Light, weather and when to shoot
Humid summer haze and grey winters bracket a clean spring and a fall that is the state's best exterior season, especially in the Poconos and Lancaster County. Rowhouses have windows at two ends only — shoot when the light is in and use lamps. Pittsburgh views are best in the clear light after a front.
What sells here, and what buyers want to see
Philadelphia sells on the block and the rowhouse's flow, the roof deck and the parking; the Main Line on the town, the schools and the stone house. Pittsburgh sells neighbourhoods — Squirrel Hill, Lawrenceville, Mt. Lebanon — and views. Lancaster sells farmland and stone houses; the Poconos sell the lake and the drive from the cities.
The clips to make
- Rowhouses: interior reveal front to back; staircase climb to the roof deck and a view push to the skyline.
- Stone colonials: façade glide; tilt up for ceilings; the older home guide condition clips.
- Pittsburgh: balcony pull-back from the river view; a front-door approach that shows the grade.
Rules worth checking
Pennsylvania requires a seller's property disclosure statement on most residential sales, and lead paint applies to most of the housing stock; the video should never contradict the statement. Philadelphia's historic districts regulate exteriors; Pittsburgh hillsides raise stability questions that belong in the documents.
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
How do I video a rowhouse so it feels wider?
Move through it rather than across it — a reveal from the front room back — and shoot from the doorways so depth reads. A pan in a rowhouse shows a wall.
Is the roof deck worth a clip?
In Philadelphia it is often the deciding room. A staircase climb to it and a view push to the skyline are the two clips buyers share.
Read next
- 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.
- Real Estate Video in New Jersey: Commuter Towns, the Shore and Tight LotsListing video for New Jersey agents: train-line commuter towns, the Jersey Shore's summer market, North Jersey's dense lots and Cape Cods, four seasons, flood questions on the coast, and disclosure practice.
- Real Estate Video in Maryland: DC Commuters, the Chesapeake and Baltimore RowhousesListing video for Maryland agents: Montgomery and Howard County commuter homes, Annapolis and Eastern Shore waterfront, Baltimore rowhouses, four-season shooting, and the disclosure-or-disclaimer choice.