Photos are one of the most important parts of marketing a property. When taking listing photos, be sure to use landscape mode—portrait mode doesn’t display well on most third-party websites. For a clean and consistent look, all photos should be taken in the same orientation.
As a reminder, MLS rules do not allow for sale signs, contact information, or watermarks to appear in any photos.
Photorealistic imagery, like virtual staging or edited renovations, is not allowed. However, architectural plans and interior design renderings (CAD) are acceptable.
You must also own the rights to any photos you submit. If your home was previously listed with another agent, they likely own the rights to those images. That means you shouldn’t reuse old listing photos from online unless you took them yourself or have permission from the original agent.
Massachusetts (MLSPIN)
Photo Allowance: up to 42 photos per listing. Less is more. Photo allowance is subject to change, but we will inform you of any changes made by MLS prior to activation.
Photo File Size: 512 x 400. Although MLSPIN provides optimal size, it is best to just send us the photos without resizing them. MLS will automatically resize the photos.
New Hampshire (PRIME MLS)
Photo Allowance: up to 60 photos per listing. Less is more. Photo allowance is subject to change, but we will inform you of any changes made by MLS prior to activation.
Photo File Size: maximum resolution is 1280 x 960. If a photo is under the 125K limit but has a resolution of image size larger than 1280 x 960, compression will occur. If a photo is over 125K in file size, the image will be compressed to 125K. Note: this could result in a reduction in quality. For users who upload photos larger than the 125K limit, it is recommended that the images do not exceed 20MB in file size.
Photo Orientation, Formatting, and Ordering
Although not required, we strongly suggest that all photos be taken in landscape mode (turn your phone sideways). Photos taken in portrait mode do not look good. We accept the following photo file formats: .jpg, .png, .gif, and .pdf if you want to send us floor or architectural plans and designs. You should name the photo files in the order you would like them displayed (1.jpg, 2.jpg, 3.jpg) on your listing. If you do not specify the order, we will arrange them for you. The best approach is to start with 1-2 exterior photos > kitchen > first floor rooms > bathrooms > open areas > bedrooms > basement > more exterior > landscape shots. If you have a small bathroom, skip it. There’s nothing gained by showing a photo of a toilet. Photos are meant to pique interest to get prospective buyers to view your property in person. Showing too many photos can sometimes give buyers a reason not to schedule a showing.
Sending Us Your Photos
All listing photos should be sent to photos@ instamls.com. Once received, our system will send you an automated email response within 10 seconds informing you that we have received your photos. Our email provider (Google) allows a max size of 25 MB per email. If your photo file sizes are large, we will not receive your email, and you will not receive an automated response. If this occurs, please batch your photos and send them in multiple emails. We recommend running photos through a free online photo compression service such as www.tinyjpg.com. You may also send us a Dropbox link of your photo album. Make the album public and send us the shareable folder link so we have access to download the files. Get a free Dropbox account.
→ Get the process started by heading over to our Agreement Wizard to create, sign and execute the listing agreement online.
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