Given the right property, drone photos and/or video can work really well when marketing a property. Sometimes only an aerial view of a home or its location can show prospective buyers the lifestyle, features, and conveniences of a particular home.
However, you need to make sure you hire a fully licensed professional drone operator who carries liability insurance for any third-party damage that might be caused (unfortunately, sometimes accidents *do* happen).
The next step is to prepare the property for drone photos and/or video. What needs to be done isn't always obvious since the view from a drone is much different from what can be seen from the ground.
So what should you do?
Here are five things you should consider to get the most out of your drone photos:
1. Clear the yard of all clutter, such as toys, garden hoses, bicycles, and garbage cans. When excess clutter is removed, viewers can see the garden, lawn, patio or deck more clearly giving the perception of a spacious property to the viewer.
2. Clean the pool, patio pavers, decking, and driveway a day or two before the shoot so that everything has time to dry. As a photographer, I've arrived at many homes to find the homeowners or agent still tidying up, which makes things more difficult for everyone involved. Avoid delays and get everything done so that the shoot runs smoothly.
3. The roof will be visible in most drone shots so try to have the roof and gutters cleaned. You want potential buyers to see that the home has been maintained, not deterring them with a damaged, dirty, or leaf-covered roof or clogged gutters. If necessary, arrange for a professional cleaning.
4. Let the neighbors know that you're having drone come to take photos and/or video, and let them know the date and time of the shoot so they know what's going on. We don't want a situation like this one where a neighbor was sunbathing topless, or where the neighbor decides to mow his lawn or the kids next door are outside playing. When you let everyone know what's going on, and when, you'll get much better results (and keep the neighbors happy)!
5. Make sure the weather is ideal on the day of the shoot, and talk with the photographer if you have any questions. Overcast days aren't necessarily bad, and can actually help with some properties if there is too much of a difference between bright and shaded areas, but in the case of rain you will want to reschedule.
Conclusion:
Drone photos and/or video can be a great way to market some properties. Doing the right things to prepare the property before the photo shoot will help you to get the most out of your photo session.
If you would like to schedule a drone photo/video session, please feel free to contact Charm City Virtual Tours at 410-707-3306.