Top Picks for the Best Real Estate Photo Retouching Software in 2022

Every year, program developers of editing software release an iteration of their software which contains more features and better usability that their predecessors. It usually contains easier-to-use commands that come as a learning from many years of usage. Real estate photo retouching is one of those that have benefited from this type of improvement. The best real estate retouching software known to most editors have enjoyed added convenience and additional enhancements that made them the choice they are today.
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We take a look at the top picks from this year in the real estate photo retouching application space. To people’s surprise, the names that have come out are mostly the dominant forces in real estate photo retouching over the years. A few have emerged as a challenger but have made their names in the free-to-use category which isn’t all too bad when you actually try to get your hands on it.
So, what makes these applications the best real estate photo retouching software? Are they the ones that bring in bang for your buck? Or are they so easy to use that anyone can simply jump in and start creating? It’s definitely more than just these. Judging a real estate photo retouching software requires understanding of several facets, key features, and more importantly, its comparison to others that are available in the market. After all, if you cannot find one that fits your needs, doesn’t mean you won’t get anything at all right? It’s all a matter of being able to cop the one which you can work with and learn it further from there.
The Best Features of Every Editing Software
When checking out the best real estate photo retouching software you can shortlist, it will be a good move to look at what key features could be deal breakers or not depending on their availability. Some would have the convenience factor that you need while others would bring the ability to execute the more complex techniques and such criteria must be included when conducting the hunt.
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Layering
You may want to put this on top of your list as the layers feature is a great way for you to execute clean edits. Real estate photo retouching is quite the demanding job when it comes to cleanliness and layering up can definitely help in keeping each object within the photo in check while allowing the creative hand to thrive. Most real estate photo retouching services never work without the aid of layers and there is no reason for you not to as well.
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Stacking
Mainly for HDR shots, stacking could prove to be a useful feature for any real estate photo retouching professional. This is because HDR comes in handy when bracketed images are in play. Editors who possess multiple shots of the same frame in varying exposures can get a real kick of convenience out of stacking images instead of manually blending them, which of course is not a limitation but a more efficient way to go about it.
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Select and Remove
The best real estate photo retouching software will come with reliable selection tools for you to isolate and remove any object you wish to take out. Such may be useful for requirements in sky replacement, virtual staging, object removal, and the likes. Real estate photo retouching will need to work heavily on making the photo look perfect at high standards and with this comes the work to replace key items which will make it exude vibrance.
Paying for a Software Subscription
Most of the best real estate photo retouching software comes with a price tag. You may come across expensive ones and those that are hefty on the pocket while on the other side of the fence there may be those that don’t break the bank. Paying for them will have different implications and here are some of them should you find yourself in a crossroad.
Pros
It’s a motivator of sorts. Paying for a subscription fee keeps you on your toes as you need to ensure you are earning to cover for what you are shelling out. Another good reason why subscriptions are an advantage is because they deliver quality and premium content. This does not necessarily mean that free software will not bring good results but even the free software will have content that is exclusive to paying subscribers.
Cons
The downside of having subscription fee? It depends if you are just starting out on your journey in real estate photo retouching. You may need to keep on disbursing without having the income to pad you on this, which may be overwhelming.
What Do Real Estate Professional Editors Use?
Taking a peek into what professionals would most likely use, they are the brands we’ve known too well. They have stood the test of time and have given use reason to be excited for the next iterations in anticipation of what’s in store for real estate photo retouching.
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Adobe
a. Photoshop
This has spanned decades, allowing editors to enjoy the precision and complexity of being able to manipulate images. It also has an array of tools that range from the simplest of a text addition tool all the way to background replacements and lasso tools.
b. Lightroom
File organization while being able to edit is the trademark of Adobe Lightroom. Editors will not need to look further once they are able to get their hands on Adobe’s products, making them the consistent top picks even this 2022. You may even forego Photoshop if you have edited well enough with this.
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Skylum
a. Aurora HDR
Stacking bracketed shots? Aurora HDR has got you covered as a specialized real estate photo retouching tool. It’s got AI to back it up in getting you the perfect color gradients, so you need to worry less about what you need to do and focus on what’s next.
b. Luminar AI
Much like Adobe Photoshop, Luminar AI provides a wide array of tools to get the job covered with the added bonus of AI. This now gives you more time to work on more photos while thinking less about how to execute them as the background algorithm has got you covered.
Final Thoughts
2022 has brought us the familiar names we know in real estate photo retouching, and they have not failed to impress all of us due to their completeness and potential. Take your pick, explore, and make the most of what you’ve gotten. This formula may sound cliché but it’s a tried and tested way to get you where you want to be.
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