For some properties, it is important to showcase the landscaping, the size of the lot, and the surrounding area. This can be best shown off with utilizing drone photography and drone videography. In Canada, you have to be careful about flight locations as the drone regulations set by Transport Canada have shifted.Make sure you hire a professional drone operator who is fully licensed and is covered by insurance for any third-party damage they might cause. Ensure that they have passed their Advanted Drone Exam and have their paperwork in order because you may both be fined by Transport Canada if you are operating outside of their rules.
Now that that is out of the way, the next important step is to properly prepare the home for a drone photo or video, and what’s needed is not always obvious because the view a drone captures is going to be significantly different to the one we see at ground level.
So what do you need to do?
Here Are Five Things You Should Consider Doing To Get More Out Of Your Real Estate Drone Photos:
1. Clear the yard of all clutter, such as toys, garden hoses, bikes and especially bins. When you remove all of that excess you show more garden, lawn or porch, and that translates into the perception of it being a more spacious property.
2. Clean the pool, paving or timber decking a day or two before the drone shots so that everything has time to dry (assuming water is being used to clean those hard surfaces), and make sure you or the homeowners are able to complete everything. As a photographer, I’ve arrived at many homes at the scheduled time only to find the owners or agent still cleaning the yard because things didn’t quite go to plan, or we are waiting for the driveway to dry and that makes things difficult for everyone. Avoid those issues, and get things done early so that the day of the shoot runs perfectly.
3. The roof will be clearly visible in most drone shots of a property so have the roof and gutters cleaned out. You want buyers to see that the home is well cared for, so a damaged, dirty, or leaf-covered roof and guttering is not the message you want to be sharing. Arrange to have it professionally cleaned and you’ll have buyers that are calling you, not buyers running away.
4. Tell the neighbors that you’ll be having a drone photo shoot or video, and give them details about the day and time of the photo session so that they know what’s going on. We don’t want a situation like this one where the neighbor was enjoying a topless sunbathing session, or where you have the kids next door clearly visible in the video. Keep everyone clearly informed on what’s happening, and when, and you’ll have a much better video or image collection and happier neighbors. It is very time consuming and no longer required for the drone operator to inform your neighbours, and it may be a kind gesture to let them know ahead of time so no one is caught off guard.
5. Make sure the weather is ideal on the day, and speak to the photographer if you have any questions. An overcast day can be great depending on the goal of the shoot, and can actually help with some properties (overcast means you will have less shadows so landscaping is evenly lit and easier to see which can be a plus if a property has a lot of detail work), but if it’s raining then it definitely won’t work. Drones are unable to fly in rain or in extreme cold.
Conclusion:
Having a great drone photo shoot or video is a great way to promote some properties (though not all), so be sure to make the most of your photo session by doing the helpful things before the day of the shoot.
