Introducing Photographer and Drone Pilot Jake Elko

DMD Real Estate Photography understands that capturing the allure of Alaska properties takes more than what a photographer can learn in a classroom. 

Our firm prides itself on choosing individuals who are passionate about the lifestyle and truly interested in sharing the dream. While Jake Elko is actually a Pennsylvania transplant, he now lives in Eagle River, and we say he’s an honorary Alaskan.

Why? 

Like so many who call this land home, Jake fell in love with Alaska after visiting. So much so that he quickly returned for more. That was all he needed in order to know Alaska was a place he wanted to fully experience, so he packed up his gear and headed far north for good.

Jake has now been here several years - the first spent in a dry cabin! - and we feel incredibly lucky to have him. Not only is he someone with a fantastic portfolio of real estate stills and video, Jake seems like he was born with a camera in his hand and boasts specialization in a number of other photography areas, too: 

• Commercial

• Travel

• Wedding

• Documentary-style videography

And, of course, drone photography.

All of these skills are integral to DMD’s ability to bring a fresh perspective to our client’s audience-targeting efforts. Aerial shots help a potential buyer understand a property’s proximity to key natural attractions and/or modern conveniences, while commercial photography experience comes in handy for those looking at business investments. Travel photography and wedding photography both inform Jake’s abilities to tell your property’s story, while his documentary-style videography lends to capturing that Alaska dream!   

Bottom line? His ability to photograph your properties in a way that speaks to your potential clients perfectly is unmatched!

Moreover, when we asked him, “why drones?” he told us that once he realized the potential the drones had for creating unique imaging, he had to incorporate the medium into his work. It’s what truly separates his galleries from other photographers in the area. 

One of his personal past times is actually revisiting by air the Alaskan areas that he’s explored by foot to see those places from an entirely new perspective.

We love having Jake as an in-house resource to our clients. His creative perspective and broad experience with aerial photography and videography were the skills that sealed the deal on making him a part of our real estate photography team.  

When you need help marketing to those new audience segments, contact DMD Real Estate Photography to learn more about how we - and Jake - can use aerial photography (and video) to do it! 

Alaska Real Estate Agents May Be Missing an Opportunity: Short-Term Rentals

Because of the climate here in Alaska, our real estate industry partners know what it takes to weather (pun kind of intended) a shorter peak selling season than markets in the Lower 48. 

How big is the difference between peak season and the rest of the year? Trend data shows that homes in Alaska tend to sit on the market for around 60 days at peak times... and four months-plus in the winter. 

When planning winter sales strategies, one option you may not have considered offering your clients outside of that May-July window is to consider marketing their property to vacationers and possibly even as a short-term rental.

Here’s why we think so…

Why Alaska Vacationers Could Be Your New Target Audience 

Surveys show that vacationers all over the country dream of moving to their vacation destination while they’re visiting. Want some hard numbers?

• Alaska welcomes more than 2 million visitors each year.

• The state’s winter tourism, specifically, has risen by 33% over the last decade.

• Nearly a quarter of Alaska tourists’ vacation dollars are spent on lodging alone.

• Alaska’s short-term rental (or “STR”) market is growing, but current STR laws are pretty straightforward, making it an easier consideration here than in other places.

• Redfin says 29% of its users search for homes in the place they’re visiting.

Droves of interested vacationers spending nearly $424 million on lodging accommodations under fairly lax regulations who are staying in your real estate territories? 

This combination tells us that targeting short-term renters could be your next winning marketing strategy. 

The best part about incorporating this new audience into your planning is that most of the footwork has already been done through your original listing efforts.

How so?

What You Can Do with Your Current Marketing Materials

Once a property has been listed, you already have many of the materials you need to promote it as a short-term rental. If you’re one of our clients, for example, you already have a stellar property listing gallery and most likely a 3D tour. 

You also have a listing description that can serve as base content for your STR listing content. Take a look at some of the top-rated STRs in your area via popular STR sites like AirBNB and VRBO for properties similar to yours to get a feel for successful descriptions. 

Here are a few ways to update the materials you have in order to better market to this special target audience. 

Consider Adding Aerial Photography

Aerial photography can be an effective tool in exhibiting the grandeur of a vacation rental home. It can also give potential STR guests a good idea of all the local area has to offer - in terms of both (temporary) tourist attractions and natural features they could enjoy more permanently. 

Enhance Your Gallery with Area Attractions

We highly recommend incorporating additional photos of local area hotspots, as well as a few hidden gems to give your listing an edge over others in the area. For listings a bit further out, you can highlight guided tours - fishing, cross country skiing, wildlife expeditions, and so on.

Utilizing Video in Your Promotional Efforts

Use video to highlight rental amenities that you wouldn’t necessarily promote in a real estate listing. Show them the welcome basket, and mention the fully stocked coffee bar. Take them to the linen closet and let them see the luxury bath towels and sheets for themselves. Just make sure you keep your video(s) 2-3 minutes tops.

Tying In the Sale

Remember, your goal with these enhancements is always two-fold: while you want to draw in potential short-term guests, you also want to plant the seed of calling this property home. 

Here are a few ways to directly tie-in your sales listing:

• Include a link to the property listing in correspondence with renters

• Leave a listing brochure in a conspicuous place (with the welcome basket, for instance)

• If your STR host site allows it, utilize a contact link or appropriate description area as a place to link to your real estate company site listing.

Ultimately, you have an opportunity to let potential homebuyers really live out the Alaska experience for a few days or weeks in what would otherwise be an empty property.

With a 30-day closing window and/or a common rent-back agreement, you and your clients could benefit by opening up the calendar to short-term rental vacationers - financially and by exposure. 

To learn more about how we think you should target these homebuyers, read here. Or if you’d like to talk more in person about ways DMD Real Estate Photography might be able to help take advantage of the Alaska STR trend, reach out!  

The Power of Virtual Staging for Real Estate Sales

Hauling staging furniture in and out of your listings can take a lot of time and money. Luckily, here at DMD we have a better way to let buyers see the potential of your listing (without the heavy lifting!). 

What are we talking about? Virtual staging!

This trend is becoming more popular among real estate agents in Alaska for good reason - it helps to sell homes faster and for a higher price. 

What Is Virtual Staging? 

Virtual staging, as the name implies, is all done on the computer. Our photographers and editors can add furniture, art, and decor to pictures we take of a listing. Once the photos are finished, buyers can get a glimpse of what their new home might look like. 

Why Use Virtual Staging? 

The statistics say it all:

• Homes that are staged sell 67% faster than homes that are not staged

• 77% of agents believe that staging is beneficial for buyers who want to picture themselves in the home 

• 44% of buyers look online for home listings before they look anywhere else 

Bottom line: buyers love a home that is staged. They also love viewing photos of homes online. Virtual staging enables you to bring them everything they’re looking for - while saving some money, so that you get the most out of each listing.

Specific benefits of virtual staging include: 

Endless Possibilities

Moving furniture in and out of your listing can be tiresome - and once you move it in, you may realize that it doesn’t look quite right. Virtual staging allows you to try out different color schemes, themed rooms, or decor - all without lifting a finger. 

Well, okay, maybe a finger (to push the buttons on the keyboard), but that’s it!

You can instantly change a couch from black to white or add a rug, table, or large piece of artwork. No need to shop or send furniture back to the store!

Saves Time and Money 

A traditional staging costs upwards of $500, and you only get one option. Virtual staging cuts the costs of labor and choosing furniture in half - literally. 

Most real estate agents don’t pay over $250 to have high-quality photos filled with beautiful furniture and exciting decor that sticks in the minds of buyers. 

Moves Buyers Farther Along in the Process

Virtual staging speeds up the home buying process because buyers can already see themselves in the home when you have customized the virtual staging to their taste level. 38% are more willing to physically visit the location and walk through a home if it was staged online (versus not staged). 

What about here in Alaska specifically, where so many homes are sold without the buyer ever visiting in person? Virtual staging matters even more. One in four realtors reported that the time it took to sell a home greatly decreased once the home was staged. 

High-quality marketing materials for a low price that will get your homes sold fast? Sounds like a win to us. 

Learn more about our virtual staging services and how we can help you implement this strategy on your next listing.