FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General

When will my work be ready?

HPS Turnaround Times 

Standard – Next day by 5pm

Same Day Rush – by 11:59pm

Morning Rush – Next morning by 11am

Measurements: Next day by 5pm. Rush services available.

Photos: Next day by 5pm. Rush services available.

Property Website: Next day by 5pm. 

MLS Data Collection: Next day by 5pm. Rush services available. 

Videography/Drone: Next day by 5pm.

Matterport: 24 to 48hrs – No rush service available due to processing time. 

Z3D Virtual Tour: Typically 24hrs – If we receive this work back in time to deliver with a Same Day or Morning Rush order, we’ll add the appropriate fee. Otherwise, we’ll notify you via email when this file has been posted to your account.

Social Media Walk Through: Typically 24-48hrs – If we receive this work back in time to deliver with a Same Day or Morning Rush order, we’ll add the appropriate fee. Otherwise, we’ll notify you via email when this file has been posted to your account.

Virtual Staging: 48hrs – no rush service available.

Virtual Renovation: Turnaround subject to variance due to scope of work – turnaround will be determined during initial quote. 

Do you offer a virtual tour?

Yes, we offer a highly customizable virtual tour platform for your photography orders. We’ve branded these tours as “Property Websites” due to confusion caused by the virtual tour title. Sample Property Websites can be seen here: Property Website Sample

Can HPS do aerial photography and video services?

Yes, our videography team is licensed to provide video and aerial services! See services page for more details.

Does HPS do videography work?

Yes! Our team offers this great service- see services page.

What if I need to cancel or reschedule? Is there a fee?
  • Orders Canceled or Rescheduled after 4pm on the day prior to the scheduled appointment could result in charges equal to 50% of estimated order price. Appointments will be rescheduled at the next possible opening. 
  • We reserve the right to reschedule any appointments if we are unable to reach you or your listed contacts to confirm appointment details or access information. If our team is unable to access the property on appointment day with the instructions given, this fee may also be incurred. 
What if the house isn’t ready when you get there?

If the home isn’t ready or if it will take you longer than 15 minutes to clean or prepare, the appointment will be rescheduled for another day and a cancellation fee will be charged.

Do you offer mini-appraisals?

No. According to the North Carolina Appraisal Board, there is no such thing as a mini-appraisal. Any appraiser providing a market value on a home must have an appraisal report to accompany this opinion, so there is not a responsible way to discount this service.

What is a “jumbo house”?

Any home with over 3500 sf of finished area, walk-in attic area, and/or basement area.

I don’t know how big this house is–what size do I select?

Just make an educated guess. This feature is just to help provide a cost estimate.

I have a very sensitive client/homeowner. How do you handle these appointments?

We are very accustomed to showing the highest level of respect while at your client’s home. We remove our shoes, and work quickly to remove any clutter, turn lights on, and open blinds.

How far out are you scheduled?

This varies based on the time of year, but we are typically between 2-5 business days out. If there is a certain day/time that you need, please allow as much time as possible.

Home Measurements

What is the most reliable way to determine the square footage of a home?

The most reliable way is to have a licensed appraiser or certified home measuring specialist measure the home according to North Carolina Real Estate Commission guidelines. Using an old appraisal, prior listing sketch, tax records, or builders plans are NOT considered reliable and are not accepted by the NCREC during a challenge process or litigation.

Why is it required for homes to be professionally measured prior to listing?

In additional to the NCREC requiring a current measurement to be done on every listing, it is imperative that the accurate square footage is used for listing and pricing a home. In a market like ours where buyers and sellers use price-per-square-foot to make decisions, accurate square footage can make or break a deal. We’ve seen contracts lost, commissions lost, or lawsuits filed due to inaccurate square footage. Its the least expensive way to protect you and your client during the listing process! Hire a professional and leave the measuring to us.

If I don’t select “Detailed Interior Floorplan,” do I still get a sketch?

Yes, your sketch will include a perimeter drawing of the home, garage, and all porches and deck areas. Interior walls will not be drawn, but rooms will be labeled with dimensions.

How do you measure homes?

We use the most cutting edge technology to provide the most accurate sketches possible. We utilize a laser measuring device and iPad for sketch entry, which allows for instantaneous calculations and data verification. Our team carefully follows the guidelines laid out by ANSI and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, assuring you get every last square foot of living area!

How is your team qualified to measure listings?

Our team is comprised of appraisers and certified home measuring specialists, trained in the intricacies of home measuring. With over 20,000 houses measured, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands.

MLS Data Collection

Is it possible for HPS to enter all of the information into the MLS for me?

Yes it is! This service includes entry of all photos, room dimensions, and data collected in the MLS data collection process. This service starts at $100, and is a turn-key service. Our team will need an admin login, which can be easily obtained at a cost of $45/quarter through the TMLS office.

What is the MLS Data Collection service?

While at your listing measuring it, our team will go through the house and collect all of the information needed to enter a new listing into the TMLS. This includes information like the flooring type, heat source, upgrades, tax id number, and school zones. This information is compiled into a pdf document and emailed to you for entry into the TMLS. The service starts at $100 and is a huge time saver! A sample of our MLS Collection pdf can be found Here!

Do you have MLS access? Can I give you the lockbox code? ShowingTime?

Yes! Our team has access to MLS and ShowingTime, and can be given lockbox codes, Sentrilock codes, and even use ShowingTime to schedule appointments.

Photography

Z3D Floor Plans

Floor plans provided with the Z3D Virtual Tours cannot be used for building or design purposes. Sizes and dimensions are approximate.
Total internal size and room count are from property listing.
Floor plans created by Zillow are based on data submitted through the Zillow 3D Home® app. All dimensions are approximate and subject to independent verification.

How do I use my Social Media Walk Through?

Your Social Media Walk Through was mostly designed for use on social media platforms; but there is nothing stopping you from putting it on MLS! 

When you receive your order you will get two Vimeo links. One is an MLS compliant link and the other is for downloading. You will need the MLS link for entry in MLS and the download link is to download the video so that it can be uploaded to the social media platform of your choice.  When copying links make sure you are copying the link address and not just the link text. If you aren’t sure you have the correct address, click the link and copy the link from the address bar in your browser.

 

How do I download my photos from HPS?

Once your order is paid for, you will have immediate access to download your files by logging into your HarmonPS account. Go to My Account and click on My Files. There you will see a list of your files starting with the most recently uploaded. All photography and videography is now delivered via Google Drive or Vimeo link. To download your photos:

  • Click the link supplied in the My Files section.
  • A new tab will open with a google drive folder named after your address.
  • Click the upside down triangle next to the address to reveal the dropdown menu.
  • Scroll down to Download. Google drive will create a .zip file and your download will then begin.

To Unzip (extract) downloaded files or folders:

Windows

  1. Locate the zipped folder downloaded from the HPS website. It should automatically go to the downloads folder.
  2. Move the folder from downloads to your documents folder.
  3. To unzip (extract) all the contents of the zipped folder right click and select Extract All, and then follow the instructions.

Mac

  1. Locate the zipped folder downloaded from the HPS website. It should automatically go to the downloads folder.
  2. Move the folder from downloads to your documents folder.
  3. To unzip (extract) all the contents of the zipped folder, simply double click the zipped folder.
How are photos delivered?

Once your order is ready, we will email you a link to pay online. After your order is paid for, you can immediately access and download your files by logging into your HarmonPS account, and going to My Account -> My Files.

What happens if it is raining on the day of my photos?
  • We will plan to shoot and send photos “as-is”, assuming it isn’t heavy rain. Blue Sky Replacements are now complimentary. All exterior photos will receive a sky replacement when deemed necessary and possible.

  • If it is requested for us to come back another day to photograph just the exterior of the home, we will plan to continue the regularly scheduled appointment including the interior photos and set up a return trip for the exterior photos. Bundle discounts only apply to single trip appointments.

  • If you decide to cancel or reschedule the full appointment for that day, our cancellation policy and fee will be automatically applied.

What are “detail photos”?

These are an add-on photography service, where we focus on the details of the home and staging items to help set a feel for the home via photos. These photos really set your listing apart, and make it look like it is straight out of a magazine! See our Portfolio for samples of this work.

 

What do I need to do to get ready for photography on my listing?

Excellent question! We have created a checklist to help assist with this process. You can download and view the checklist to ensure you are prepared.