Sponsored by JobforDrones, your global Drone network.
Most people know that aerial photography via drone is being used today to help sell real estate. Is it worth it? Here are four reasons why we think that it is – and some advice on how to do it well.
1.) Aerial photography broadens the reach of your listing.
If you think back to the old days, real estate was marketed and sold in different ways. Some sellers choose not to have a sign in front of a house, and the listing broker was contacted by a prospect or contacted by another broker regarding your property.
More traditionally, a sign would be placed in the front yard and listings were posted digitally in something like the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This would broaden the reach of potential buyers to those that drive by and those that search listing on services on-line. Fast forward to today: aerial photography helps to broaden that audience to show not only the property (the exterior and grounds) but also the neighborhood, and the best selling features.
2.) You are selling more than a house, you are selling a lifestyle.
Thumb through any mainstream magazine and you will see that everything from make-up for women to Viagra for men is displayed as a “lifestyle.” Watches, shoes, suits, handbags, and vacations all speak to lifestyle. Why would the largest purchase that you ever make be any different? If you believe the adage of “location, location, location,” aerial photography helps to show off the best features in the immediate vicinity of the property. If there is a pool in a condo complex, an aerial shot of that pool – or of a delicious looking fruity drink on a stand with a umbrellas on it – help to convey emotion and tell a story. Notice the billboard signs for cars: most are 60% car, 40% or more attractive driver and passenger having fun. They want people to think: “Wow, that looks like fun! That could be me if I buy this car!” In the same way, aerial photography of a tennis or golf club near a new home might be just the ticket to interest qualified buyers to take a second look.
3.) Aerial photography tells a story.
This is true for all type of buyers; but especially high end ones. For example, one buyer of a condo in the mountains said that one of the primary selling features was a bus going frequently to the local ski area. The idea of being able to roll out of bed, jump into your ski clothes and be on the mountain in 20 minutes is very appealing to the segment of buyers looking for ski houses, especially to those with children.
Showing an aerial video of the bus, and then the mountain off in the near distance gives people perspective on the distance between two distinct locations in a meaningful way.
4.) Aerial images can highlight all of the appealing features in the area.
This is really showing things outside of the property itself. If the home is in a good school district, an aerial video of the cool new school may be just the ticket. Showing the new school fields, where parents can envision their children happily running, shows homebuyers an important feature of the community. For a different type of property, seniors might like the idea of the new tennis courts, library, or community center. Any buyer might like the tennis courts, the cool library, or the new safety center if the area appeals to multiple types of “buying personas.”
Once you’ve decided to use aerial footage to market a home, make sure that you do it well.
- Remember like all good advertising you are telling a story. Understanding the market for a property and then telling a story will help you to broaden the reach of your properties, and identify those potential buyers who will be a good fit for the listing.
- The more expensive the property, the better the video should be. If it is high end property your potential audience is quite small, by casting the widest net it will allow you to be likely to reach the smaller group of potential buyers virtually.
- Play to the properties strengths. If it is a beach property show more of the beach. If schools, then focus on that. If you make a list of the type of potential buyers, make sure the aerial video plays to their needs. For some properties, you may need to create segmented marketing pieces based upon buying personas such as older retired buyers, young families, or young professionals.
Taking good video and photographs is an art. It has been said that baking cookies for the open house helps prospective buyers to like a home: and crisp, clean professional quality video and audio will do the same thing.
Need to find a professional drone photographer to help out with your video? Check out Jobfordrones.com to find a provider in your area whom can hep out with that aerial video.