HORIZONS IMAGERY REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Horizons Imagery is a business offering services for commercial and private clients looking to market their assets in a unique, state-of-the-art technology system. Revenue is projected to be $72,428 with a net profit of $49,128. Sales will begin in May 2024 at the beginning of the peak of the Denver housing market in the upcoming month. Initial sales will target both real estate corporations along with smaller, remote realtors in the Denver metro and front range region. Our pricing will be competitive against leading real estate photographers in the field.
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
Real estate companies have been a vital part of communities throughout the world. They provide accurate data to the know-how when it comes to marketing and processing sales of both commercial and personal properties. With state of art technology companies are providing accurate data from various government groups and financial sectors and utilizing resources available to them. However, many still use outdated, unfocused 35mm images with poor-quality post-processing.
Horizons will provide a comprehensive range of commercial photography for the Rocky Mountain region between New Mexico through Idaho. Horizons will shoot editorial and commercial projects along with providing mentoring and workshops to clients. As the housing and commercial markets fluctuate there are not enough photographers who can take “the shot” that will elevate the property. I believe Horizons would be able to capture the moment utilizing state-of-the-art equipment. We will specialize in using traditional professional cameras and drones to capture aerial, still, and 3d images for the client.
Horizons Imagery will be registered as an LLC in the State of Colorado for max flexibility in how it will be managed and allows for unlimited owners. Horizons Imagery Real Estate Photography was searched on Secretary of State’s online database and no known company exists. We own the rights to horizonsimagery.com domain.
RATIONALE OF SUCCESS
We have extensive knowledge successfully capturing and retouching images to allow to display the full potential of the client wishes. Utilizing technology in photography along with post processing we optimize the experience to reduce cost and time for the end-user. With our capturing of high dynamic range images, we will set the bar for other companies. To go above we will optimize images using “flambient” processes to maximize the image.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Colorado has 22,693 real estate agents per the 2023 US Real Estate Agents & Brokers Industry. Many reside in the Denver area. Out of 889 commercial photographers in the Denver metro area, only a few specialize in real estate and utilize capturing the property using 360° cameras, wide-angle lenses, and offering certified drone photography following guidelines set by the FAA. As of November 2023 there are 6,968 new and pending listings on REcolorado. My goal is to reach an audience of 5% of both new and pending listings. The US Industry & Market Reports state that Denver-Lakewood-Aurora area has a total of 889 establishment for commercial photographers. Two similar companies offer drone photography and residential interior photography.
Good Karma Photo https://goodkarmaphoto.com/
From their website:
“The Best Product with the Best Customer Service at a Reasonable Price
Good Karma Photography has been providing Professional Real Estate Photography in the Denver Metropolitan area since 2007. Our goal is to provide a great representation of each home we shoot using HDR Photography and our own GKCustomMotion™ Virtual Tours. That combination results in the best product with the best customer service at a reasonable price.”
“While HDR is now the standard in Real Estate Photography, at Good Karma, we go beyond that. We handcraft each and every photo based on many years of feedback from realtors and clients. Our photos are brighter and sharper, and include colors that pop, while retaining colors that are true and not animated looking. Unlike our competitors, true color is why the Good Karma photographer who shoots your home is also the one that handcrafts your photos! The result is fantastic photographs for your listings that our clients say takes fewer showings to sell, making the process easier and faster for the Realtor, homeowner and buyer. It’s Good Karma!”
Good Karma Photography offers many base packages along with additional prints: Professional Package - $239
Budget Package - $169
Go Big or Go Home - $Call to price
The Luxe Package - $409
Drone Fly Like An Eagle Package - $249
Video Walkthroughs - $199
They provide additionally marketing and branding along with linkage to the MLS and Realtor.com with all Virtual Tours.
V1 Real Estate Photography & Video https://v1realestatephotography.com/
From their website:
“BEST CHOICE Our Buyer’s Dream Package gives the buyers what they want…professional real estate photography marketing tools that help make the buying decision easier whether they visit the house in-person or virtually. So, what’s included?
Unlimited HDR Photos
360 Panoramas (of the entire house)
Interactive Floor Plan (including outside living space)
Aerials (up to 10 stills)
Zillow 3D Home® Tour”
“Why V1?. That’s simple to answer. We are committed to helping the real estate community sell more properties in the shortest amount of time for the most amount of money. And how do we do that? We listen to the real estate and broker community to better understand their needs & wants, and then we have our development team create it: Our State-of-the-Art Property Website, 360 Panoramas, and Online Ordering. Not “off-the-shelf” technology that everyone else is using, but our own technology that can be adjusted based on the needs of our clients.”
V1 Pricing varies with many options and base packages that corresponds with the size of property they are being hired to capture.
HDR Unlimited is up to $550
HDR 25 images $150
HDR 10 images $125
Aerial Photos Only $150
Night/Twilight Photos $200
Video Walk Through with Aerial Video Starts at $400
2. With real estate constantly fluctuating there is a great opportunity to take advantage of the available market even during the down season. This should create a perfect opportunity for growth as the ratio continues to climb between new homes on market vs photographers in the region. If we can create and operate effectively, we should be able to obtain the number of clients we are seeking to withstand the next market decline.
HORIZON IMAGING SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths
Experience with technology and landscape surrounding
Reliable and Quick mobility to expedite services.
Automatic upload of images to MLS database
Opportunities
Higher influx of housing on markets
Lack of certified photographers specializing and drone and 360° imagery.
Growing demand for state-of-the-art imagery to capture full property asset and land survey
Weaknesses
Lack of cell coverage in mountain regions preventing uploads less than 4 hours after gathering of data.
Weather risk causing delayed services of business
Threats
Competitive photographers establishing same services.
Financial stability causing lack of transactions in both commercial and private sectors of the housing market.
VISION
We look to work in the Denver area along the front range from Fort Collins through Colorado Springs and out west toward the Continental Divide. We will focus on both land surveys, real estate, and zone planning for local, state, and federal municipalities. Within 2 years we will want to see the growth throughout the Rocky Mountains for properties value listed over $1 million on the MLS. We will also provide aerial coverage for commercial businesses looking to survey property and taking accurate measurements of their structures and land management.
OPERATIONS
Horizons Imagery will operate remotely as a freelance photographer contracted by various companies. We will be established with high-end technology that is optimized to swiftly execute strategic plans preventing excessive resources and time. Inside a 30-mile perimeter of Centennial we will offer a free travel cost. As we grow within the region, we will begin to provide discount opportunities for repeat or bulk orders to corporations, private companies, and independent realtors.
Storage will be a 3-part system from internal SSD storage, external storage, and cloud-based storage. This will provide quick access to records for clients and accurate uploads to the MLS database.
MARKETING PLAN
We will utilize proper SEO and social media networks to market our business while attending roofing, realtor conventions, and reaching out to land assessor offices throughout the front range.
Horizons Imagery will focus on commercial real estate agents and agencies who are seeking professional, clear, unique displays of listed locations. Thru year 1 we will focus up building clients by offering value packs through flyers and electronic messaging. We will also utilize established pipelines for properties while we network to other large areas throughout Colorado. Year 3 we will begin to transition into a region photography company while maintaining a platform in the Denver metropolitan area.
Packages will consist of 13 different offers from doing retouches, drone capture, 360° images, and HDR photos.
Target (Person)
Our target consumer are commercial real estate agents and agencies who are seeking professional, clear, unique displays of listed locations in the Rocky Mountain front range region. We will specialize in providing professional services and techniques while offering home hospitality.
Products
Professional Package - $299
Budget Package - $149
Drone Package - $249
Video Walkthrough - $199
Place
Retail Channels (B2C): We will utilize mail-out brochures along with landing pages of potential qualifying clients based off their demographics. We will utilize custom decals on our vehicle to advertise to the public our services and website information where they can gather information on who we are.
Wholesale (B2): To launch we will focus on roofing and realtor expos and conventions along with direct communication with realtors in upcoming developments. We will target all major realtor agencies and agents along with national association of realtors for the Rocky Mountain region. The kiosk at the expos will be an interactive area where consumers can compare photos from before and after post, to demos on drone photography and the capabilities what we can offer.
Price
We are establishing prices utilizing a dynamic range of value versus quality versus quantity based off leading real estate photographers in the Denver metro area. We are adding cost of travel into the package outside of the metropolitan area along with valuing our mockup to make 20% net profit. We will offer different packages that provide volume discounts on repeat clients. Our prices will be competitive since we already have established realtors seeking our services.
Promotion
Retail Channels (B2C): We will create brochures and magnets with information on key benefits using our services, and details how to signup online to a no obligation, free consultation. We will also provide a landing page on the website where the client can submit their information to request a demonstration or order services. During the peak seasons they will receive 10% off orders when spending $475 on a transaction or when they refer a qualified client who orders future services.
Wholesale (B2): We will provide sampling with their brand and name to show value of our service. Offer quick turnaround for clients along with providing proof prints along with digital downloads of images needed for their software. We will offer updating the MLS and Realtor.com internally automatically fast-tracking services. We shall create a company database to establish both digital and physical marketing of brochures and informational material on what our brand is.
Digital Marketing: We will utilize SEO techniques when applying images to current, live website as well as implement Google Analytics to establish our demographic platform for the Rocky Mountain region. We will create ad space and campaigns that will run on major platforms along with advertising on Professional Photographers of America and Realtors.com. We will monitor platforms algorithms and make necessary changes to campaigns and ads to reach our maximum exposure to both commercial and private clients.
FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS YEAR ONE
Projections are for the first year of operations beginning in May 2024. Key notations:
Services are forecasted to begin at the peak of market listing based off REColorado previous years statistics.
Prices are sustainable as there will be a high demand of photographers for the Rocky Mountain region.
This is a sole-proprietor operation thus no salary for first two months of startup.
Horizons Imagery will be on reduced schedules for December – February as we regenerate for the upcoming season by upgrading equipment and developing new techniques to stay ahead of the competitive market.