What Should You Know about Aerial Real Estate Photography?

By Realty Times Published Jul 3, 2023 05:57 am

One of the most important parts of real estate marketing is photography. When you can step outside the box and make your real estate photos true standouts, that’s the best way to garner the attention you want and need for each of the properties you’re selling.

One way to set yourself apart right now and provide a fresh perspective in your listings’ photos is aerial photography.

Aerial photography is a growing trend that will let you create distinctive marketing campaigns.

Aerial photography is a great way to give potential buyers a different view of a property and show details they wouldn’t otherwise see.

The Benefits of Aerial Photography

Aerial photography is a good way to give a broader perspective of a property. For example, it’s often discussed how important the neighborhood is, especially to millennial buyers. Imagine being able to show how a particular property fits within a neighborhood and what the surroundings look like.

You can show a neighborhood’s key amenities and give a true feel for what the community is like on a much larger scale than you would otherwise be able to do.

There’s also a sense of novelty with aerial photos that may just keep someone from scrolling past a listing.

Research has found that listings that utilize aerial photos close 68% faster than those that don’t, and 83% of sellers prefer to work with an agent who uses drones.

Along with still photos taken from a drone, you can also do aerial videos.

Finding a Photographer

You’ll need to work with someone who has the proper drone technology and knows how to capture amazing and breathtaking aerial photos.

When you hire someone to do aerial photography, they need a great drone equipped with a professional-grade camera.

You’ll need someone with liability insurance because it is possible a drone can crash. You may also want to hire someone licensed as a drone pilot operator because they’re going to know about the laws surrounding drone use—for example, they’ll know to avoid no-fly zones.

A drone pilot operator or anyone who is going to take your pictures aerially should have an FAA license, and you should verify this.

A drone pilot or aerial photographer should have a portfolio of similar work you can look at.

As with any real estate photos, you’re also going to need editing because the raw image isn’t going to look refined and complete.

Preparing for an Aerial Session

When you’ve found a qualified professional to take your photos, you want to do a walkthrough of the areas you’ll be photographing and filming the day of.

Make sure everything is cleaned up as much as you can manage, just like you would for an interior photoshoot.

You also want to ensure there aren’t any people around, because again, drones can crash, and they can hurt people or damage property.

The time of day is important, as is the weather. You’re going to need a sunny day, and you’ll need to think about how the sun hits the house at any given time. For example, in the morning hours, if the sun hits the front of a house, it’s a good time for aerial photos. In the afternoon, there will probably be too much shadow.

While hiring a drone pilot to shoot your listing is an investment, if you’re selling a home that’s over $350,000, it’s something you should consider. It’s likely to pay for itself, and you may even be able to build out your personal brand as a real estate professional because of your aerial photos and videos.