The real estate industry is constantly evolving in order to stay current with the trends of modern day society, and people are always finding new ways to forge ahead. With technology so prominent today, one may wonder how it will change the way real estate agents operate on a daily basis. One answer is with drones. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has recently provided guidelines for any agent looking to have his or her own personal eye in the sky, and here’s what all real estate agents should know.
What are Drones?
In order to understand how drones are transforming the real estate industry, you need to know what these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are capable of. Drones are unmanned aircrafts, often smaller than a typical aircraft, and sometimes controlled from the ground with a hand-held device. Originally used in military applications, drones now have commercial uses and personal applications for multiple industries, causing their popularity to spread.
For real estate purposes, they can be equipped with a camera to take video in whichever direction you choose. From the ground, you can have full control over what the drone captures. The quality of the camera will often depend on the drone quality, but highly professional photos can certainly be captured with these recreational devices, providing a unique and desirable vantage-point image you may otherwise not get. Drones can also fly up to incredibly high altitudes. However, by law, recreational drones cannot exceed 400 feet above the ground. They can also travel for many miles, well out of sight.
Drone Photography Provides Affordable Aerial Shots
Before drones, one would have to hire a pilot to fly over the property in order to get aerial shots. This was a costly photography option, and the photos were also taken from a higher altitude, so they weren’t as captivating. As such, aerial shots were very rare to come by.
However, aerial shots are quickly being sought after within the real estate industry. The quality and resolution of drone photography depends on the quality of drone used, but highly professional, high-definition aerial shots can certainly be provided.
As for the pricing, drone photography is much more affordable than alternative options. Drones range in price from a few hundred dollars to thousands. However, buying your own device isn’t necessarily required, and it could be quite time-consuming to learn and perfect the flying process. You can now hire experienced drone flyers to provide aerial real estate photography.
Real Estate Agents with Drones
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows commercial, for-profit drone use under limited circumstances. Any real estate agents using drones for aerial shots must complete a registration process beforehand. However, this is expected to become a more streamlined process in the future. NAR has worked with the policy and legal counsels, as well as the FAA itself to create the guidelines for real estate agents using drones.
Many believe that the FAA will issue updated commercial requirements for the use of drones within real estate, which will have drone aerial photography quickly taking over the real estate industry.
The Power of Aerial Photography
With the use of a drone, real estate agents can capture unique shots of the properties being listed. This allows real estate agents to provide their clients with a look at their entire property from a new angle, which is incredibly beneficial for properties with a lot of land, photogenic elements, large estates, and industrial properties. Additionally, not all properties photograph well from the ground, and drone photography can allow for the best, most appealing property shots to be taken. This also allows for many real estate agents to highlight certain areas on or around a property that may not be seen or fully experienced by potential buyers otherwise. Drone photography can show the close proximity to shore lines, the distance to downtown, scenery and other major selling points, such as the proximity to other properties.
Why Would Agents Use Drones
Drones give everyone the opportunity to provide a unique view of a property. This is one of the major benefits that comes from using a drone as a real estate agent. In some cases, drone photography can help sell a home, as it is able to showcase a larger property with a lot of land easier than other methods.
Using a drone for your real estate business can also help you market to prospective clients. People are increasingly becoming more interested in hiring a real estate agent who is up-to-date with the times and technology. With a drone, you can differentiate yourself from your competition by showcasing your talent and cutting-edge approach to getting more listings and/or offers. Prospective clients will feel like your services are better than the rest because of your unique and modernized approach.
