Want to sell real estate properties faster and for more money?
The marketing landscape for real estate is shifting. Properties that incorporate aerial photography are not just getting more views… They’re selling at unprecedented speeds.
Here’s the bottom line:
MLS stats confirm homes with aerial photography sell 68% faster than traditional listings without drone imagery. This trend is no longer a fad… It’s a major competitive advantage.
The technology has also become much more accessible in recent years. Luxury market adoption pioneered the use of drones… Now the technology is used at every price point.
Let’s take a look at the big picture:
- Why Aerial Imagery Matters for Real Estate Properties
- The Drone Surveying and Property Selling Connection
- High-Performing Agents and Drone Technology
- Getting Started with High-Resolution Drone Imagery
Why Aerial Imagery Matters for Real Estate
Selling property is primarily a visual experience. Buyers make quick decisions based on first impressions in listing photos. The problem with standard street-level photography is that it only shows part of the picture.
Enter drone photography.
A single drone image from the air can communicate what would otherwise take dozens of regular photos to show, including the property itself, its surroundings, nearby amenities, and landscape features that a listing agent would want to include in any great marketing campaign. This is the reason why drones for surveying and mapping are now a must for real estate drone surveying and mapping services.
Remember…
When a potential buyer browses through dozens or hundreds of listings, why do they stop and click? Unique visual content that breaks through the clutter. And aerial photos provide that differentiation instantly.
In fact, a study by the Institute for Behavioral and Experimental Real Estate found that buyers spent 95% of their listing-viewing time on the first exterior shot. After about 20 seconds, their eyes darted around the screen randomly.
Make a good first impression.
It’s critical.
The Drone Surveying and Property Selling Connection
Drone surveying and mapping technology isn’t just about capturing high-quality images. The data obtained from these flights provide precise information about what a buyer is purchasing.
Professional drone services offer aerial photography that can capture:
- Property boundaries – Clarifying the extent of the land in question
- Topographical features – Detailing elevation changes and terrain
- Proximity to key landmarks – Rivers, parks, schools, and amenities
- Context of the neighbourhood – How the property fits with the area
- Overview of structures – Roof conditions and building outlines
When buyers have a holistic visual understanding of a property, they feel more secure. Confidence in what they’re potentially buying generates more in-person viewings, and more viewings lead to more offers.
One report found that 83% of home sellers would rather work with an agent who uses drones. Sellers recognise the value these services bring to marketing properties.
High-Performing Agents and Drone Technology
Want a little secret about top-performing real estate agents?
They use aerial photography 3.5 times more often than agents with lower sales volume. This isn’t an accident. The high performers know that superior marketing delivers superior results.
The most successful agents are utilising drone imagery by:
Showcasing Big Properties – Large estates, rural acreage, and significant land holdings are all hard to represent properly from street level. The scope and scale of these properties are lost in traditional photography but pops in aerial images.
Highlighting Outdoor Features – Pools, decks, landscaping, and outdoor living areas show up particularly well from above. While these selling features can get lost in traditional photography, they become key value points when captured by drones.
Creating Emotional Connections – Drone video can tell a visual story of a property at golden hour, through the changing seasons, or in relation to beautiful landscapes. Storytelling helps buyers imagine life in a home.
Standing Out in Competitive Markets – When multiple similar properties are on the market, aerial imagery makes listings pop. Agents find that this visual differentiation is the difference between a fast sale and a long hold.
Aerial drone photography is also more affordable than ever. In the past, this level of technology required hiring helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. Now, affordable, yet extremely advanced drone systems capture stunning high resolution imagery at a much lower price point.
The Business Case for Drone Imagery
If you’re still on the fence about whether drone photography is worth the investment, consider this:
The market for real estate drone services is growing at a 18.4% compound annual growth rate. This type of expansion doesn’t occur without clear return on investment for those utilising the technology.
Agents and sellers are seeing that properties with aerial imagery consistently experience:
- Faster time-to-sale
- More listing engagement
- Greater number of qualified buyer inquiries
- Better perceived value
The cost effectiveness is impressive as well. In the past, aerial photography from manned aircraft was out of reach for the majority of real estate listings. Drone technology has opened the door for everyone.
Agents who invest in drone services, or who build relationships with professional drone operators, are now making a competitive necessity investment rather than a luxury add-on.
Getting Started with High-Resolution Drone Imagery
Ready to take the first steps in building a high-resolution drone imagery real estate marketing strategy?
The process is much easier than one might imagine. Drone operators handle all of the technical considerations including flight plans, photography, and image processing.
Look for these qualifications in a drone service provider:
- Licensed and insured operators – It is non-negotiable when it comes to professional work
- High-resolution camera gear – 4K video and above is a must
- Familiarity with real estate – This industry is unique. Professionals should know property marketing requirements
- Timely image delivery – Real estate doesn’t move slowly
Agents also have the option of gaining their own drone pilot certification. While there is more upfront time and cost investment, this provides the greatest control over when and how drone imagery is captured.
Either solution works, it’s important to take the first steps.
The Bottom Line
High-resolution drone imagery has gone from a “nice to have” to a “need to have” status for any serious real estate professional wanting to get the best results.
The data speaks for itself:
- Properties are selling faster with aerial photography
- Sellers are increasingly preferential to agents using drone imagery
- Top performing agents are already using drone technology
- The drone equipment is more accessible than ever before
Agents who invest in drone surveying and mapping technology today are going to be ahead of the curve tomorrow. Those who ignore it are going to quickly fall behind the competition who understands the power of visual marketing.
The sky really is the limit with high-resolution drone photography.
Begin to explore the possibilities of aerial imagery to see the results for yourself.
