How We Use Drones in Real Estate (Part 1)

Dec 15, 2020

Drone photography and video is a great way to optimize real estate listings and have become increasingly popular within the competitive Austin real estate market. Learning how to use a drone for real estate is a valuable thing to learn for agencies and real estate agents in Austin. With drones, you can get visually-appealing still photos, extensive aerial shots, and even high-definition video content to make your real estate listings truly stand out to potential home buyers. Whether you are hiring professional photographers and videographers or you’re thinking of operating your own drone, it’s good to know some of the basics regarding drone real estate photography.

Choosing Between Hiring Professional Photographers or Doing It Yourself

Purchasing a camera-equipped drone and getting started with drone photography has become rather easy and inexpensive. However, there is a huge difference between being able to take photos with drones and taking professional-looking photos that will help attract home buyers to your real estate listings. If you are just a beginner, it is best to hire a professional photographer or videographer like ours at Bramlett Residential, specialized in drone real estate photography.

We Have the Right Camera-Equipped Drone

The explosive popularity of drones and drone cameras means that there are a ton of different models in the market. With so many choices, you must make sure to get the right type of camera-equipped drone. The equipment we use will meet your needs and ensure high-quality images appropriate for professional real estate listings. Look for a real estate agent that employs a camera with a resolution of 12 megapixels and higher. Our video drones are shot 4K video at 30 frames per second.

We Understand Local Laws and Golden Rules

Drone operation rules vary from country to country and even state to state. We’ve familiarized ourselves with the local laws and regulations in the Austin area. If you try to take your own drone photographs yourself, you may need to go through training and obtain flight clearance. Learn more about drone operation laws by consulting with the civil aviation authority. In addition to local laws, there are a few golden rules that you need to always follow including:

Do not operate drones near airports, airfields, or aircraft.
Keep drones at least 150 feet away from property and people.
Fly drones below 400 feet from the ground.

We Know the Ideal Weather Conditions

There are two main reasons why we take drone photos and videos in nice weather – aesthetics and safety. Firstly, real estate looks better in nice weather. We know the tricks to help avoid the shadows caused by cloudy days and the dull, colorless look of snowy winters. Homes and properties look better and brighter in sunny weather. Second, clear days with calm weather conditions make for safe operating drones. High winds, rain, and snow can destabilize your drone and can lead to damage. We’ll check the weather forecast when scheduling a shoot.

There are seasonal changes in the Austin real estate market. Even if your property goes on sale during the winter, try to schedule a shoot in the summer or spring before your home goes to market.

Help Us Get Your Home Ready

Just like staging a house and its interior spaces, the exterior of a home needs to be prepared before photographing it for a real estate listing. This is especially true if you are planning to take aerial images, otherwise, the property will look cluttered and the photos will be distracting. Homebuyers might assume the property has not been properly maintained. Before our professional photographers arrive, prepare the landscape before the shoot. Remove lawn equipment, toys, and for sale signs. Trim down trees, prune shrubs, and rake up fallen leaves. Lastly, drive any vehicles off the driveway and far enough away from the property to not show up in pictures.

At Bramlett Residential, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service. We’re here to provide you, as a homeowner, everything you need to know about the benefits of using drones for real estate photography. Ready to sell or buy a home? Contact us today to speak with one of our real estate professionals at (512) 872-3441 to get started!

Additional Reading:

How We Use Drones in Real Estate (Part 2)

How Smart Homes Increases Home Value

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How We Use Drones in Real Estate (Part 1)

About the Author

Last updated: 12/15/2020

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