Why Offering Real Estate Photography & Video on Commission is a Terrible Idea

So, a big-shot real estate broker tells you:

💰 “I love your work! Let’s partner up, and I’ll pay you a commission once the property sells. We’ll both make millions!”

Sounds tempting, right? Huge potential payout, big opportunity, maybe even a dream project.

🚨 STOP. 🚨

This is a trap—and I’ve learned the hard way. Working on commission as a real estate photographer or videographer is a disaster waiting to happen. Here’s why.

1. You Are a Service Provider, NOT a Salesperson

Your job is to deliver high-quality media assets—not to close real estate deals.

If you agree to a commission-based payment, you’re betting on factors that are 100% out of your control:

• Will the property actually sell?
• Is the agent even competent?
• Will the homeowner agree to a realistic price?
• Will the buyer follow through with the purchase?
• Will the market shift before the deal closes?

👉 None of these things are within your power.

A commission deal means you could put in all the work, produce incredible videos, and still walk away with $0.

2. You Invest Time, Money & Effort – They Risk Nothing

When you agree to shoot on commission, you’re putting up all the risk, while the agent risks nothing.

Let’s break it down:

✅ You provide:

• Your time
• Your skills
• Your camera gear
• Editing costs
• Maybe even paid models, lighting, or location fees

❌ They provide:

• Empty promises and “exposure”

If the deal falls through for any reason, you’ve just worked for free. That’s a losing formula.

3. Homeowners Can Kill the Deal (and Your Paycheck)

Even if the agent is amazing and you produce the most stunning listing video ever… the homeowner can still ruin everything.

🏡 Scenario I’ve Personally Experienced:

• The homeowner thinks their property is worth WAY more than it actually is.
• The agent lists it at market price.
• The owner refuses to accept any offers below their inflated number.
• Months go by.
• The listing never sells.
• You never get paid.

See the problem? It doesn’t matter how good your content is—if the homeowner won’t budge, no one makes money.

4. The Agent Might Be the Problem

Not all real estate agents are equal. Some are top-tier professionals who close deals left and right. Others? Not so much.

🚩 Red Flags You Might Be Working with a Bad Agent:

• They’re disorganized, missing calls from buyers.
• They don’t actively market the property.
• They overpriced the listing to impress the seller.
• They disappear or stop communicating after you’ve delivered the content.

Even if you create a Hollywood-level real estate video, the sale depends on their hustle, their strategy, and their connections.

Would you bet your paycheck on someone else’s work ethic?

🚨 I wouldn’t. 🚨

5. Commission-Based Work is Probably Illegal Anyway

Here’s something most people don’t realize:

💡 It’s illegal for a real estate agent to pay you a commission if you’re not a licensed real estate professional.

Every U.S. state has laws about who can legally receive commission-based payment for real estate transactions. If you’re not a licensed real estate agent or broker, it’s likely against the law for them to pay you a cut of the sale price.

Even if the deal does close, they might not even be able to legally pay you.

6. The “Big Payout” is Never Worth the Wait

Real estate sales take time—sometimes months to close.

Even in a best-case scenario, where everything goes smoothly:

📅 Typical Timeline of a Real Estate Deal:

• Listing goes live: Month 1
• Marketing, open houses, showings: Months 2-3
• Offer accepted: Month 4
• Loan approval, closing process: Months 5-6
• Finally, the deal closes, and agent gets paid: Month 7

So, even if you DO get paid, it could be half a year or more before you see a dollar.

And that’s assuming everything goes perfectly.

7. You Have BETTER Clients Who Will Pay You UPFRONT

Why gamble on a commission deal when there are plenty of agents who will pay your full rate today?

📌 Pro Tip: Focus on working with:

• Luxury agents who understand the value of quality media.
• Established realtors with a track record of selling homes.
• Developers & brokerages with marketing budgets.

💰 The best agents KNOW high-quality media helps them close deals faster—so they’re willing to PAY UPFRONT.

Final Verdict: Flat Fees Only – No Commission Work

🔥 The Best Business Move:
📌 Charge a flat fee for every real estate project. Get paid upfront. Move on to the next gig.

If an agent refuses to pay upfront and only wants to work on commission, say this:

👉 “I don’t offer commission-based work, but I’m happy to shoot this for [your price]. If that works for you, let’s book the shoot.”

If they say no? Move on. There are a million other agents who will pay.

Takeaways – Learn From My Mistakes

🚫 NEVER work for free in the hopes of “getting paid later.”
🚫 DON’T rely on an agent’s sales skills to determine your income.
🚫 STAY AWAY from agents trying to “partner” with you on commission.

✅ Charge a fair price. Get paid upfront. Deliver great work. Move on.

🔽 Agree? Disagree? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And if you found this helpful, hit that like button, subscribe, and stay tuned for more real estate media tips. 🚀