Drone Photography and Real Estate Marketing in 2017

Showing the property in its setting

The October 2017 article considered aerial photography for both properties for sale and homes offered for rent. A view from above could show a building’s setting, outdoor space and relationship to nearby streets in a way that an interior photograph could not.

It cited a National Association of Realtors survey in which 44% of respondents had used drones and 18% planned to do so. Those historical survey figures did not demonstrate a guaranteed improvement in an individual property’s sale or lease results.

A useful image still needed accurate context

The discussion addressed flight planning, preparing the property and choosing the images a marketing package would need. Aerial views of a roof or yard could supplement other photographs, but they did not replace a building inspection, a survey or proof of a legal property boundary.

The appropriate sequence, angle and amount of editing depended on the property. Images needed to represent the setting honestly rather than conceal a condition or imply that adjacent land belonged to the seller.

Flight rules and operator responsibilities

The archive recalled FAA changes discussed in 2016 and raised licensing, registration, airspace, safety and privacy questions. Those historical descriptions are not current operating instructions or permission to fly at a particular address.

Before treating aerial work as part of a property-marketing plan, the relevant questions include who will perform it, what permissions are needed, what the fee includes and which images will be delivered. This article does not claim that the brokerage currently provides drone services.

Costs and outcomes were not universal

The account included a range of historical photography prices. A job’s scope and location could change its cost. Promotional claims about faster sales, engagement or returns were not independently established here and should not be treated as predictable results.