using them indefinitely or for unspecified purposes. When in doubt, check in with your trusted professional photographer!

Why Use Professional Real Estate Photos?

It may be tempting to just take your own photos to avoid the trouble, but hiring a pro delivers the best results. A skilled photographer possesses advanced tools and software, along with a keen eye for real estate marketing. Their ability to remove distractions and showcase a property’s best features can significantly impact its marketability. A picture is worth a thousand words, and in real estate, it can be worth thousands of dollars. Listings with professional photos often sell faster than those with poor quality, or no photos at all.

Square Foot Photography’s Photo Usage Rights

At Square Foot Photography, we believe the agents we work with know the best usage for the photos we take. We understand that marketing a property isn’t always simple and that the sale of one home may help you sell another home. That’s why we grant our customers unlimited, shared usage rights of purchased media for their marketing. That means you can confidently feature our photos in “just sold” social media posts and continue leveraging them to attract new clients. We’re committed to being your trusted partner in growing your real estate business!

Ready for your property listings to stand out with stunning photos that close deals? Elevate your real estate marketing without worrying about photo usage rights with Square Foot Photography! Schedule a shoot today for powerful, professional visuals that make a difference in the market.

For more information regarding photo rights, please see our Terms & Conditions.