Your listing pack is 64MB. Gmail rejects it. You break it into two emails. The buyer opens the first and forgets to open the second.
Property photos are heavy because they should be. The trick is sending the right size for the channel.
Match compression to channel
MLS or portal uploads — use originals. Buyer emails — compress hard. Print handouts at viewings — medium compression with original colour fidelity. Compress PDF lets you choose the trade-off. Sending the same uncompressed file everywhere wastes bandwidth on email and loses detail on print.
What you can lose without anyone noticing
JPEG compression at 60-70% quality is indistinguishable from original at viewing-handout scale. Resolution above 1500px on the long edge is wasted for screen viewing. Both are tweaks Flint applies automatically at the medium preset — you don't need to fiddle with settings.
What never to compress
Floor plans. They need to be sharp and readable. If your listing pack mixes photos and a floor plan, split PDF to extract the floor plan, leave it uncompressed, and only compress the photo section. Then merge back together. Slightly more work, much better result.
Test the compressed file
Open the compressed PDF on the device the buyer will use — usually a phone. If photos still look crisp at full screen, you've compressed correctly. If they look mushy, dial compression back. Most agents over-compress because they never look at the output on a real device.
FAQ
How small can a listing PDF safely get?
Under 5MB is achievable for most listings without visible quality loss at screen scale. Floor plans need slightly more.
Does compression hurt photo quality on professional prints?
Yes — for printed glossy brochures, use originals. Compression is for digital distribution where screen scale forgives the loss.
Should I compress before or after merging?
After merging — Flint can compress the combined file in one step. Compressing each input separately and then merging is more work for the same result.
What's the typical file size of a 30-photo listing PDF?
Uncompressed: 30-60MB depending on photographer settings. Compressed medium: 5-12MB. Aggressive: 2-4MB.
Send the right size for the channel. Compress your next listing in Flint and your buyers stop hitting download limits.