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Who owns the photos taken during a property listing?
What are the rights and permissions associated with those photos?
Listing photos are typically owned by the listing agent, as they commission the photography.
Homeowners may need to obtain permission from the listing agent or photographer to use the photos.
The contract between the homeowner and listing agent often specifies the ownership and usage rights of listing photos.
Real estate companies may have contracts that outline the ownership and usage of photos taken for a listing.
Homeowners cannot use the original listing photos without permission from the original agent or photographer if they sell their property privately or with a different agent.
Homeowners may be able to purchase the photos from the agent or photographer if they want to use them.
Photographers who take listing photos typically own the copyright to those photos.
Improper use of listing photographs can create legal problems for agents, brokerages, and MLSs.
The authorship and ownership of photographs within the real estate industry are often "fractured," with varying usage rights.
Listing photographs may be taken by homeowners, but they still need to respect copyright laws and usage rights.
A simple photo of a house on a stock photo website like Getty Images can cost around $500 for a non-exclusive, royalty-free image.
Professional real estate photographers often charge for their services and retain copyright ownership of the photos they take.
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