What's the purpose of real estate photography?

It depends on who you are:

• For a seller, it's to get buyers interested in your house
• For a buyer, it's to entice you to follow-up with the agent so you'll go see the home
• For an agent, it's to build your brand reputation so you'll win the listings you want

A recent article on PetaPixel highlighted the difference professional photography can make in the selling process.

Orlando, Florida, photographer Harry Lim made pictures of a home that had remained unsold for 224 days. A new realtor took on the clients' home, hired Harry, and the home sold eight days later. The article shows before/after photos that tell the story.

Did the photographs sell the house? It's impossible to know for certain but this much can be said: Harry's attractive photographs did a better job of enticing a buyer.