By Anthony Gilbert

The Benefits of Drones For Real Estate Agents

Soaring Above the Competition

Incorporating technology into the buying and selling of homes is just part and parcel with the business as a real estate agent. Drones are the flagship of the next generation of tools that can make it easier to sell a home by showing off its best features. The increasing interest in this technology, and the broad advantages for using drones, indicate that people who use drones for real estate will find ways to effectively rise above the competition.

Drone Photography is Irreplaceable

There is a reason that the high-budget house hunting television shows often start with an aerial view of the property and surrounding areas. Aerial photography is unique and very difficult to emulate from the ground. These days, using a drone to capture the home from its most flattering angles, plus a look at the neighborhood, provides an ideal view of the entire space in one shot. Buyers interested in larger homes and expansive properties are given the best glimpse of everything at once, to catch their interest. I found that drone photography gave me a wider variety of photographs for the listing, so that I could truly provide buyers with everything they are looking for.

Drone Technology Offers Agents Better Tools for Selling

Savvy buyers know that photographs inside a home are staged and shot very carefully to depict a sense of spaciousness and comfort. Unfortunately, when photos are taken from the corners of rooms, buyers may not get the kind of views within the home that they hope to see. Just as drones can capture the essence and the curb appeal of the home from above, I have seen how indoor drone video can recreate a prospective buyer’s experience as they walk through the home, step by step. This opportunity for exact, unparalleled 360-degree views from an average visitor’s perspective shows people what to expect before they even walk through the door.

Drones are Accessible

In years past, the only way that people could get a reasonable aerial view of a property was to hire a helicopter and someone who is trained to take pictures and video from above. The cost and complication of this arrangement made it almost impossible for me to consider for all but the most expensive properties. As drone technology gets less expensive, more people are investing in the industry. Agents who want to use drones can hire a company, like Up Sonder, to do the photography for them, and I know that other real estate agents are also working to bring these services in-house. With pricing trends moving downward, this is a service that I may eventually be able to offer to sellers of almost any property.

Aerial Videos Stand Out on Listing Sites and Social Media

Selling homes means that I have to be somewhat of a marketing expert, knowing what grabs readers and gets them more interested in the properties I have for sale. Videos and photography taken by drones are still a more recent development in real estate marketing, but are becoming more accepted. Aerial videos on a social media post or in a listing capture attention more readily than just photos taken from the ground. Since searches tend to favor videos, adding drone technology to my business is a way to ensure I stay relevant.

Buyers and Sellers Expect Drone Technology

As more real estate agents start to use drone photography and videos to sell homes, buyers will increasingly expect to see these kinds of views during their home search. Sellers, knowing how visually satisfying and informative this media can be for buyers, want to hire agents who have experience with this technology. If I can show sellers that they can get the benefits of drone photography, they may be more likely to contract with me.

Adding drone technology to the range of services I can offer to sellers has been a beneficial way for me to compete on the market, and present buyers with a more complete picture of the homes they are viewing online. By taking advantage of the lower prices and accessibility of drones, I stay ahead of the current real estate marketing trends, and ensure that I am ready to provide buyers and sellers the experience they expect.