Long gone are the days of putting a house on the market and hoping the MLS does its magic. The current state of the world requires realtors to think outside the typical realtor tool box of open houses and just crossing your fingers, hoping potenital buyers see your listing on Zillow.
Social media is everywhere, and realtors need to be a big part of that if they want to stand out from the competition.
But if you’re new to social media, shooting videos, and making a home stand out online, then it’s time to learn what shots you need to get to make the most successful and perfect videos for all of your listings.
Before You Shoot
It’s easy to get excited about recording as soon as you step into the property, but there are a few quick tasks you need to do before you even hit record on your phone for the first time.
- Open blinds
- Turn all lights on
- Make sure the houses looks clean, clutter is moved out the way, and the house is presentable
- Walkthrough the house a few times to map out routes
- Unlock doors for a more seamless flow when doing walkthrough
- Hide your personal stuff in cabinets and drawers
- Make sure you’re filming in 4K and you’re filming in .5 zoom
- Clean your phone’s camera off before filming anything
- Test your mics and equipment before filming
TL;DR: If You Only Have 30 Minutes
Capture the 5 non-negotiables below.
- Three exterior angles (perferrably at golden hour )
- Door-opening intro with agent
- One-take walk-through of the whole house 10-second static hold in every room
- Detail close-ups of the 3 “wow” features (kitchen, primary bath, biggest feature)
Equipment Checklist
- Phone (iPhone 13 or newer) OR DSLR/mirrorless camera
- Gimbal (DJI Osmo Mobile/Ronin) — required for tour shots
- Lavalier mic clipped to agent for any walk-and-talks
- Backup phone or storage (4K footage eats space fast)
- Microfiber cloth to wipe lens between shots
Shoot Order
- Twilight / golden-hour exterior — if available, shoot 30 min before sunset
- Daytime exterior — multiple angles Interior story shots — door opening, walk-and-talks, one-take tour
- Room-by-room coverage
- Detail close-ups
- Lifestyle B-roll Special amenities (pool, gym, gated entrance, etc.)
- Outro with agent
Exterior Shots
Hero exteriors — must-have
Shoot at golden hour (45 min before sunset) if possible. Otherwise anytime with the sun behind you, not behind the house.
1. Wide Head-On of Front
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 8-10 seconds
- Notes: Center the Home, can do a slight pan
2. Left to Right Angle Pan
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10 seconds
- Notes: Front-corner view from left side
3. Right to Left Angle Pan
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10 seconds
- Notes: Front-corner view from right side
4. Walk Up
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10-12 seconds
- Notes: Gimbal walk from sidewalk to front door
5. Slow Pan
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10-12 seconds
- Notes: Stand center, pan slowly across whole property
6. Pull-back
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10-12 seconds
- Notes: Start tight on door, pull back to reveal whole house
Exterior — highest-performing real estate shot on social
7. Head-on with interior lights ON
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Have agent flip on every interior light before sunset; shoot during blue hour
8. Twilight 3/4 with lights ON
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Same window, alternate angle
Exterior details
9. Front Door Close-up
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Hardware, knocker, address numbers
10. Address numbers/Mailbox
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Beautifully composed if curb appeal allows
11. Landscape Detail
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: A garden bed, tree, water feature, lighting fixture
12. Driveway/Walkway
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Pavers, lighting, gate
Interior — Story Shots
1. Door-opening intro — must-have
- Two variants, shoot both:
Hand-on-Handle Reveal
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10-12 seconds
- Notes: Tight on the door handle. Agent’s hand opens it. Push through the threshold.
Agent on-camera door opening
- Orientation: 9:16
- Duration: 10-12 seconds
- Notes: Agent at door, smiles into camera, opens it, gestures viewer in. Use lav mic.
2. One-take tour — must-have
60-90 second gimbal walk-through
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Smooth, one take. Hit every key room. No talking — music will be added in post. Calm pace.
Backup Take
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Always do at least two attempts. Different starting energy on the second.
3. Walk-and-talks with the agent
- 3–5 short walk-and-talks in the most important spaces. About 15–25 seconds each.
Kitchen
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Appliances, finishes, why this kitchen sells the home
Primary Suite
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Why this is the “retreat” of the home
Biggest Feature Room
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Living, great room, view room — whichever is the wow
Backyard/Outdoor Area
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Lifestyle pitch
Closing Pitch From Front Yard
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: “If you love this home as much as we do, DM me.”
3. Outro — Must-have
Agent On-camera Close
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: At front door or hero exterior spot. CTA: name, brokerage, phone or @handle, “DM to schedule a private tour.” Lav mic.
Room-by-Room Coverage
For every named room, capture these 4 shots. Don’t skip — the editor needs options.
1. Wide Establishing From Doorway
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Stand at entry, frame the whole room. Hold 5s. Horizontal.
2. Static 10-second Hold
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Pick the best corner, lock the gimbal, hold completely still.
3. Slow Corner-to-Corner Pan
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Stand in one corner, pan slowly to the opposite corner across 10–12s. Reveals depth.
4. Slow Corner-to-Corner Pan
- Orientation: 9:16
- Notes: Gimbal push toward the room’s hero element (fireplace, view, bed, island) over 5–8s.
Rooms to cover
- Living / great room
- Family room (if separate)
- Office / den
- Primary bath
- Pantry (if walk-in)
- Mudroom
- Basement (if finished)
- Attic / bonus room (if finished)
Views out windows: for any room with a great view, take a separate shot of just the view through the window. Static, horizontal, 5–8s.
Detail Close-Ups
The “wow stuff.” Shoot tight, in focus, hold 4–6 seconds each.
Kitchen
- Range / cooktop
- Dishwasher
- Counter material detail (marble veining, butcher block)
- Backsplash detail
- Hood / range hood
- Cabinet hardware
- Pantry interior
- Pot filler (if present)
- Wine fridge / built-in coffee bar
Bathrooms
- Vanity faucet detail
- Mirror / lighting
- Toilet room / water closet
- Tile detail
- Heated floor / smart bidet
Living / common areas
- Stair detail (railings, runner, landing)
- Floor detail (especially original hardwood or unique stone)
Bedrooms
- Closet built-ins / shoe storage
- Ceiling fan / fixture
- Reading nook / window seat
- French doors / balcony access
Storage & utility
- Laundry detail (folding station, sink)
- Mudroom built-ins
- Linen closet / pantry shelving
- Garage interior (epoxy floor, built-in storage, EV charger)
Outdoor & landscaping
- Pool full
- Spa / hot tub
- Outdoor kitchen
- BBQ / grill detail
- Fire pit (lit if possible)
- Outdoor dining setup
- Pergola / cabana
- Garden detail
- Mature trees
- Outdoor lighting at twilight
- Putting green / sport court (if present)
Smart home & tech
- Smart panel / control system (Lutron, Crestron)
- Security panel
- EV charger
- Solar inverter / monitor
- AV closet
Lifestyle B-Roll — “Sells the Dream”
These are the shots that turn a property tour into an aspirational reel. About 5–8s each, vertical preferred.
- Coffee brewing / espresso machine pulling shots
- Steam rising from a cup on the kitchen island
- Fire lit in fireplace, slow push-in
- Wine glass on the counter (just the glass if seller’s home)
- Sunlight streaming through a window onto the floor
- Slow pan across an open book on a bedside table
- Plant detail (leaves with sunlight)
- Slow tilt up from pool surface to sky
- Towel folded on bath bench
- Candle lit on bathroom vanity
Special Property Types
Gated communities
- Community entrance gate and signage
- Guardhouse exterior
- Drive-up to home from gate
- Wide street view of the neighborhood
Condos / multifamily
- Lobby
- Elevator
- Floor signage / unit door
- Hallway to unit (if attractive)
- Building exterior with address visible
Amenities (condo or HOA)
- Pool deck (wide + detail)
- Gym / fitness center
- Co-working space / lounge
- Rooftop / terrace
- Concierge / mail room
- Parking garage (assigned spaces, EV charging)
- Dog park / pet wash
Final Pre-Leave Checklist
Before driving away from the property:
- All shot codes ticked off
- All 4 room shots (A, B, C, D) for every room on the list
- At least 2 takes of the door-opening intro
- At least 2 takes of the one-take tour
- All walk-and-talks completed
- Outro recorded
- Lifestyle B-roll done
- Lens wiped, no smudges in latest footage
- Seller has locked up after we leave