Digital Journal caught up with Douglas Thron, a San Francisco Bay Area based professional drone cinematographer whose four minute video on a high end property in Santa Barbara was recently placed on Placester.com’s list of the top 10 Most Stunning Real Estate Listing Videos of 2015.
“There is no better way to capture the unique setting and features of a home than through the aerial shots and video that a drone can produce,” Thron says.
“My videos are like mini- movies,” he tells Digital Journal.”I start with an intro that showcases the entire area so that potential buyers can get a complete idea of the community and natural surroundings before zooming into the home and detailing the interior.”
An FAA seaplane licensed pilot, Thron says he switched shooting from small planes to drones because they are more cost effective and maneuverable in a populated area. He also shoots nature films for the Discovery Channel, where the drone allows for less intrusive shots of wildlife in action from dynamic perspectives — he recently filmed Great White sharks off the coast of Northern California.
Drone Photography Sells Houses
With many high end real estate buyers shopping for properties well out of their area, high-definition drone videos are effectively virtual tours in the palm of the hand. According to the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) drone videos allow potential investors to see every inch of their property, including pitfalls and problems, right at the initial phase of the deal. This makes brokers who offer aerial drone videos more attractive to buyers.
“The benefit for both the buyer and the seller is obvious,” Thron tells us,”The relative low cost of hiring a professional drone pilot to come in and shoot the property for the day translates immediately into a much higher chance of sale with an interested client.”
