Photography and Video

Selling a home on the water can be difficult due to legal issues concerning access, waterfront buffer zones, and costly flood insurance that buyers must consider. You can make the buying process easier and more enticing for homebuyers by including aerial drone videos of your listing. Real estate agents find these drone videos extremely helpful when selling homes on the lake or ocean. It cuts the buyer’s research time in half because they get a bird’s eye view of the property and water included in the purchase. 

First, consider your target audience. Whether it’s a beachfront home or one on the lake, the main two types of buyers you’re most likely targeting are those who want to buy a vacation home and rent it out or those who choose to buy a primary residence on the water. When marketing your listing, keep these two groups in mind and market specifically to their needs.

Nearby Nightlife and Golf Courses

Socializing is something people like to do at the beach or lake. Couples love to entertain at their beachfront homes with family and friends. Another thing they enjoy is being close to popular nightlife venues. With drone photography, you can emphasize how close the home is to nearby restaurants, bars, and music venues. This appeals to a large segment of buyers.

 Not only will this appeal to young buyers, but also old. Think about the appeal of a nearby golf course for retirees and other golfing aficionados looking for beachfront or lake property. Many lakeside and beach waterfront properties are located near or in golfing communities. This is the big perk of owning the property and real estate drone technology is the perfect way of emphasizing that.

Weather and Boating

When hiring a drone pilot, make sure to check the weather ahead of time. No one wants to see stormy weather or cloudy day footage of a beautiful beachfront property. Emphasize the beautiful beach strand or in the case of lakeside homes, the dock and swimming areas and surrounding foliage.

 If you’re selling a home by the lake, you’ll want to show the boating access and amenities that come with the property. Does the home include a boathouse, dock, pier, or a community-shared boathouse? These are features you’ll want to include in drone footage of the home. Does the home include a parking spot for the homeowner’s boat? Parking for boat trailers is something that avid boaters keep in mind when searching for a waterfront home.

Staging the Strand and Porches

Buyers of vacation homes dream of the ideal beach home or lakehouse, so make sure to stage your client’s home appropriately for the drone video. Clean up the beach if necessary. No one wants to see trash, weeds, or gobs of seaweed. Remove anything that would turn off a potential buyer. Try to add attractive furniture for the porch to entice vacation home buyers.

Why you need to hire a professional…

Gone are the days of renting a helicopter crew and aerial photographer to film sky views of an immense luxury waterfront property. Drones alleviate the expense of this specialized marketing strategy for luxury homeowners and their agents. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) loosened the restrictions for drone operators on August 29, 2016, when they dropped the requirement that drone pilots must have an FAA pilot license. Now, drone operators must have only an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Operator Certificate that costs less than $200.

 Check out the National Association of Realtors’ drone resource page for realtors. This page informs real estate agents about the government’s current drone regulations. Even though a drone operator certificate is easily acquired, that doesn’t mean operating this small craft is simple. In fact, drone operations can be downright risky at times. You’ve got many obstacles like power lines and windy weather to contend with as well as privacy issues. Hobbyist models won’t do for holding expensive camera equipment, so you’ll need to purchase a drone that can achieve pro footage without expensive and legally risky mishaps. Many realtors have discovered that it’s best to hire a pro rather than risk violating FAA regulations as well as the privacy of neighbors. Damage to property is also a concern.

A drone broker like DroneBroker.io can help you choose the most qualified and affordable drone pilot in your area. Rather than choosing a drone hobbyist, you can hire a pro who is knowledgeable of the operation and legal requirements of drone operation. Our network of experienced drone pilots are highly vetted and come with a long list of references from satisfied clients.

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