Light, weather and when to shoot
Hollows lose the sun early; shoot exteriors mid-morning to early afternoon when the light is in the valley, and the ridge-top view in the last hour. Fall colour in October is the state's exterior season. Winter is grey and often snowy in the mountains; summer is green and humid.
What sells here, and what buyers want to see
Martinsburg, Charles Town and Harpers Ferry sell the commute, the lot and newer construction; Morgantown sells to the university; Charleston sells neighbourhoods and the river. Mountain properties sell the view, the acreage, the hunting and the access; river properties sell the frontage and the put-in.
The clips to make
- Tracking drive up the hollow to the house — access is the first question.
- Balcony pull-back from the ridge view; drone fly-over of a wooded parcel from a licensed pilot's stills.
- Rivers: backyard reveal down to the water; a pass along the frontage.
Rules worth checking
West Virginia does not mandate a single statutory disclosure form; sellers must disclose known material defects and brokerages use disclosure forms by practice — the video should be as plain as the form. Mineral rights are often severed from surface rights; caption what conveys. Slope, drainage and flood questions on river lots 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 show how steep a lot is?
A tracking drive or walk up the access with the phone level shows the grade honestly. Buyers from flat country need to see it before they visit.
Should the video mention mineral rights?
The caption should state what conveys; the video cannot. It is the fact out-of-state buyers most often misunderstand here.
Read next
- Real Estate Video in Virginia: Northern Virginia, Richmond, the Bay and the Blue RidgeListing video for Virginia agents: Northern Virginia's commuter suburbs, Richmond's neighbourhoods, Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake, Charlottesville and the Blue Ridge, four seasons, and the state's buyer-beware disclosure form.
- Real Estate Video in Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Rowhouses, Pittsburgh Hills and the Main LineListing video for Pennsylvania agents: Philadelphia rowhouses and the Main Line, Pittsburgh's hills and views, the Poconos and Lancaster County, older housing stock, four seasons, and the seller's property disclosure statement.
- How to Make a Video for Land, Lots and AcreageListing video for vacant land and acreage: which drone moves show boundaries, access and lay of the land, what ground-level photos add, and how to keep it honest about what is and is not included.