Light, weather and when to shoot
High-desert light is intense at noon and extraordinary an hour after sunrise and before sunset, when adobe turns gold and the Sangre de Cristos turn pink. Shoot exteriors and courtyards in those windows; interiors with the small deep-set windows want lamps on. Summer monsoon afternoons bring dramatic skies — and rain; plan aerials for the morning.
What sells here, and what buyers want to see
Santa Fe and Taos sell the architecture, the view, the courtyard and the portal; buyers ask whether it is real adobe or frame-and-stucco and whether it is in the historic district. Albuquerque sells on the Northeast Heights' mountain views, the North Valley's lots and the Westside's newer construction.
The clips to make
- Backyard reveal through the doors onto the portal and courtyard.
- Tilt up to the vigas and latillas; truck & pan around the kiva fireplace.
- View push to the mountains; rise over roof at last light from a licensed pilot's stills.
Rules worth checking
New Mexico requires a seller's disclosure on residential sales and, on many properties, disclosure of water rights and well status — a real question in the high desert. Santa Fe's historic districts regulate exteriors; say the district in the caption. Pueblo lands and tribal airspace limit some drone work north of Santa Fe.
Disclosure, drone and privacy rules change and differ by MLS and municipality; confirm the current version with your broker before you rely on anything here.
Questions
Should the video say real adobe or frame-and-stucco?
The caption should; buyers from elsewhere assume adobe and are disappointed at the showing if it is not. The video shows the finish either way.
When exactly is the light right?
About an hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. Set the shoot for one of those windows and do the interiors in between.
Read next
- Real Estate Video in Arizona and the Desert SouthwestListing video for Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico agents: desert light, pools and outdoor living, mountain views, retirement and seasonal buyers, and the drone shots that show the setting.
- Luxury Listing Video: Pace, Moves and RestraintHow to make a luxury real estate video from photos that reads as expensive: slower pacing, longer clips, reveal and drone moves, and the restraint that separates it from a standard listing reel.
- Listing Video for an Older Home: Character, Condition and Not Hiding EitherHow to video a historic or older home: showing original features with the right moves, being straightforward about condition, the systems buyers ask about, and where inspection facts belong.