Drones in Real Estate: 3 Tips for Sellers

There are many things that home sellers can do to make their home more attractive to buyers. In recent years, one of the things that sellers have started to do to market their homes is to make an aerial video of their property using drones. Drone technology enables homeowners to show off their property in a way that was almost impossible just a few decades ago. Knowing the advantages of drones and how to maximize the appearance of the home with drone technology can help you make your home selling experience more successful and profitable.

Why Use Drones?

Drones allow home buyers to see what a home looks like from the sky. This gives buyers a unique perspective and ability to appreciate the layout of the house as well as the size of the property. Drones can also be flown indoors if they're used by a skillful pilot. This enables home buyers to see the flow of the house on the inside, to grasp how each room relates to the other.

When are Drones Most Beneficial?

Drones are most beneficial for sellers who are trying to market homes that are large and seated on sprawling properties. Small homes on smaller properties can easily look dwarfed in a drone video, if the drone flies too high. For this reason, many homeowners with modest properties choose not to get drone photography or video.

Tips for Using Drones

If you're a homeowner who would like to use drone photography or videography to market your home to buyers, there are many things you can do to ensure that your experience using a drone company will be a good one.

1. Hire a Reputable, Experienced Company

Hire a reputable drone company to get the work done. The more reputable the company, the better quality the work will be. When vetting drone companies, check references to ensure that their previous customers were happy with their work. Get a quote from several companies to compare and find the best deal for you. If you're not sure which companies to start with, get referrals from your real estate professional.

2. Stage Your Property

Stage your property before making drone photographs or videos. If the drone will be taking exterior pictures or videos, stage your entire property, not just your house. Clean your siding and windows, remove debris from your garden beds and trim your shrubs. Finally, look critically at your lawn, driveway and other parts of your house to ensure that clutter is removed before the drone takes its flight. Drone photography is not cheap and you'll want to make the best of your experience by making your property look good.

3. It's Not a Stand-In for Professional Photography

Drone photography, though interesting and beautiful, is not a stand-in for professional photography. Darren Robertson, Realtor of Fairfax Condos, says, “You'll still need to hire a real estate photographer to take still pictures of your property for the listing. Drone photography is not very precise and is always taken from an aerial perspective, which makes it very different from professional real estate photography.” You'll still need to hire a real estate photographer to take still pictures of your property for the listing. Drone photography is not very precise and is always taken from an aerial perspective, which makes it very different from professional real estate photography.

Work with a Real Estate Professional

If you're a New Brighton homeowner who would like to sell your home soon and you're not sure whether to use drone photography or videography, talk to a real estate professional. Your real estate agent can help you decide whether drones can help you sell your home, and if not, what kind of marketing techniques to use instead.