In real estate, the competition is brutal. So how do you gain an edge?
You can set your listings apart from the rest with high-quality photography and video, particularly if you use the latest weapon in real estate marketing – dramatic videos shot by drones.
You’ve probably see majestic shots as the camera sweeps in high over a cliff-top mansion, waves crashing on the rocks below. Of course, no helicopter pilots were harmed making that shot; it was filmed by an unmanned (and unwomanned) drone operated by remote control.
Drone photography has revolutionised the way properties are now photographed. If you’re keen to give it a try, here’s what you need to know before you dive in.
1. Drones Are Affordable
Agents used to get aerial shots using helicopters and aeroplanes, which costs thousands of dollars. Drones slash the price, making it affordable.
Drone videos give potential buyers a birds-eye view of things like:
- What the kids’ walk home from school looks like
- The neighbourhood and surrounding area
- The home’s landscape, garden and swimming pools
However, is it’s important that you use a qualified person …
2. Drones Don’t Do It All
A drone is not able to shoot all the photography and video that you need for your listings. There are certain things they don’t do well including:
- Interiors of small spaces like apartments or condos
- Standard, street-level shots that are expected in most listings
- Homes hidden by trees or other buildings
However, with the right property drones can make a world of difference.
3. Some Homes Aren’t Suitable
It could be power lines or simply an ugly roof line. Maybe most of the house is hidden under a canopy of trees. Or, perhaps the immediate neighbourhood has more to hide than reveal in stark detail from the air.
There are also properties where drone flight is dangerous or prohibited such as:
- densely populated urban areas
- properties near main roads/thoroughfares, or adjacent to crowded public spaces (parks, schools, etc.)
- condominiums and apartment buildings
Each property needs to be assessed individually in terms of its’ features and surroundings, to ensure you get a great outcome.
4. Homes Enhanced By Aerial Views
Homes that benefit from aerial videos tend to be at the upper end of the market. Grand homes in green expanses dotted with trees and colourful gardens. The sort of properties that work best are:
- High-end homes with pools and grounds
- Waterfront properties
- Acreages and green space
- Farms and commercial properties
Homes with an especially spectacular pool or rooftop garden, or homes that utilise an unusual space in an architecturally exciting way.
5. You Need A Professional
Making sure the drone operator is in possession of a Single-Operation Special Flight Operation Certificate, or SFOC certificate is as important for a realtor as it is for the drone pilot.
At Pixilink we offer aerial stills and video. We’re experienced aerial photographers, and we’re happy to show you samples of our work.
