A plain breakdown of what drives pricing, what's usually included, and how to think about add-ons like drone, video, and floor plans.
Professional real estate photography pricing generally scales with square footage and what's bundled into the shoot — not a flat per-listing rate. In the Greater Boston market, a standard photo shoot for an average-sized home typically runs somewhere in the low-to-mid hundreds of dollars, with add-ons like drone, video, or a floor plan priced separately or bundled in.
For reference, here's exactly what a shoot costs with 37 Visuals — no estimates, no "starting at" ranges that balloon once you book:
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard Photography (up to 2,000 sqft) | $250 |
| Standard Photography (2,000–3,000 sqft) | $285 |
| 2D Floor Plan (up to 1,500 sqft) | $80 |
| 2D Floor Plan (1,500–2,500 sqft) | $100 |
| Photography & Floor Plan Bundle | $315 |
| Photography & Drone Bundle | $400 |
| Aerial Photography/Videography (standalone) | $235 |
| Full Walk-Through Video | $200 |
| Social Media Vertical Reel | $125 |
| Virtual Staging (via StageBolt) | from ~$9/photo |
Full details on every package are on the services & pricing page.
Three things move the number most: square footage (more rooms means more time and more edited photos), whether drone or video is bundled in versus added separately, and turnaround speed — a same-day or next-day delivery standard, like every 37 Visuals shoot, costs more to run than a photographer who takes a week to deliver, but it's what gets a listing onto the MLS while it's still fresh.
Homes photographed professionally consistently outperform those shot on a phone: Redfin's analysis found professionally photographed listings sold roughly 32% faster than comparable listings shot without a professional, and a National Association of Realtors survey found 85% of buyers rank photos as the single most important factor when evaluating a listing online. A $250 photo shoot is a small fraction of a typical commission — the bigger cost is usually a listing that sits, or gets skipped over, because the photos didn't do the home justice.
For most standard listings, Standard Photography alone covers what's needed. A floor plan is worth adding whenever layout and flow are selling points. Drone earns its cost on larger lots, waterfront, or new construction. Video and reels help listings that are being promoted on social media in addition to the MLS. Twilight photography is worth considering for listings that need to stand out in a crowded price bracket — it's priced the same as a standard shoot, just scheduled at dusk.