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Is It Worth Buying Real Estate Drones?

aerial view of farm taken by drone real estate marketing

In hot real estate markets, the smallest improvements to your property can make all the difference.

But sometimes, the trick is not in repainting the exterior or raking away dead leaves on the lawn but rather changing how your market your home.

Potential buyers will most likely visit a listing website to narrow down their picks. Here, the quality and style of your photos can make or break your chances of a successful sale.

One thing real estate owners and marketers are doing to increase appeal are including aerial drone shots and footage of the property.

This often involves hiring a professional real estate drone photographer.

But is the extra cost worth it? Do drone photos make a difference in how quickly you make a sale?

Short answer: yes, they do make a difference.

The Data

Real estate drones
Data from Multiple Listing Services (MLS) 

Data from Multiple Listing Services (MLS) shows that listings that include aerial images sell 68 percent quicker than those without. 

Listings that include video tours with some drone footage included attracting more potential buyers than listings with no video at all. 

If you are in the real estate business, as either a seller or marketer, try it yourself. Pick two properties ideally within the same price range, similar features and in the same location.

Include professional drone photos in one and use traditional ground-level images in the other. Document how much interest each property receives and how quickly it sells.

Chances are that the listing with drone photos will attract more potential buyers and sell faster.

Why Real Estate Drones Photos Make all the Difference

Real Estate Drones

1. Real Estate Drones Show More Detail

This is the biggest advantage of using aerial shots in your property listings.

A ground level photo is very limited in what it can show. You’ll need dozens of images to show the curb, the lawn at the back, the swimming pool, driveway, and other features.

Potential buyers never really get a quick overall look of the property, making it harder for them to make a decision.

An aerial photo, in contrast, provides a lot more detail in just a single photo. The buyer can see the beautiful front yard, the paintwork on the exterior, the roofing and part of the backyard.

You can showcase features like a swimming pool, flower garden and outdoor sitting area in one shot.

Buyers can make a quick decision based on just one photo instead of having to click through multiple images of different features.

Note: I’m not saying you ditch traditional photos. If anything, they should still make up a bulk of the media on your listing. They are great for displaying specific features up close and showing finer detail that an aerial shot might miss. Just add 1-3 aerial photos to provide a different perspective to potential buyers.

2. Real Estate Drones Go Beyond The Property

The amount of detail in an aerial photo is not limited to the property. A good aerial shot also shows the surroundings.

If you want to give potential buyers an idea of what the neighborhood looks like, a drone photo can help.

It’s great for showing surrounding features like a lake or a park.

Adding more detail beyond the property makes the listing even more appealing to buyers.

3. Real Estate Drones Attract More Attention

An aerial photo has a certain stunning quality that traditional photos cannot match. It’s like a panoramic photo but from above.

This is bound to draw more eyes to your property listing. But to get the full benefits of an aerial shot, use it as the feature image.

This ensures that it’s the photo people see first when browsing through listings.

How Much Does Real Estate Photography Cost?

Real Estate Photography Cost
Note that you must hire a licensed drone operator. Anyone using a drone for commercial purposes must have a Remote Pilot Certificate

Professional real estate drone photographers usually charge a flat package fee that depends on the number of photos you need, whether you also want a video and if you’ll need post-production services.

For 10 photos, the cost is around $200-$300. For a bigger package of 20-25 photos, the rate is $400-$600.

Some will include a 1-2 minute video in their package while others charge separately. Long videos of around 5 minutes can cost as much as $1,000.

 

 

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